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Marathon Baba
"My marathon starts from the finish line," said Marathon Baba.
He runs through his country for seven long years until he miraculously turns red and builds Marathon Ashram. Hundreds of runaways descend on the Ashram and become its residents. 'It's not about the pace, it's about the peace,' said Marathon Baba.
Thirty-three Deadly Disciples find their peace in the freedom of the Ashram and devote themselves to their Red Guru. "For the Ashram to live, Marathon Baba must die," say the Deadly Disciples.
He was warned. Running is injurious to health.
Witty, wacky and weedy, Marathon Baba is a wondrous tale about the cult of a man who couldn't stop running.
He runs through his country for seven long years until he miraculously turns red and builds Marathon Ashram. Hundreds of runaways descend on the Ashram and become its residents. 'It's not about the pace, it's about the peace,' said Marathon Baba.
Thirty-three Deadly Disciples find their peace in the freedom of the Ashram and devote themselves to their Red Guru. "For the Ashram to live, Marathon Baba must die," say the Deadly Disciples.
He was warned. Running is injurious to health.
Witty, wacky and weedy, Marathon Baba is a wondrous tale about the cult of a man who couldn't stop running.
- GenresIndian Literature
255 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
5 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Girish Kohli
1 book18 followersGirish is an author and screenwriter. He is the writer of the hindi thriller movie "MOM". His next movie KESARI starring Akshay Kumar will release in 2019.
He lives in Mumbai, India.
He has quit the I.T industry, a hospitality business, a land trade business, a job in a garage, a job as a physical trainer only to be able to write.
He loves running, playing the guitar and travelling.
Before Marathon Baba, Girish wrote 2 novels which have yet not found a publisher.
He is a big fan of Quentin Tarantino, Alfred hitchcock, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Rahul Dravid, Daniel Day Lewis, Mohammad Ali and Tom Ford.
He lives in Mumbai, India.
He has quit the I.T industry, a hospitality business, a land trade business, a job in a garage, a job as a physical trainer only to be able to write.
He loves running, playing the guitar and travelling.
Before Marathon Baba, Girish wrote 2 novels which have yet not found a publisher.
He is a big fan of Quentin Tarantino, Alfred hitchcock, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Rahul Dravid, Daniel Day Lewis, Mohammad Ali and Tom Ford.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 29, 2012
Phewww...!!
This was my response when I completed this book. Ironically and to say in the manner in which this book is written " I kept on jumping from page to page like people were jumping from the deck of the ill-fated Titanic, there were many times when I wanted to stop reading completely but the book like an overgrown child asked me to keep going. It said pretty please! I wanted to run like I had fire up my ass but I have to sat there hanging like the chandelier in a posh bungalow."
If you understood the above passage then you must have got a fair idea about the fight that i engaged in during the time I read this novel.
So after all this pain and tribulation why the heck did I complete this book and why am writing this review? Well I have 3 reasons for it and they are strong enough to warrant me to write.
1. I received this book from Goodreads Giveaway and thus felt the moral responsibility to complete it and write a review.
2. Unlike some of the other worse "books' that I have seen and read in the past few years, I realized that this was a commendable effort from a very young author.
3. Third and this is the most important one, when I spend hours in reading a book which I don't like then there is nothing better than to put that frustration into words. At least that helps me regain composure.
What I hated in this book
I can list a number of things here but I am trying not to ramble(which is my habit) so let me point out some important ones.
A little about the PLOT
This is a story of a guy who starts running and attains a god-like stature in his country India. He is disappointed with his parents and his job. So one fine day he decides to leave everything behind and just run. Then starts the journey of a guy who never sleeps, is desperately in love with a girl who ditched him and who runs for no reason.
That's about it! The rest of the story is the run-of-the-mill of love,past,extravaganza and betrayal.
Back to the HATRED
For all the uninitiated let me clear one thing. Hollywood has been making films based on books since years. This phenomenon is relatively new in India mainly because we never had much of a habit of reading in our country.
In the developing world providing basic education to children is the bigger concern(You See?). So with the new economic booming we have a new generation of English Speaking People who want to flaunt that they can read english.
With this started the resurrection of novels in India. In the past couple of years film makers finally heeded to this fledgeling industry and started buying stories from authors.
What was the result? Out came many wannabes who all had an interesting story to tell. This is not applicable to the many respected authors from our country(and we do have some, I know you know them) but it by and large applies to all the new authors who are trying to make a career in this field.
