Only in darkness can you see the stars-Martin Luther King Jr

MARTIN LUTHER KING JRBy Santosh BakayaAs I turn the last pages of the book, I’m tearful. Tearful thinking of the father who jumped to the ceiling with happiness when this marvel was born, who had tears streaming down his cheek when he witnessed his son’s Nobel Award winning ceremony, and who now implores his son’s lifeless form to speak to him. This is how sensitively Santosh Bakaya has written this biography.Throughout it is crisp and concise but does not fail to show the agony the pain, the anguish and helplessness of the race, the black Americans, because of ‘centennial’ inhuman conditions they had borne, humiliating segregation, disenfranchisement, police atrocities and forced poverty.Also the brilliance of King who comes across as a great crusader, orator and motivator, and a coordinator and mediator and a keen strategist with an eye for the right opportunity— and the confidence to take the calculated risks, leading from the front.He will go down in history as a leader who not only fought for the rights of black people, but fought against poverty, against violence and against inequality anywhere.Santosh takes us assiduously along the story of the beginnings of King’s crusade, his influencers, his India and Gandhi connection, his educative years and his choice of career as a pastor. His campaigns are nicely detailed right from sit ins at lunch counters, the freedom ride into Washington, peaceful protest in Mississippi, in Albany , Georgia, bus boycott in Montgomery Alabama, Selma Boston, wherever the need rose to rise against segregation. The hallmark was total non violent battles fought with the power of love against hatred, and faith in his dream. And when the right time came he decided to go all the way as in his words he said, “ Tome was now ripe for mobilising a nation” though earlier they had mobilised one city at a time.All along she keeps the elements of American and world history in sight, like the episodes of the Vietnam war and King’s sworn stand against it. There are references to his speeches which are now all too famous, from I HAVE A DREAM to the I’VE SEEN THE PROMISED LAND........WE AS A PEOPLE WILL GET TO THE PROMISED LAND.A most informative and inspirational book, for which I must congratulate the author Santosh Bakaya and the publisher VITASTA Publishing.Satbir Chadha-03-09-2019

This vivid, beautifully written biography of one of the greatest human rights activists - Dr Martin Luther King Jr. is an important book today, as it speaks of love and unity in a world torn by strife. Santosh Bakaya presents us with vignettes of King's childhood, upbringing, family life, academic experiences and events that shaped his moral crusade against inequality. We get a glimpse of important personalities who influenced his activism, intellect and beliefs. To an Indian, his connection to Gandhian thoughts and satyagraha aalso a potent force of resistance, are all the more heartwarming. One sees the commonalitit's in existence through this perceptive work that brings together in their March towards a more just world.I strongly recommend this book to everyone who loves great books

We need King and Gandhi like never before. Feelings of hatred, vindictiveness, self- aggradisement are gripping the world, reminding us of the words of King, Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere which he writes in the iconic Letter from Birmingham Jail.By writing this masterpiece, Santosh Bakaya has indeed done a commendable job.The book also has some wonderful pictures, which add to the Beauty of the book.Vitasta Publishers (Delhi)have Indeed done a great job in publishing this one of a kind book.

worth every rupee

I just finished reading this immensely inspiring book , and just loved everything about it . I loved the way it has been written , I loved the love the writer has poured in the writing of this one of a kind biography of a world icon of peace .This writer needs to be read by everyone who seriously wants to follow writing passionately .I have read her poetry books , her novella ,A Skyful of Balloons , her magnum opus , critically acclaimed, Ballad of Bapu , and just admire her passionate outpourinfgs .Many pages in the book brought tears to my eyes , and I was delighted to know about his Gandhi and India connection .The pictures in the book are a treasure , so is the book !A book which cries to be read in the present violent times.

Had the opportunity to read Dr.Santosh Bakaya's book Only in Darkness can you see the Stars. What a book it is !I think this is the first time anyone in India has written a biography on MLK Jr.Honestly speaking , I did not know much about King , except his I have a Dream Speech , after reading this book , I have come to know a lot about him.Thanks to Santosh Bakaya.The Montgomery Bus Boycott, his India and Gandhi connection , his visit to India , which he called a pilgrimage , the attempts on his life ,the Iconic Rosa Parks - We get to read about all of them . Santosh Bakaya has Indeed done a lot of research in writing this book . The various pictures add more lustre to the book . The publisher Vitasta also needs to be commended for publishing this great work .

This is a book which has come out at the right time. We need to revisit King and know what he stood for. This biography of the great man is written in a style which makes for very interesting reading. We get to know about different aspects of King's life. Bakaya has done a very good job in the telling of the story of his life. It is important for Indians to read this as it highlights King's deep bond with Gandhi.The book becomes more attractive because of some rare pictures from the life of King. Kudos to the publisher for an excellent cover and quality publishing. All in all,a book one should not miss.

