In this book, Rajiv Mehrotra explores the 'challenge and the riddle' presented by the great mystic who, more than a century after his death, continues to dominate secular Hindu consciousness. Sri Ramakrishna brought a new vitality not only to the practices, rituals and symbols of the Hindu heritage but also to the celebration of divinity in diverse forms, and reinforced the underlying possibility of a real harmony between all religions. It is this version that makes him one of the great religious teachers of all time and so profoundly relevant today.

This illuminating and intimate biography is most reader friendly and comprehensive, revealing the boundless power and magnetism of Sri Ramakrishna, as well as the Order that was inspired by his spiritual quest. Mehrotra's narrative gift is remarkably precise and richly evocative, integrating all details of an aspect into a visual and verbal complex of significance.

This is a book for all those who want to know more about Sri Ramakrishna, as well as for anyone looking for a brilliant read.