#BookReview :: The Seeker by Karan Bajaj

A violent encounter on the streets of Manhattan forces Wall Street banker Maximus Pzoras to confront questions about suffering and mortality that have dogged him since his mother’s death. His search for a mentor takes him to the farthest reaches of India, where he encounters a mysterious night market, almost freezes to death on a hike up the Himalayas and finally, finds himself in an ashram in a small drought stricken village in South India where strange things begin to happen to him.
But are Yogis who walk on water, do impossible poses, and live agelessly for 200 years the stuff of fiction or fact? Can a flesh and blood man ever truly achieve nirvana? Max struggles to overcome his rational skepticism and the pull of family tugging him back home. In a final bid for answers, he embarks on dangerous solitary meditation in a freezing Himalayan cave. Will Max penetrate the truth of human suffering, or is enlightenment just a new age illusion?


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A chance incident leaves Wall Street banker Maximus Pzoras shaken. After the incident, he starts to question himself about life, death and suffering – things that have bothered him for quite some time yet he never confronted them. But he finally decides to embark upon a journey to find these answers. His search leads him to different corners of India. From the freezing temperature of the Himalayas to the boiling hot weather of South India – he travels far and wide. But does our ‘Seeker’ finally find what he was truly looking for?

I have to admit that I had read Johnny Gone Down when it had come out first and while I did enjoy it the, I really did not understand why people were going ga-ga over it. And, until recently I maintained that it was one of the over-hyped books. But then a friend of mine suggested that I should re-read it now when my tastes have evolved some and that I just might like it a bit more. I have been meaning to do so since last couple of months and that’s when The Seeker arrived! I started reading this book with an open mind… and yes! I have thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Maximus is a brilliant protagonist to know about and to follow. While he takes time to warm up to the reader, he does become endearing by the end. The Wall Street banker that we see is not all that Maximus is and that is soon evident as he takes on his journey towards achieving enlightenment. The other character that leaves a mark on the reader is that of Ramakrishna. There are a number of characters aside from these two and are as well developed and vibrant as the two main characters. The plot of the book was well hatched and the narration is beautiful. From what I understand, some of the experiences are almost autobiographical as the author had been on one year spiritual sabbatical. He learnt Yoga, meditation and experienced living as a Buddhist Monk as well. It is no wonder that when he narrates Maximus’s journey, it is easy for a reader to feel like they are with Maximus at the moment – seeing what he sees and feeling what he feels. The language and the narration of the author was pure magic!

Needless to say, apart from experiencing few hours of beautiful literature, this book also offers its readers certain lessons/opinions that can be utilized in every individual’s life. I am certainly going back and re-reading Johnny Gone Down again. And with The Seeker – I am one of those readers who is going ga-ga over the book. Go and pick up this book… SOON!

Review Copy received from the Author