In my country this is called "Going Chetan Bhagat's Way"
Now to the weaknesses of this book :
1. A very shallow story where you try to create a superhuman without any base and pray that the readers buy it.
2. The mid narratives of the author are not welcomed. When you are trying to be done with a story and the author drops some personal comments in between. It feels kind of insulting and taunting for the reader.
3. The parallels drawn (or whatever they are called) are hideous. As I gave an example in the first para it's downright obnoxious!!
Let me quote something from the book itself
"The mobile phone sat on the table like a silenced criminal"
"His legs fired like a machine gun. He jumped over the prison wall and ran like a character from a action film"
This book is full with these.
4. Trying to sell me a legless villain looking for some magical shoes. A cop who never ages and appears out of thin air whenever he wishes to. Now you are plainly questioning my intelligence.
Time for something PROMISING
The one thing that I liked about this book is the author's experimentation with a new way of writing. There is some novelty in the representation of the story and characters which gives some freshness to the reader amidst the stale story .
Sadly, the effort is valiant but lacks maturity !
This was my response when I completed this book. Ironically and to say in the manner in which this book is written " I kept on jumping from page to page like people were jumping from the deck of the ill-fated Titanic, there were many times when I wanted to stop reading completely but the book like an overgrown child asked me to keep going. It said pretty please! I wanted to run like I had fire up my ass but I have to sat there hanging like the chandelier in a posh bungalow."
If you understood the above passage then you must have got a fair idea about the fight that i engaged in during the time I read this novel.
So after all this pain and tribulation why the heck did I complete this book and why am writing this review? Well I have 3 reasons for it and they are strong enough to warrant me to write.
1. I received this book from Goodreads Giveaway and thus felt the moral responsibility to complete it and write a review.
2. Unlike some of the other worse "books' that I have seen and read in the past few years, I realized that this was a commendable effort from a very young author.
3. Third and this is the most important one, when I spend hours in reading a book which I don't like then there is nothing better than to put that frustration into words. At least that helps me regain composure.
What I hated in this book
I can list a number of things here but I am trying not to ramble(which is my habit) so let me point out some important ones.
A little about the PLOT
This is a story of a guy who starts running and attains a god-like stature in his country India. He is disappointed with his parents and his job. So one fine day he decides to leave everything behind and just run. Then starts the journey of a guy who never sleeps, is desperately in love with a girl who ditched him and who runs for no reason.
That's about it! The rest of the story is the run-of-the-mill of love,past,extravaganza and betrayal.
Back to the HATRED
For all the uninitiated let me clear one thing. Hollywood has been making films based on books since years. This phenomenon is relatively new in India mainly because we never had much of a habit of reading in our country.
In the developing world providing basic education to children is the bigger concern(You See?). So with the new economic booming we have a new generation of English Speaking People who want to flaunt that they can read english.
With this started the resurrection of novels in India. In the past couple of years film makers finally heeded to this fledgeling industry and started buying stories from authors.
What was the result? Out came many wannabes who all had an interesting story to tell. This is not applicable to the many respected authors from our country(and we do have some, I know you know them) but it by and large applies to all the new authors who are trying to make a career in this field.
In my country this is called "Going Chetan Bhagat's Way"
Now to the weaknesses of this book :
1. A very shallow story where you try to create a superhuman without any base and pray that the readers buy it.
2. The mid narratives of the author are not welcomed. When you are trying to be done with a story and the author drops some personal comments in between. It feels kind of insulting and taunting for the reader.
3. The parallels drawn (or whatever they are called) are hideous. As I gave an example in the first para it's downright obnoxious!!
Let me quote something from the book itself
"The mobile phone sat on the table like a silenced criminal"
"His legs fired like a machine gun. He jumped over the prison wall and ran like a character from a action film"
This book is full with these.
4. Trying to sell me a legless villain looking for some magical shoes. A cop who never ages and appears out of thin air whenever he wishes to. Now you are plainly questioning my intelligence.
Time for something PROMISING
The one thing that I liked about this book is the author's experimentation with a new way of writing. There is some novelty in the representation of the story and characters which gives some freshness to the reader amidst the stale story .
Sadly, the effort is valiant but lacks maturity !
March 10, 2012
Girish Kohli hasn't passed out of the IITs or IIMs, does not have a day job and cannot be found on Facebook or Twitter. He is also the author of the only book in the world based on a pair of unused running shoes. Just as the author has broken the template of the typical Indian author, his book also manages to be completely out of the regular trajectory of Indian fiction.
