Review of “Amir
Khusrau: The Man in Riddles” – Ankit Chadha
Once upon a
time, there were people who didn’t spend their time glued to bright screens; people
who really talked to one another and had conversations other than thrusting
their ‘status’ at each other. Such was the time when riddles were asked for
amusement as well as to test the knowledge of the listener. These days, riddles
have been replaced by awful messages which keep looping back one another.
Ankit Chadha, a
researcher of all things Sufi, has come up with a few riddles from The Amir
Khusrao, the man who needs no words of introduction. The riddles form an
important part in the writings of Khusrao and these chosen twenty riddles are a
depiction of events in the Sufi poet’s life. The book consists of the original
riddle along with its English translation (for those who do not understand
Urdu).
The riddle itself is followed by the answer and a brief description of
the importance of that in Khusrao’s life.
The riddles themselves
are mind boggling. The reader is forced to think this way and that and has to
find the answer to the riddle in the riddle itself. The description which
follows the answer is also enlightening and gives a peek into Khusrao’s
personality and his relationship with his spiritual mentor, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
The best part of the book is the illustrations provided by Urmimala Nag which
in itself acts as a clue to the riddle and is the manifestation of the answer.
My take: Since this
is a riddle book do not be fooled to take it as a children’s book. If you feel
over-confident, its best to test your mettle against the intellectual Khusrau.
Book courtesy: Vivek
Tejuja (Flipkart)
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