The demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and the ensuing turn of events it precipitated in several parts of India loom large in the consciousness of the author Rajni Bakshi. It acts as a foundational event that jolts the author inside out and rips apart what she calls the ‘taana-baana, warp and weft of samaj’ (p. 84). Her existential journey of sorts, figuring out a way forward from a ‘state of shellshock’ (p. 10), finds solace in Vivekananda’s teachings. He rescues her from the bleak hysteria of the masses and continues to be ‘a constant inspiration—a cooling shade amid the searing turmoil of our times’ (p. 13). The book under review re-affirms Bakshi’s faith in Vivekananda’s eventful life and teachings and brings the reader to appreciate the far-reaching goodness of his thought to counter the communal conflicts of our times.

Relevance of Swami Vivekananda in Our Times
Faizan Moquim
VIVEKANANDA AND OUR TIMES: THE JOURNEY FROM FEAR TO LOVE by By Rajni Bakshi Speaking Tiger Books, 2024, 120 pp., INR 399.00
October 2024, volume 48, No 10