There are indeed characters that one might encounter in other works, in fact, the author has pretty much used all the stereotypes that have been abused in Indian popular culture - the strict dad, the mother waiting for her son to return home, the first love who remains evergreen in memories, the corrupt cop, the spirituality cult, and so on, but it's the sheer verve and trippy narration that makes this book totally unique. It even includes poetry, or at least rhyme.
The tale puts a twist to the perspective people have towards running away from problems. The story is about a man who runs across the country for seven years, turns red (no, literally), starts an ashram and gets stuck in a plot (literally and figuratively) of his own making. The author takes routine mundane occurrences and objects and converts them into surreal text or throws them against bizarre yet believable props. (the shoes, the Naxalite kidnapping) The humour that lends sanity and insanity to the proceedings is also not on a single track - it moves from wordplay to satire (the City of Slums, Suryakant the Mega Star) to even campy on a couple of occasions. In fact the entire theme of the book seems to be irreverence. Just as you begin to wonder if you're going to completely lose it, the author injects a dose of real explanation to the happenings. IMO, the best part of the book are the character descriptions. Characters include the shoes too.
My advice would be to read the book at a single go. At 255 pages, it's not really a marathon, but you have to keep running to be on the same page as the author. There is always a feeling that some subtext is slyly watching you turn the page. Not a run of the mill offering, this one will give your brains a run for their money. ;)
There are indeed characters that one might encounter in other works, in fact, the author has pretty much used all the stereotypes that have been abused in Indian popular culture - the strict dad, the mother waiting for her son to return home, the first love who remains evergreen in memories, the corrupt cop, the spirituality cult, and so on, but it's the sheer verve and trippy narration that makes this book totally unique. It even includes poetry, or at least rhyme.
The tale puts a twist to the perspective people have towards running away from problems. The story is about a man who runs across the country for seven years, turns red (no, literally), starts an ashram and gets stuck in a plot (literally and figuratively) of his own making. The author takes routine mundane occurrences and objects and converts them into surreal text or throws them against bizarre yet believable props. (the shoes, the Naxalite kidnapping) The humour that lends sanity and insanity to the proceedings is also not on a single track - it moves from wordplay to satire (the City of Slums, Suryakant the Mega Star) to even campy on a couple of occasions. In fact the entire theme of the book seems to be irreverence. Just as you begin to wonder if you're going to completely lose it, the author injects a dose of real explanation to the happenings. IMO, the best part of the book are the character descriptions. Characters include the shoes too.
My advice would be to read the book at a single go. At 255 pages, it's not really a marathon, but you have to keep running to be on the same page as the author. There is always a feeling that some subtext is slyly watching you turn the page. Not a run of the mill offering, this one will give your brains a run for their money. ;)
March 12, 2012
Just like Karna/Marathon Baba, the imagination of Girish Kohli, the author of Marathon Baba runs on a track of storytelling that breathes life into a realm of characters with quirky descriptions (I'd like to have some of them on my Facebook friend list!) & a plot that flows (always thick) along a plateau of perpetual highs...much like the nearly divine river Gathaji in the story.
The knack of making us confront our own past through incidents in the book...thereby uniting all the readers of this book...and its satirical humour are just a couple of memorable points of this book.
It's a page turner to say the least. And I keep saying...If you ever felt like flipping a finger at the concept of 'blending into the crowd just because it's the done thing'...this book is calling out to you!
The knack of making us confront our own past through incidents in the book...thereby uniting all the readers of this book...and its satirical humour are just a couple of memorable points of this book.
It's a page turner to say the least. And I keep saying...If you ever felt like flipping a finger at the concept of 'blending into the crowd just because it's the done thing'...this book is calling out to you!
July 27, 2012
SPOOF OF LIFE
Marathon baba is not for serious readers, marathon baba is not for someone who tries to achieve enlightenment through reading,Marathon baba is not for people who want to achieve world peace, Marathon baba is not for a person who searches review to see whether the book is worth reading. Marathon baba is for someone who would enjoy a spoof thoroughly and would not ponder over seriously on the message that is conveyed indirectly.
