Review of “Losing
My Religion” – Vishwas Mudagal
I chanced
upon this book by mistake. Firstly, I didn’t want to read it because I thought
it was just another self-help guide. After a little coxing I gave in and
decided to give it a go and I am really glad that I did because reading it
totally changed my view. You could, if you please classify this as a
motivational text, but it is not preachy or righteous which suited my taste
just right. Losing My Religion is a story of an out-of-luck businessman, Rishi,
who decides to quit it all and give living his life a second chance, a chance
which comes with freedom and inner peace. He tags along with a hippie, Alex, who
guides him to an adventurous ride across India from the life-on-a-high in
valley to the coastal sea-facing vagabond living. However, Rishi cannot get business
out of his head and tries to build a new life in which he doesn’t feel bound. A
gamer/biker girl Kyra comes into his life and he finally finds something to
live for just to be taken aback by her departure. Alex tries to fix a broken Rishi
by taking him to the event of the decade, the Maha Kumbh where again he finds
his lost bearings in business and the reuniting with Kyra. What he is not
expecting is her true identity. Caught in a media war with one of the biggest
businessman, the team of three mates is drawn into reality TV and a game of
proving themselves to the world.
The initial
chapters of the book force you to look outside your own miserable cubicle of
life and imagine yourself to be free of all the worldly boundaries. There are
situations where you just want to get lost with the characters and be them for
a while or more. My gamer instincts took off the moment Mortal Kombat was
mentioned and I left was craving for some action in the much hyped ZoD too. The
characters’ high risk no pressure life looks like the easy way out of the
mundane daily routines of the 9-5 O’Clockers. The words flow in a stream such that
you feel connected and at the same time appreciate the use of crafty sentences.
There were so many instances while reading when I found that instead of the
usual words a better, more fitting synonym was used just to add to the beauty
of the text.
I will
forever be in debt of Vivek Tejuja (Flipkart) for giving me this book (even if
it was by mistake!). This book changed my view of the world. I too maybe
thinking of getting on with a journey of self-discovery sooner that I would
have, all thanks to Vishwas Mudagal. You rock man!
