'Unanswered' is a book penned by Mr. Kunal Uniyal and it's his third book. I am calling it a book, using a common noun to describe it and I have a good enough reason for doing so. It's a book that consists off both poems and prose and I was in real dilemma picturing its prognosis in my mind. It started with a poem named 'You and I' and beautiful it was, all poised and lyrical. And then came a snippet of a prose by the name 'Life of a Yogi'. They were really not connected and I was perplexed. Then I allowed myself some comfort and decided to dig up some more. Some more beautiful poems and accompanying yet again not quite related passages of prose followed but now they looked more in shape and very much in order. Now I was beginning to realize that there was more to this book than met my eyes earlier and it's scope is much wider that what I originally thought. You are required to engage yourself with this book and once you do that, you will know you are engaged with something special. I found my rhythm and although it took me some time to find it, I felt more than satisfied when I finished reading it.
Let's start with the beginning, i.e. the 'title' of the book. 'Unanswered', well what would you make of it? Author suggests in the 'preface' section that this book will recount his moments of truth that he has experienced in multitudes in his life so far. He is hopeful that readers through his experiences only might find solutions to their problems which are hunting them for a while now. So why naming the book 'Unanswered' if it's not going to suggest downright answers? I went through the entire book, poems by poems, one section of prose to another and I guessed what writer was trying to suggest there. In our life, there is nothing like 'black and white' and we live in a 'grey' region and since we continue living our lives in delirium knowing that whatever we are doing, we were destined to do anyway, we seek the solutions of our problems within our delirious environment. Mr. Kunal doesn't offer immediate solutions, instead he offer his insights. He has drawn his learning from Bhagvad Gita and Vedas and frequently refer to them, reciting them liberally while dissecting the topics of 'Maya', 'Life', 'Death', 'Soul' 'Morality', 'Religion or Dharma', 'Ego', 'Materialistic Life' and many others. He also cites 'Rabindranath Tagore', 'Fyodor Dostoevsky', 'Bertrand Russel' and others such scholars wherever their insights have matched his leanings. We even get to witness 'Yama-Nachiketa Samvad' in a very simplistic manner that's been picked by the Author from 'Kathopanishad'. And thus credit must be given to Mr. Kunal for bundling all these valuable insights in a very concise manner. His poems are 'rhythmic' with a soothing symphony. His prose is balanced and though you will find some long paragraphs in there, in entirely, they will make sense to you. Mr. Kunal packs a punch here with finesse of an artist.
I would like to call this book a 'spiritual text'. However, future readers of it may find it a 'religious text' or even a 'self-help' book and author here has certainly kept himself away from this debate, cleverly, by not categorizing it in a specific genre. For me, it has a universal appeal and although Kunal draws heavily from ancient Vedic texts such as Vedas and Upnishads, a learned and conscious reader will understand that their teachings have always applied to entire mankind and are directed to solving its 'perennial' problems. In this way, 'Unanswered' fulfills its premise and for readers, it will undoubtedly be a valuable addition to their bookshelves. For devoted lovers of poetry, it's unmissable'.
Rating - 4.5/5
Let's start with the beginning, i.e. the 'title' of the book. 'Unanswered', well what would you make of it? Author suggests in the 'preface' section that this book will recount his moments of truth that he has experienced in multitudes in his life so far. He is hopeful that readers through his experiences only might find solutions to their problems which are hunting them for a while now. So why naming the book 'Unanswered' if it's not going to suggest downright answers? I went through the entire book, poems by poems, one section of prose to another and I guessed what writer was trying to suggest there. In our life, there is nothing like 'black and white' and we live in a 'grey' region and since we continue living our lives in delirium knowing that whatever we are doing, we were destined to do anyway, we seek the solutions of our problems within our delirious environment. Mr. Kunal doesn't offer immediate solutions, instead he offer his insights. He has drawn his learning from Bhagvad Gita and Vedas and frequently refer to them, reciting them liberally while dissecting the topics of 'Maya', 'Life', 'Death', 'Soul' 'Morality', 'Religion or Dharma', 'Ego', 'Materialistic Life' and many others. He also cites 'Rabindranath Tagore', 'Fyodor Dostoevsky', 'Bertrand Russel' and others such scholars wherever their insights have matched his leanings. We even get to witness 'Yama-Nachiketa Samvad' in a very simplistic manner that's been picked by the Author from 'Kathopanishad'. And thus credit must be given to Mr. Kunal for bundling all these valuable insights in a very concise manner. His poems are 'rhythmic' with a soothing symphony. His prose is balanced and though you will find some long paragraphs in there, in entirely, they will make sense to you. Mr. Kunal packs a punch here with finesse of an artist.
I would like to call this book a 'spiritual text'. However, future readers of it may find it a 'religious text' or even a 'self-help' book and author here has certainly kept himself away from this debate, cleverly, by not categorizing it in a specific genre. For me, it has a universal appeal and although Kunal draws heavily from ancient Vedic texts such as Vedas and Upnishads, a learned and conscious reader will understand that their teachings have always applied to entire mankind and are directed to solving its 'perennial' problems. In this way, 'Unanswered' fulfills its premise and for readers, it will undoubtedly be a valuable addition to their bookshelves. For devoted lovers of poetry, it's unmissable'.
Rating - 4.5/5
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