What to expect : If you have enjoyed the movies such as Rango and Quick gun murugan, the book would not disappoint you. I would not dare to suggest others the book simply because the humor in the book may not be appreciated by everyone. The storyline does not hold any great value and could be a lead for a Bollywood masala movie. It is the author’s representation of various scenarios as metaphors that would impress the readers. Occasional poems and punch lines are quite catchy and impressive . First half of the book keeps one engaged as the reader would get accustomed to the writing style of the author , The story considerably slows down in the pace by half way through and is beaten around the bush , The story again picks up its pace by the end and closes itself.
Likes Writing style that is fresh (not many would dare), Punch lines, Poems, metaphors
Readability :Readability of the book is a Breeze , The book is a quick read ,the reader can consume the book in 4 hours straight, but remember “ Reading is not about pace it’s about peace “ .
Bottomline Funny, comical, Philosophical yet not serious. Pick baba only if you can run with him – not too slow not too fast.
Marathon baba is not for serious readers, marathon baba is not for someone who tries to achieve enlightenment through reading,Marathon baba is not for people who want to achieve world peace, Marathon baba is not for a person who searches review to see whether the book is worth reading. Marathon baba is for someone who would enjoy a spoof thoroughly and would not ponder over seriously on the message that is conveyed indirectly.
What to expect : If you have enjoyed the movies such as Rango and Quick gun murugan, the book would not disappoint you. I would not dare to suggest others the book simply because the humor in the book may not be appreciated by everyone. The storyline does not hold any great value and could be a lead for a Bollywood masala movie. It is the author’s representation of various scenarios as metaphors that would impress the readers. Occasional poems and punch lines are quite catchy and impressive . First half of the book keeps one engaged as the reader would get accustomed to the writing style of the author , The story considerably slows down in the pace by half way through and is beaten around the bush , The story again picks up its pace by the end and closes itself.
Likes Writing style that is fresh (not many would dare), Punch lines, Poems, metaphors
Readability :Readability of the book is a Breeze , The book is a quick read ,the reader can consume the book in 4 hours straight, but remember “ Reading is not about pace it’s about peace “ .
Bottomline Funny, comical, Philosophical yet not serious. Pick baba only if you can run with him – not too slow not too fast.
March 28, 2016
"It's not about the pace, it's about the peace" this single quote inspired me to run and experiment with recreational marijuana. Made me a fitter human and a lucid dreamer! It's nothing about running marathons, it's about winning the marathon of life. What's a truth without some accompanying lies?
August 12, 2014
Awesome...is the only word which comes to my mind..
"Its not about the pace but peace" words will linger in my mind for long time.
Some words and lines you can truly refer to your real life situations which you face everyday.
I wish the book never ends.
"Its not about the pace but peace" words will linger in my mind for long time.
Some words and lines you can truly refer to your real life situations which you face everyday.
I wish the book never ends.
June 17, 2012
So people, here i am, back with another review and this time i am really happy writing this. Marathon baba, a book with roller coster narration, has everything in it. Love, Romance, Suspense, Drama, Corruption, Drugs, Cops and finally “The Happy Ending” which was missing in the last two books i read, name it and you have it. Before digging into the review i will give a sample of what you are getting into. After reading the below paragraph, decide yourself whether you want to continue or not. Alright let’s get started.
My marathon starts from the finish line,’ said Marathon Baba. He runs through his country for seven long years until he miraculously turns red and builds Marathon Ashram. Hundreds of runaways descend on the Ashram and become its residents. ’It’s not about the pace, it’s about the peace,’ said Marathon Baba. Thirty-three Deadly Disciples find their peace in the freedom of the Ashram and devote themselves to their Red Guru. ’For the Ashram to live, Marathon Baba must die,’ say the Deadly Disciples. He was warned. Running is injurious to health.
Witty, wacky and weedy, Marathon Baba is a wondrous tale about the cult of a man who couldn’t stop running.
Cast:
An on the run, depressed, failed in love, harassed by cops and a drug peddling protagonist.
An ever challenging, deeply questioning and sadly depressing antagonist “The World and people living in it”.
Plot:
People say child’s future depends on the way his/her surrounding is and how his/her’s upbringing is, but Karna was different. His house, the place he thought was his whole world when he was in his kinder age, turned out to be a battleground for him with his parents confronting each other every day. Karna used to shield himself under the couch, treating the couch as his savior, the bunker. One fine day in the battlefield, or i should state it as one eye-opening day for Karna, his shield, the bunker, his only friend in his house, could not take it anymore, gave up and broke down, making karna open to the battlefield. Unarmed Karna came to a conclusion that his one and only way out from the battlefield is Running. He started running and running and running and he ran till he reached the outskirts of the city. Just when he thought he reached a secured place, far away from the battle fled, his baby eyes saw a horror, an horror which had cigarette in its mouth and was carrying a stick in its hands, the horror was none other than Inspector saab, very important character of the story which would unfold totally as the story progresses.