Really amazing i didn't know before that about Martin Luther King Jr but after reading this and meeting with Santosh mam and know about this person and I m crazy about reading this book and after i reading i probably say that all indians have to read this and very interesting research facts and his struggle about system.

Although our country has tragically failed to live up to his inspirational words, Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is as strong as ever, and still available to be built upon. In Only in Darkness can You See the Stars, Santosh Bakaya gives us a definitive biography that follows his life as he lived it, one revelation at a time transformed into social action, and is solidly placed in the context of the unstoppable Civil Rights movement he launched and led during his short life.I have often wondered how Martin Luther King, Jr. found the strength to almost single-handedly, raise the consciousness of an entire nation. As Bakaya tells us, King did not start out to be a preacher. I was fascinated by the intellectual, emotional and spiritual journey he undertook during his formative years. He read Marx, whose philosophy attracted him but not his materialism, Thoreau from whom he gleaned the essence of what civil disobedience can accomplish, and many others political scientists and philosophers—before settling on Mahatma Gandhi as his model. On his visit to India in 1959, he told reporters who gathered at the airport: “to other countries I may go as a tourist, but to India I come as a pilgrim.” He came home fully resolved to “train our youth and adult leaders in the techniques of social change through non-violent resistance.”The book lives up to its title as Bakaya unflinchingly portrays the brutality of the backlash against the demonstrators, Freedom Riders and practitioners of passive resistance who stood up for their rights as Americans under the leadership of King and scores of other leaders in the American South. Compelling photographs support her documentation of the violent, tumultuous days that tested the resolve of every person who stood in solidarity against racism and oppression. From shots of Bull Connor’s dogs and fire hoses attacking peaceful protestors to pictures of the famous March on Washington, these images bring home the author’s powerfully descriptive words. Be prepared to occupy a ring-side seat and witness the events that forced the American government to finally act to dismantle the Jim Crow laws and provide a legal basis for the continuing struggle for racial and economic equality.Dr. Bakaya lives in Jaipur and her 2015 biography of Mahatma Gandhi was very well-received. In The Ballad of Bapu—written in rhyming couplets that mesmerize the reader—she sets out and succeeds in reclaiming the truth of Gandhi’s life at a time when a disinformation campaign in India is still working to discredit him.As she states in the preface to Only in Darkness can You See the Stars, “after the Mumbai 26/11 terrorist attack… I sat alone in my classroom…with Martin Luther King Jr.’s words persistently ringing in my ears –‘We still have a choice today, nonviolent co-existence or violent co-annihilation.’”Bakaya’s intent in writing about Martin Luther King, Jr. was to bring understanding and appreciation of a major historical figure to a generation of young Indians familiar with him in name only. As it turns out, the book also bring many new insights to American readers and others worldwide—just as King himself became an international leader when he spoke out against the Vietnam War. Highly recommended.

I received Santosh Bakaya's biography of Martin Luther King Jr in the post a few months ago. I love it! Its descriptive power is stunning at times -- my favourite passage comes at the end of the prologue:"The recorded voice reverberated in the hall, and the senior Kings closed their tear-filled eyes, as splintered chunks of memory, shards of nostalgia poking them from all directions, forming a crazy collage of tinker toys, juvenile pranks, giggles and guffaws, sibling rivalry, storytelling sessions, music lessons, parental reprimands and childish escapades in 501, Auburn Avenue..."This vivid passage is the rule rather than the exception. I don't usually read biographies , but having read many of the author's posts on the forum 'Rejected Stuff', I had to take a look. In addition to her stunning prose, the book is further animated by photographs of the Civil Rights leader and his many 'pilgrimages'. I can recall a tiny fraction of the struggle of groups such as 'CORE' to achieve equality from my GCSE, but as I continue to read I am sure that I will learn many new things, as well as consolidate my knowledge. This is the kind of book that I wish I had when I was 14. The use of language is just exceptional throughout -- and though it at times feels like a history book, I realise typing that awkward phrase that it IS really a history book (an important one, at that). Regardless, each individual event in the drive for freedom is brought to life with the skills that I should have expected given Santosh Bakaya's love for poetic narrative displayed in her earlier work, 'Oh, Hark!'

It is true that we cannot see the stars or a firefly until it gets dark. How much more can we see now that a truly Christian man like Martin Luther King has shown us that violence begets only violence and the gun gets us a bullet while nonviolence gets us lasting change & a chance for freedom. Bless Gandhi & MLKing that we have such lessons in peace.