Author Interview : Dhyan Appachu Bollachettira

Author Interview : Dhyan  Appachu 
                                  Bollachettira

Hello everyone,
Today I am going to introduce you to the author of 'The Arya Dharma : The Noble Dharma'

Let's start!

1)Tell something about yourself to our readers.

Dhyan: I was born and raised in Bangalore.  In 1997, I went to the USA to do my Master’s in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida.  I joined leading Engineering consulting companies in the USA and in 2003 I won the best employee award for technical achievement in PBSJ, Florida (now Atkins SNC Lavalin USA, the world’s third largest design firm).

I am also an A license holder in Skydiving from the United States Parachute Association.

In 2004, I started marketing my family business in the USA and was in the USA till 2009.

I returned to India from the USA in 2009 and also gave up my Green Card.

Then in December 2018, I decided to follow my calling and left my family business and started to focus solely on my writing and farming.

I am much happier now following my true calling of writing and spending time with young children and nature who in my opinion are the true form of Brahman (God).

2)What is ''The Arya Dharma : The Noble Dharma" about?

Dhyan: I wish to enlighten people of a better way based on my life's insight and experiences into our (Bharatiya) great heritage and the pathetic state we are in today blindly aping what I call the FUKUS (France, UK, USA) systems which are totally unsuitable to anybody on this planet and especially harmful to nature. 

I hope readers will understand what I mean by the key to happiness. 

The key to happiness is to do everything without expectations, attachment, and ego. 

This is exceptionally difficult to achieve, but it actually as easy as learning to ride a bike. 

Once you achieve the right balance, it’s easy to ride the bike in any terrain. 

The key is to achieve balance (समत्वम्ं Samathvam or equanimity) and this only comes through ध्यान Dhyana (loosely translated as meditation).

समत्वम् Samathvam and ध्यान Dhyan are interchangeable.  One cannot exist without the other.  But समत्वम् Samathvam can only come from practice of ध्यान Dhyan.

I have mentioned all the above in detail in my book.

I also hope my book will convince people to abandon the fraud FUKUS (France UK, USA) systems of trickle down casino capitalism and paid democracy and adopt more sustainable and holistically profitable systems I have mentioned in my book which will not only benefit humanity and reduce inequality, oligopoly and oppression, but also benefit nature and all beings in this world.

3)What prompted you to write this book ?

Dhyan:  God has blessed me with a life where I have been able to travel the world and live among different kinds of people and have gained a lot of life experiences both good and bad.

I have lived in the USA for 12 years from 1997 to 2009 and even had a green card. 

But though I was doing well materially in the USA, spiritually I found it very disappointing and returned to India and gave up my green card.

Based on my life’s experiences and research into our great heritage, I thought it would be good to write about my life’s learnings and educate people that there is a better way than the currently flawed and failed systems we are following.

I have mentioned all the flaws of today’s systems and how we can remedy these flaws and move forward to a better way in my book.

I hope my book will enlighten people. 

I am going back to the future.  We already had this great system before the invasions and colonization.

All I ask is we go back to our great heritage albeit incorporating the good features of these modern times.

Going back to the future and placing Dharma and Seva (Selfless sacrifice) as the central indicator of the health of governance instead of quarterly GDP figures, is far more suitable not only to Bharat, but to all beings in this world.

Ram Rajya and Magadha are living proof and still mentioned millenniums after their existence even in the accounts of foreigners.

Ours is the only culture that says:

लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनोभवन्तु
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
"May all the Worlds become Happy."

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam which means "The whole world is one family."

In our culture, there is no intermediary to reach God, in fact the Self (Atman) is identical and a part of Brahman (the Ultimate Reality) and the Grand Pronouncement:
तत् त्वम् असि Tat Tvam Asi – Brahman is the Truth, Brahman is the Self, Brahman is You.
from the Chandogya Upanishad

4)Writing a book on Arya Dharma must have been challenging. Did you research on it?

Dhyan: The genesis started in 2006 when I started a blog and used to write on it.  My book only has about 70% of my work. 

My blog www.aryadharma.world was my main inspiration to enlighten people that there is a better way.

Then in mid-2019 I decided to put it in a book format, and it took me about 3 months to adapt my blog content to a book format.

But this book is based on my life’s experiences and research into our great heritage ever since I started seriously on this subject in 1997.

5)Describe this book in one line.

Dhyan: A better way by a unique combination of our heritage, spirituality and current affairs by going back to the future

6)What is your writing process like?

Dhyan:  I write the main underlying essence first without editing. 

This hardly takes me about 2-3 hours, but is based on my life’s experience and more than 20 years of research into our great heritage.

Then I flesh it out and edit it. 

I dont write at a stretch, I write in blocks and always email to myself or make notes about my work on my mobile. This way I remember the trail of thought.

7)Which books have influenced your life?

Dhyan:  I must have read more than 200 books since school days. When I was very young, I used to read a lot of Arthur Conan Doyle and Roald Dahl.  This enabled me to think analytically, differently and have an open mind. 

Some of the books I still remember are the complete works of Arthur Conan Doyle and Roald Dahl

As I grew up, I was very influenced by the writings of S Radhakrishnan, our second president who I consider one of the greatest modern philosophers, Jiddu Krishnamurthy, Sankaracharya, Swami Vivekananda and I used to listen to a lot of talks by Alan Watts.

I still read a lot nowadays and Medium.com has also become a favourite read.  I also write on Medium.com.

I like the idea of Medium.com.

It is citizen driven journalism – anybody can start writing there and there is absolutely no censorship or moderation as far as I have seen. 

Most of the writers I have come across in Medium.com are analytical and free speaking and unbiased, unlike conventional paid, biased, and compliant mainstream media.

Some of the books that changed my life are:
•The works of Arthur Conan Doyle and Roald Dahl which taught me to think outside the box
•S Radhakrishnans interpretation of the Principal Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Dhammapada and Brahmasutra
•Sankaras Bhaja Govindam, Vivekachudamani, Taitreya Upanishad commentary and Atma Bodha and other commentaries
•Jiddu’s and Alan Watts various short speeches and writings
•Swami Vivekananda’s works

8)What does your family think of your writing?

Dhyan:   My family has been very encouraging of my writing and support me completely in my work.  I am incredibly grateful to my family especially my wife, mother, and father, without whom this book would not have been possible since they have rendered eager and active support to me in many forms especially emotional, logistical and financial support.

9)What are your future plans? How soon can your readers expect your next book?

Dhyan: Based entirely on my life's experience and insight from experts I am following, I am working on a book on how to manage money wisely and also on a book on natural farming which is the only sustainable method of farming.  I hope to have these books out by the middle of next year – I am waiting for proof of success of my techniques in managing money which will come in the next year.

10) What advice do you have for writers and readers?

Dhyan:
Advice for writers:

Dont hesitate to put your words to paper or in these times in a blog.  You never know how your words may change and influence others.

Advice for readers:

Have a growth mindset.  Get rid of Stereotype mindset, it will only cause disappointment and frustration.

Continue learning and having an open mind to acquire new knowledge.

I hope my book will enlighten people. 

I am going back to the future.  We already had this great system before the invasions and colonization.

Ram Rajya and Magadha are living proof and still mentioned millenniums after their existence even in the accounts of foreigners.

All I ask is we go back to our great heritage, albeit incorporating all that is good in modern times like liberty and equality and the technological innovation which does not add to mass unemployment.

The way I have proposed is far more suitable not only to humans in Bharat, but to all beings in this world.

Thanks for reading.