The rest of the story covers Karna’s Life, his running urge, Inspector saab and his brothers , Karna’s parents, Honey(Karna’s love), Ma, Java and the rest of deadly disciples and the very important “Marathon Ashram” and its establishment using drugs money.
According to me, people who try to spread philosophy, either by books or movies are promoting non-sense and i still stick by it even now. Yes, inspiring or getting inspired by books/movies is sham. That belief concreted after trying to read books like yes you can, Monk who sold his ferrari and many more. I actually tried reading them, came to a conclusion that the philosophy they were trying to preach wasn’t for me. I believe in self inspiration, so get inspired yourself and excel in your life yourself. This books sticks to the same philosophy of getting self inspiration and writing your own destiny.
Some people would go on and say Marathon Baba is a master piece and some would write it off saying the protagonist was actually an escapist, who ran away from life after being threatened by it. You may see varied reviews about Marathon baba and i can say one thing about Marathon baba, i loved it. Marathon Baba would make you laugh, make you feel sad about the protagonist, give you goosebumps and in the end give you your Money and time’s worth. Following Girish’s narrative style i would like to say, follow your instincts, if you like what you see in the short description i gave about the story and feel you may like it, go buy the book and get on the Marathon’s ride and if you don’t feel it’s for you, i would say you are missing out something unusual which is totally unique, not following the usual narrative template, yet being totally gripping. So go for it is what i say for people who like the review.
I rate it a 5/5.
Note: After completing the book i went on and emailed Girish Kohli, author of this Master piece and expressed how happy i felt after completing the book and requested him to send me an author signed copy of the same and he kindly obliged. We had a chat on his next venture and i was blown away by his promp and polite replies. He is a real rockstar. Kudos Girish Kohli on your successful debut. Girish Kohli was born on the day when a dog in the US was put on Trial and executed for barking too much. Girish hasn’t passed out of The IITs or the IIMs. He doesn’t have a day job either. If you wish to speak to him, you will not find him on either facebook or Twitter, you need his personal email id which i have somehow. He drives a space tyre and is the author of Two Unpublished novels. Marathon Baba, his third book which has been published first, is the only book in the world based on a pair of unused running shoes.
Karna/Marathon Baba(The Red God)
Age: Seven
Real Name: Karna Singh
Religion: Running
Height: of Self Belief
Weight: His name is heavy enough
Medical History: Split Personalities
Birthmark: Thirty-three Deadly disciples
Famous Quotes: My marathon starts from the finish line
Education: Life
Job History: He worked for his instincts
Eye color: Multi colored
Hobbies: Writing.
Status: Absconding
My marathon starts from the finish line,’ said Marathon Baba. He runs through his country for seven long years until he miraculously turns red and builds Marathon Ashram. Hundreds of runaways descend on the Ashram and become its residents. ’It’s not about the pace, it’s about the peace,’ said Marathon Baba. Thirty-three Deadly Disciples find their peace in the freedom of the Ashram and devote themselves to their Red Guru. ’For the Ashram to live, Marathon Baba must die,’ say the Deadly Disciples. He was warned. Running is injurious to health.
Witty, wacky and weedy, Marathon Baba is a wondrous tale about the cult of a man who couldn’t stop running.
Cast:
An on the run, depressed, failed in love, harassed by cops and a drug peddling protagonist.
An ever challenging, deeply questioning and sadly depressing antagonist “The World and people living in it”.
Plot:
People say child’s future depends on the way his/her surrounding is and how his/her’s upbringing is, but Karna was different. His house, the place he thought was his whole world when he was in his kinder age, turned out to be a battleground for him with his parents confronting each other every day. Karna used to shield himself under the couch, treating the couch as his savior, the bunker. One fine day in the battlefield, or i should state it as one eye-opening day for Karna, his shield, the bunker, his only friend in his house, could not take it anymore, gave up and broke down, making karna open to the battlefield. Unarmed Karna came to a conclusion that his one and only way out from the battlefield is Running. He started running and running and running and he ran till he reached the outskirts of the city. Just when he thought he reached a secured place, far away from the battle fled, his baby eyes saw a horror, an horror which had cigarette in its mouth and was carrying a stick in its hands, the horror was none other than Inspector saab, very important character of the story which would unfold totally as the story progresses.
