Product guide

The Rainbow Road: From Tooting Broadway to Kalimpong — Unabridged Audiobook

Tooting Broadway Kalimpong: The Rainbow Road is Urgyen Sangharakshita’s account of his early life and spiritual search in India, from his wartime service to becoming a Buddhist monk and later founding a Western Buddhist movement. This unabridged English audiobook is narrated by Ratnadhya and runs for more than 19 hours.

At a glance

Memoir of Sangharakshita’s early life, spiritual search in India and path to becoming a bhikkhu.
Describes encounters with teachers from Hindu and other religious traditions, as well as caste and the challenges of life as a spiritual seeker.
The account also traces the roots of the Western Buddhist movement he later founded.

Price

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Reference price: ~~£17.38~~

Price checked: 12 Nov 2026

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Pros and cons

Pros

Unabridged audio preserves the full stated 19-hour, 28-minute listening length.
Combines personal memoir with accounts of religious encounters and the formation of a Western Buddhist movement.

Technical specifications

8 specifications

Audiobook
Format	Audiobook
Edition	Unabridged
Listening length	19 hours and 28 minutes
Language	English
Narrator	Ratnadhya

Publication
Author	Urgyen Sangharakshita
Publisher	Ukemi Audiobooks from W. F. Howes Ltd
Publication date	8 Jan. 2016

Who is it for?

A good fit for

Listeners interested in Buddhist memoirs and the history of Western Buddhism.
Those looking for an extended first-person account of spiritual searching and life in India.

Less suited to

Listeners seeking a concise introduction to Buddhist teachings rather than an autobiographical narrative.

Customer reviews on Amazon

4.9 / 5 · 11 ratings

5 stars87%87%
4 stars13%13%
3 stars0%0%
2 stars0%0%
1 star0%0%

The supplied ratings are strongly positive overall, with most in the five-star category and the remainder in the four-star category. The sample is small and contains no written feedback here, so it cannot show which parts listeners valued or identify specific strengths or concerns. For someone considering a long, unabridged memoir, the rating pattern offers a limited positive signal, not evidence about narration style or suitability for a particular listener.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Rainbow Road about?

It recounts Sangharakshita’s early life and Buddhist identity, his spiritual search in India and the experiences that preceded his return to England and founding of a Western Buddhist movement.

Who wrote and narrates this audiobook?

The listed author is Urgyen Sangharakshita and the narrator is Ratnadhya.

Is this edition abridged?

The listing describes it as unabridged, with a listening length of 19 hours and 28 minutes.