One should not do away with their passion once they have entered a service that requires their time as well as devotion. Yes, it requires a lot of time to complete their official tasks and leaves them little time to indulge in their passion, but it’s not impossible. A little bit of zeal and determination helps them go a long way, in such a case.
Keeping this in mind and renewing his passion for writing once again, IPS officer Mr. Vineet Agarwal has launched his new book – ‘Hinduism Beyond Ritualism’, which is the new talk of the town!
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Agarwal talks about his work and achievements.
HINDUISM BEYOND RITUALISM
India is a land having numerous rituals across copious religions but what is the metaphysical theory and philosophy behind them? How did people evolve? What is the theory of evolution? These are some of the questions that have, at least once, popped up in each of our heads and the book beautifully answers them in its own way.
“The scientific theory talks about material evolution but what about consciousness and identity? We believe in the cycle of rebirth but different religions have different takes on the issue. My book is written for everyone to read, irrespective of opinions or religion,” Mr. Agarwal told Indian Masterminds.
In the book, he talks about the human body, its consciousness, the flow of energy, chakras, and the soul. He talks about life after death and details of life through various chapters. The book also describes philosophical theories of cultural music, dance, yoga, etc., through pictography. To research for the book, Mr. Agarwal went through original scriptures and Upanishads to understand the philosophy of life in detail.
“These are the various things that I have tried putting in the book and bring to readers the essence of India,” stated Mr. Agarwal who is also an IIT-Delhi graduate.
ROMANCE OF A NAXALITE
Set in Naxal areas of Central India, Mr. Agarwal’s first book ‘Romance of a Naxalite’ is based on his experiences when he was posted in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, where he fought Naxalism as Superintendent of Police. This book has been widely reviewed in the media as it has refuted the popular notion of Naxalism.
“The book is from the point of view of a Naxalite. It shows the reason why Naxalism still exists after decades of independence. It does not criticize a particular strategy but gives a peek into the life of these people, how they live, eat, work, plan an ambush, etc. What is the interlude politics in their organization…all of it,” Mr. Agarwal told Indian Masterminds.
The book not only narrates an innocent love story of youthful ambitions but also refutes the popular notions about Naxalism.
ON THE EVE OF KALYUG
Mr. Agarwal’s second book ‘Kalyug ki Poorva Sandhya’ or ‘On the Eve of Kalyug’ is a poetic drama containing 153 verses, in Hindi and English. It is a well-researched book on Mahabharata bringing to the fore an altogether different perspective of the great epic.
“During the battle of Mahabharata, a lot of rules were broken by Pandavas which were later justified because they emerged victoriously. The crux of the matter was that whoever will win, will be portrayed as right and virtuous. The book gives an entirely different perspective to the war laced with facts and research,” the 1994 batch officer told Indian Masterminds.
The sequence of events has been described in a delightful, poetic rhythm from an impartial perspective. The subject matter of this composition is not motivated or propelled by imagination but is based on well-researched information available in various versions of Mahabharata and other places in Sanskrit literature. It is a treat for the mythological freaks. The book has also been made into a television series with the name ‘Mahabharata: Ant ya Arambh’ and is telecasted on SonyLiv.
Mr. Agarwal has held various important posts in the Government of Maharashtra, Central Bureau of Investigation, and Government of India; he is also the proud recipient of the prestigious President’s Police Medal for meritorious services.