The rest of the story covers Karna’s Life, his running urge, Inspector saab and his brothers , Karna’s parents, Honey(Karna’s love), Ma, Java and the rest of deadly disciples and the very important “Marathon Ashram” and its establishment using drugs money.
According to me, people who try to spread philosophy, either by books or movies are promoting non-sense and i still stick by it even now. Yes, inspiring or getting inspired by books/movies is sham. That belief concreted after trying to read books like yes you can, Monk who sold his ferrari and many more. I actually tried reading them, came to a conclusion that the philosophy they were trying to preach wasn’t for me. I believe in self inspiration, so get inspired yourself and excel in your life yourself. This books sticks to the same philosophy of getting self inspiration and writing your own destiny.
Some people would go on and say Marathon Baba is a master piece and some would write it off saying the protagonist was actually an escapist, who ran away from life after being threatened by it. You may see varied reviews about Marathon baba and i can say one thing about Marathon baba, i loved it. Marathon Baba would make you laugh, make you feel sad about the protagonist, give you goosebumps and in the end give you your Money and time’s worth. Following Girish’s narrative style i would like to say, follow your instincts, if you like what you see in the short description i gave about the story and feel you may like it, go buy the book and get on the Marathon’s ride and if you don’t feel it’s for you, i would say you are missing out something unusual which is totally unique, not following the usual narrative template, yet being totally gripping. So go for it is what i say for people who like the review.
I rate it a 5/5.
Note: After completing the book i went on and emailed Girish Kohli, author of this Master piece and expressed how happy i felt after completing the book and requested him to send me an author signed copy of the same and he kindly obliged. We had a chat on his next venture and i was blown away by his promp and polite replies. He is a real rockstar. Kudos Girish Kohli on your successful debut. Girish Kohli was born on the day when a dog in the US was put on Trial and executed for barking too much. Girish hasn’t passed out of The IITs or the IIMs. He doesn’t have a day job either. If you wish to speak to him, you will not find him on either facebook or Twitter, you need his personal email id which i have somehow. He drives a space tyre and is the author of Two Unpublished novels. Marathon Baba, his third book which has been published first, is the only book in the world based on a pair of unused running shoes.
Karna/Marathon Baba(The Red God)
Age: Seven
Real Name: Karna Singh
Religion: Running
Height: of Self Belief
Weight: His name is heavy enough
Medical History: Split Personalities
Birthmark: Thirty-three Deadly disciples
Famous Quotes: My marathon starts from the finish line
Education: Life
Job History: He worked for his instincts
Eye color: Multi colored
Hobbies: Writing.
Status: Absconding
May 24, 2020
Exceptional imagination.... Climax could be better... Worthy reading
March 28, 2012
Girish Kohli, an author of two unpublished books, is neither an IIT nor an IIM passout but a self acclaimed six feet one inches of guts! Kohli might not have a job but he can articulate thoughts that have freshness to them.
The Marathon Baba instantly captures you with its “witty, wacky, weedy” language. Girish Kohli’s perspectives transform ordinary ordeals of common life into wars and battlefields while the surreal humour smacks a smile on your lips. The psychedelic language fits the motif of book well and the illusions ‘run’ in your head as the words give you a high.
My marathon starts from the finish line,’ said Marathon Baba.
He runs through his country for seven long years until he miraculously turns red and builds Marathon Ashram.
Hundreds of runaways descend on the Ashram and become its residents.
‘It’s not about the pace, it’s about the peace,’ said Marathon Baba.
Thirty-three Deadly Disciples find their peace in the freedom of the Ashram and devote themselves to their Red Guru.
‘For the Ashram to live, Marathon Baba must die,’ say the Deadly Disciples.
He was warned. Running is injurious to health.
Witty, wacky and weedy, Marathon Baba is a wondrous tale about the cult of a man who couldn’t stop running.
The book is the story of an individual, Karna who runs like Forest Gump for seven years, turns red, and attains a divine status in the eyes of many self admitted followers. Running releases his negativity, frustrations, angst and leads him to eventually find peace. This search for peace results in the Marathon Ashram, a haven for anyone who has a reason to ‘run’. Laid on the foundation of drug peddling, the Ashram perhaps represents that the good and the bad can co-exist but an extra ounce of goodness decides your substance.
