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Aghori: An Untold Story
Subbu’s most earnest desire is to find out more about the Aghori sadhus. These babas, devotees of Lord Shiva, are known for their esoteric practices, and Subbu yearns to learn about, and from them. An opportunity arises when his guru requests him to travel to the Himalayas to have three mantras embedded in him. These mantras will then be transferred to his guru.
Thus, Subbu embarks on the most unique journey of his life, filled with indelible experiences. Aghori 1: An Untold Story is not just a tale, but an opportunity for readers to undergo an exuberant expedition that incorporates different and diverse activities that are spiritual, intriguing, ethereal and, at times, frightening.
Thus, Subbu embarks on the most unique journey of his life, filled with indelible experiences. Aghori 1: An Untold Story is not just a tale, but an opportunity for readers to undergo an exuberant expedition that incorporates different and diverse activities that are spiritual, intriguing, ethereal and, at times, frightening.
176 pages, Paperback
Published July 15, 2025
7 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 26, 2025
Went into aghori expecting something intense and immersive. The premise is definitely intriguing.. exploring the world of Aghori sadhus, their rituals, and the mysteries surrounding them. While there are interesting moments throughout, the storytelling felt a bit rushed. Some parts could have been explored in more depth but the pace moves too quickly to fully absorb them. There were also a few typos and awkward sentences that it was hard not to notice. The concept itself is fascinating, but I wish the execution had allowed for a more immersive experience.
Thank you to @penguinindia for the review copy!
Thank you to @penguinindia for the review copy!
December 24, 2025
Book Review: Aghori by Mayur Kalbag
Reading Aghori feels like stepping into a twilight zone 🌑 where faith, fear, and philosophy merge. The book shocks with tales of meeting Shiva 🕉️, extreme meditation 🧘♂️, taboo substances ⚡, and alien-like Aghoris 👽, yet beneath the sensational surface lies a symbolic exploration of consciousness.
“Meeting Shiva” is not literal.. it represents complete inner dissolution. Stories of immortality ⏳, worms 🪱, stones 🪨, other planets 🪐, and comet-like arrivals ☄️ are metaphors for altered states of awareness and radical detachment from ordinary perception. These elements unsettle logic 🌀 to challenge societal norms, fear, and ideas of purity.
The book’s alien and cosmic imagery symbolize higher states of consciousness, not real extraterrestrials, illustrating spiritual encounters that transcend the ordinary mind. Rituals and shocking practices show the extremes of self-discipline and mental mastery, rather than offering literal guidance or scientific fact.
Kalbag’s storytelling is immersive and intense, blending myth, philosophy, and taboo to provoke thought and reflection. When read as spiritual folklore rather than factual history, Aghori becomes a compelling meditation on the mind’s potential and the courage it takes to step beyond comfort and certainty.
For readers seeking an unconventional, thought-provoking journey, this book delivers a unique, unsettling, and deeply reflective experience.
Reading Aghori feels like stepping into a twilight zone 🌑 where faith, fear, and philosophy merge. The book shocks with tales of meeting Shiva 🕉️, extreme meditation 🧘♂️, taboo substances ⚡, and alien-like Aghoris 👽, yet beneath the sensational surface lies a symbolic exploration of consciousness.
“Meeting Shiva” is not literal.. it represents complete inner dissolution. Stories of immortality ⏳, worms 🪱, stones 🪨, other planets 🪐, and comet-like arrivals ☄️ are metaphors for altered states of awareness and radical detachment from ordinary perception. These elements unsettle logic 🌀 to challenge societal norms, fear, and ideas of purity.
The book’s alien and cosmic imagery symbolize higher states of consciousness, not real extraterrestrials, illustrating spiritual encounters that transcend the ordinary mind. Rituals and shocking practices show the extremes of self-discipline and mental mastery, rather than offering literal guidance or scientific fact.
Kalbag’s storytelling is immersive and intense, blending myth, philosophy, and taboo to provoke thought and reflection. When read as spiritual folklore rather than factual history, Aghori becomes a compelling meditation on the mind’s potential and the courage it takes to step beyond comfort and certainty.
For readers seeking an unconventional, thought-provoking journey, this book delivers a unique, unsettling, and deeply reflective experience.
February 19, 2025
The mystic and esoteric philosophy of Hinduism is an extremely interesting topic for anyone who loves spirituality.
I picked up Aghori by Mayur Kalbag just because of sheer curiosity about the mysterious sect of Aghoris. I hoped to get something substantial like their history, lifestyle and culture, but to tell frankly, the book is neither factual nor literary enriched.
The forceful attitude of making the protagonist likable (read: brave, passionate, physically fit and lucky) becomes irritating after a point. The protagonist seems like a narcissist prince going about his ways! The copious use of Hindi words and sentences are total downers. The writing is bad and have grammatical errors too!
The writing is flat and what the protagonist calls as 'thrilling', couldn't make me do anything except rolling my eyes.
The only positive thing is that the book is short and fast paced, so gets over quickly.
⭐⭐, one for the effort of writing and the other for the cover which have been illustrated by the author only.
There's a sequel to it and I have doubts that I will be reading that.
I picked up Aghori by Mayur Kalbag just because of sheer curiosity about the mysterious sect of Aghoris. I hoped to get something substantial like their history, lifestyle and culture, but to tell frankly, the book is neither factual nor literary enriched.
The forceful attitude of making the protagonist likable (read: brave, passionate, physically fit and lucky) becomes irritating after a point. The protagonist seems like a narcissist prince going about his ways! The copious use of Hindi words and sentences are total downers. The writing is bad and have grammatical errors too!
The writing is flat and what the protagonist calls as 'thrilling', couldn't make me do anything except rolling my eyes.
The only positive thing is that the book is short and fast paced, so gets over quickly.
⭐⭐, one for the effort of writing and the other for the cover which have been illustrated by the author only.
There's a sequel to it and I have doubts that I will be reading that.
January 31, 2025
It's an intriguing read! I recently heard about Aghoris, and it was fascinating to read more about them. The stories in this book seemed unbelievable—I can’t help but question if they’re actually true.
I found the book engaging and am looking forward to reading the second part.
I found the book engaging and am looking forward to reading the second part.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews