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Life of Pi by Yann Martel



Human life is marked with a process of continuous learning through our surroundings. But there is a little difference in the way we learn things as we grow up. When we are young we tend to believe in whatever is taught to us by the closed ones who look after us but as we grow older, we learn to synthesize the information gathered and make our own beliefs. 

 Here is a tale of an Indian boy from Pondicherry with wondrous story of how he got his name ‘Pi’, who explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. His curiosity about various religions and their followers leads him to meet preachers of various religions. Being a non-orthodox family, his family appreciates his gesture and allows him to pursue his faith in all religions. His family-owned zoo in Pondicherry also has been a learning source for him. They decide to move to Canada with all the animals but unfortunately their ship meets with an accident on the way. Only survivors of this accident were the protagonist and a couple of more animals on a small boat equipped with a very little food and water resources. There begins a journey where the protagonist will learn the biggest lesson of life, Survival. He survives 227 days while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger. The story ends on a note which tests the readers belief system, either you believe that God exists and this really happened or you think that you just finished reading a fiction novel.

I tend to believe more in things that I have seen or which have a scientific proof or reasoning behind it. But I am also open to a thought that there are some things in life that you never going to have an answer for. As stated in Bhagvad Gita, "Yad bhavam, tad bhavati" which means "Man is made by his beliefs. As he beliefs, so he is." and I believe that there are some things that still incomprehensible for human mind at current stage of evolution. This book brings back those questions about spirituality and belief and makes you wonder about the mystery called life.

 Quotes from the book:
"To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation."
"It is true that those we meet can change us, sometimes so profoundly that we are not the same afterwards, even unto our names."
"It's important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise you are left with words you should have said but never did, and your heart is heavy with remorse."

 Goodreads rating for the book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4214.Life_of_Pi
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