The brilliant witty humour is injected with fluid of a serious order. The corrupt Inspector Saab, the naxalites, the binding suffocation of an employee, the disrupted family, the thumping urge to run away from everything, present the hopelessness that grips each one of us in varying degrees. This intertwining of both elements makes the narrative quite rich. The most interesting element of the book is that it has threads of many genres weaved into one. There are spurts of poetry, romance angles, thriller, and mystery mingled with witty digressions. The book cleverly caters to the taste of many.
“INSPECTOR SAAB (The Corrupt Cop)
Age: Doesn’t age
Real Name: Doesn’t matter
Religion: Will tell you if you give me hundred rupees
Height: Of corruption
Weight: 0 kilos without his uniform
Medical History: Gangrene of greed
Birthmark: Moustache
Famous Quote: I can get away with my own murder…..”
Marathon Baba distorts the notion that running away from the reality of life is an escapist tactic of the cowardly. The Baba convincingly propagates that it is quite the opposite. Running becomes the driving force towards liberation. People run away from unwanted expectations of others, from a monotonous life, from a love-less marriage, from love, some run away together as lovers, running brings peace: “It’s not about the pace, it’s about peace!”
An interesting read where the past constantly runs into the present, the present wants to run away and the reader is compelled to ‘run’ with the author throughout the book.
Reviewed at http://www.the-vault.co.cc
The Marathon Baba instantly captures you with its “witty, wacky, weedy” language. Girish Kohli’s perspectives transform ordinary ordeals of common life into wars and battlefields while the surreal humour smacks a smile on your lips. The psychedelic language fits the motif of book well and the illusions ‘run’ in your head as the words give you a high.
My marathon starts from the finish line,’ said Marathon Baba.
He runs through his country for seven long years until he miraculously turns red and builds Marathon Ashram.
Hundreds of runaways descend on the Ashram and become its residents.
‘It’s not about the pace, it’s about the peace,’ said Marathon Baba.
Thirty-three Deadly Disciples find their peace in the freedom of the Ashram and devote themselves to their Red Guru.
‘For the Ashram to live, Marathon Baba must die,’ say the Deadly Disciples.
He was warned. Running is injurious to health.
Witty, wacky and weedy, Marathon Baba is a wondrous tale about the cult of a man who couldn’t stop running.
The book is the story of an individual, Karna who runs like Forest Gump for seven years, turns red, and attains a divine status in the eyes of many self admitted followers. Running releases his negativity, frustrations, angst and leads him to eventually find peace. This search for peace results in the Marathon Ashram, a haven for anyone who has a reason to ‘run’. Laid on the foundation of drug peddling, the Ashram perhaps represents that the good and the bad can co-exist but an extra ounce of goodness decides your substance.
The brilliant witty humour is injected with fluid of a serious order. The corrupt Inspector Saab, the naxalites, the binding suffocation of an employee, the disrupted family, the thumping urge to run away from everything, present the hopelessness that grips each one of us in varying degrees. This intertwining of both elements makes the narrative quite rich. The most interesting element of the book is that it has threads of many genres weaved into one. There are spurts of poetry, romance angles, thriller, and mystery mingled with witty digressions. The book cleverly caters to the taste of many.
“INSPECTOR SAAB (The Corrupt Cop)
Age: Doesn’t age
Real Name: Doesn’t matter
Religion: Will tell you if you give me hundred rupees
Height: Of corruption
Weight: 0 kilos without his uniform
Medical History: Gangrene of greed
Birthmark: Moustache
Famous Quote: I can get away with my own murder…..”
Marathon Baba distorts the notion that running away from the reality of life is an escapist tactic of the cowardly. The Baba convincingly propagates that it is quite the opposite. Running becomes the driving force towards liberation. People run away from unwanted expectations of others, from a monotonous life, from a love-less marriage, from love, some run away together as lovers, running brings peace: “It’s not about the pace, it’s about peace!”
An interesting read where the past constantly runs into the present, the present wants to run away and the reader is compelled to ‘run’ with the author throughout the book.
