Review by OB Brian -- Tortured in Ashram by Prem Nambiar
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Review by OB Brian -- Tortured in Ashram by Prem Nambiar
Hindus sometimes desire to live away from the community as a group. At times, also, they may want a place they can pray away from the company of others. The place they go to is called an Ashram. It is a place of tranquillity, a haven for those seeking respite and spiritual nourishment. That is what Prem Nambiar believed until he volunteered in Amritapuri. Tortured in Ashram recounts his experience in the Ashram and the aftermath of his decision to volunteer.
One Saturday morning in 1992, Prem Nambiar decided to take his family to see Amma. Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi) is a Hindu guru and humanitarian whose ability to hug for eight to fifteen hours has earned her the name "Hugging Saint." Amma is the founder of Amritapuri Ashram. The Ashram is in Kerala, her hometown in India. Each year, Amma travels around the world to lead spiritual events, and in 1992, the author met her for the first time. The following year, he volunteered in her Ashram. But as he came to learn, Amritapuri is far from Godly and not one bit compassionate.
In simple, flawless English, the author tells of his suffering at the hands of some individuals within Amritapuri, which, in his own words, "is one of the evilest cults in humankind’s history." In one hundred and twenty pages and sixteen chapters, the author explains the atrocities visited upon him, the brain and how it functions, and how targeted individuals can alleviate their suffering. Additionally, he speaks of microwave weapons and how individuals within Amritapuri (adversaries) use them to harass and torture devotees. He explains how microwave weapons work and how they can affect a particular person in a group. Furthermore, the author uses pictures to help drive his message home, an aspect of the book I loved the most.
Tortured in Ashram has been edited professionally. I did not come across even a single grammatical or typographical error in the entire novel, and for that, I commend the editorial team. However, there are some repetitions that I believe were intentional to stress the message.
Tortured in Ashram aims at opening the eyes of people to the heinous acts that some individuals do in the guise of spirituality. It shows how these cults attract a massive number of devotees and how their evil activities go unnoticed.
That said, there was nothing to dislike about Tortured in Ashram. I rate this novel four out of four stars. I recommend it to the government, whose job it is to protect people. Also, I advance it to spiritual leaders, devotees, and the general public. Someone may be watching your every move and controlling your behavior and urges. Tortured in Ashram is devoid of profanities, sexual content, and religious bias. Therefore, it is suitable for people of all ages.
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Tortured in Ashram
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