Reviewed at http://www.the-vault.co.cc
July 15, 2012
Like most of the movies nowadays, the first half was quite good..but the second one ( it even has an "interval" page) was quite a junk. littered with stupid metaphors and forced jokes, it is a pain to read.
i was attracted by the audacity and the nature of the characters and the plot. and some of the quotes are quite worthy of revisiting.
anyway for 255 pages, this one is quite an entertainer..
for seasoned reader I guess this is one crazy book as it doesn't follow the usual norms in books w.r.t grammar, language and mode of conversations..
just like the book promises by its rugged texture of covers, military front cover and the powerful author introduction in the covers.. :-) a crazy story for all you crazy people out there..
i was attracted by the audacity and the nature of the characters and the plot. and some of the quotes are quite worthy of revisiting.
anyway for 255 pages, this one is quite an entertainer..
for seasoned reader I guess this is one crazy book as it doesn't follow the usual norms in books w.r.t grammar, language and mode of conversations..
just like the book promises by its rugged texture of covers, military front cover and the powerful author introduction in the covers.. :-) a crazy story for all you crazy people out there..
March 16, 2012
The first thing that prompts you to pick a book is its cover. 'Marathon Baba' boasts of an edgy and attractive cover; kudos to the designer. The book is overall different in genre and good.
You feel like a Quentin Tarantino film being played as you catch up with the intriguing characters that start to plat havoc with your humorous side as the plot starts and slowly unfolds.
But it has its lows too; as in the loose poetry that pops up everytime; or the authors own interpretations in between the plot; the somewhat rogue end.
Still you can go for a refreshing and one-sit-read. Its edgy :)
You feel like a Quentin Tarantino film being played as you catch up with the intriguing characters that start to plat havoc with your humorous side as the plot starts and slowly unfolds.
But it has its lows too; as in the loose poetry that pops up everytime; or the authors own interpretations in between the plot; the somewhat rogue end.
Still you can go for a refreshing and one-sit-read. Its edgy :)
March 26, 2012
Read the book in 2 sessions... wanted to complete it at one go. The story is gripping and interesting. The book is a wonderful weekend read. Karna's character is very different yet one finds glimpses of oneself in Karna's life. The mix of philosophy, humor, adventure and mystery is naturally flowing. the peppy humor is not my taste and hence 4 stars instead of 5. Some ideas are worth pondering, "it's not about the pace, it's about peace"
May 23, 2015
Don't know what Mr. Kohli was trying to achieve while writing this book! Such a bad one one this...the only good thing is that this is just 255 pages "long"...he had introduced every possible character and concept which came to his mind without any cross-connection...he just wanted to write a book and feel happy about it and atleast he achieved that! this was a painstaking read for me and a bad decision to buy this one! Bizarre is the perfect word which defines this book!
April 15, 2015
“The feet had to run. The heart had to fly”
http://loliterature.com/2013/09/book-...
The Marathon Baba instantly captures you with its “witty, wacky, weedy” language. Girish Kohli’s perspectives transform ordinary ordeals of common life into wars and battlefields while the surreal humour smacks a smile on your lips. The psychedelic language fits the motif of book well and the illusions ‘run’ in your head as the words give you a high...
http://loliterature.com/2013/09/book-...
The Marathon Baba instantly captures you with its “witty, wacky, weedy” language. Girish Kohli’s perspectives transform ordinary ordeals of common life into wars and battlefields while the surreal humour smacks a smile on your lips. The psychedelic language fits the motif of book well and the illusions ‘run’ in your head as the words give you a high...
April 19, 2012
The writing style is unique but substance is missing. Also exaggeration used throughout the prose becomes irritating after a while. In bits it is fun with some really good dialogues. Deserves a 2 and half stars.
May 18, 2012
the first book where i m started skipping the paragraphs... boring.. repeating metaphors irritating.. still 2 stars for some kind of thrilling portion.. inspector sob's character & Karma characters are a kind of interesting...
June 12, 2012
crazy but good
September 18, 2012
The Indian Coelho... Amazing story teller
September 28, 2012
i to loved it...after long run read somthing different
January 31, 2013
A very different become surprisingly from an Indian author. Read it if you want something completely out of the box. Some may find it spiritual in one way or another
February 2, 2013
A fresh format of writing: http://www.anureviews.com/marathon-ba...
March 27, 2015
Nice book with weedy wacky baba and author's way of writing. Relaxing and one time read.
July 9, 2015
Weedy trash fiction, fast paced and full of life lessons. Don't know whether I loved it or hated it. Probably I just didn't care.
June 29, 2013
Don't waste your time reading this book. It's not worth it.
February 6, 2015
The feet had to run.The heart had to fly.This book has a nice story and even nicer poems in it.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews