Tag Archives: Hindu Mythology

Book Review: The Empress of Indraprastha – Entering Kuruvansh by Sonali Raje

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About the Book:

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Draupadi’s mother, Maharani Prishati, was influential in building her charismatic daughter’s strong character as a proponent of human rights and a shrewd politician. Why would such an independent thinker blindly follow something that Ma Kunti said accidentally? Did all the Paandav brothers agree to marry her immediately? The brilliant Sahdev and the far-sighted strategist Draupadi collectively argued for a partition to give Duryodhan his rights to half the kingdom. The intricate complexities of a dynamic polyamorous marriage and a sibling bond promoting gender equality are showcased through the series. Over five parts unfurl – the untold memoirs of an Empress…

My Thoughts:

I have recently been re-reading the Mahabharata and was intrigued to come across this re-telling and re-imagination from Draupadi’s point of view. The author delves into Draupadi’s origins, bringing to us a narrative from her point of view. We see the world as she sees it, hear her thoughts and feel her emotions as she navigates the ups and downs of her life.

The author tries to bring out a different side of the epic, focusing on Draupadi’s interactions with the Paandav brothers and building on her relationship with each of them. Their journey was not without difficulty and to have been accepted in the time when the events occurred is quite interesting. The flow of the story is good and as the plot deepens, so do the emotions and dialogues among the characters. The authors maintains a level of sophistication both in how the characters are portrayed as well in the style of writing which I really liked.

However, I felt that the way in which the story is told is more in tune with the world today, which dilutes some of the customs and thoughts as depicted or told in the original epics. There is always scope for interpretation and considering this, the author has done a good job in bringing to us an interesting point of view and focus. Even though the reader may know the original story, the development of this series is one to take note of and follow. Overall, this was a good read and I am looking forward to reading the next book.

Book Review – Manwaan: The Awakening by Abhishek Krishnan

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About the Book:

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A mythological fusion. A modern twist. An ancient battle of good and evil.

When the Gateway of Hell is opened, a 26-year-old, hyper-anxious, pot-smoking Rinad finds himself embroiled in a celestial battle with the Fallen Angels and the Underworld Clan of Asuras and Rakshasas on one side and the Gods and the Worthy Angels on the other. Unable to step on Earth themselves, the Gods feared losing this war and began creating their own army of half man, half Celestial warriors – Manwaans.

Rinad soon realizes that he’s a Manwaan and has a pivotal role in winning this ancient battle.

In the first part of this series, ‘The Awakening’, Rinad is exposed to this world as he navigates the chaos and finds his purpose. But will he be able to fight his own battles before he steps up to his duties and helps defeat the Underworld warriors as they wage war on humanity?

My Thoughts:

I was contacted by the author regarding the book and I must admit I felt humbled and a little in awe! Upon reading the premise or book blurb, I knew at once that I had to give this book a read! This review is a long time coming and even though it is quite delayed, I believe it is a special one for me to write.

I am truly happy that I picked up this book since I fell in love with it by the time I reached the ending! This book brings out an new perspective on the battle between good and evil, drawing from Hindu Mythology and set in a modern world. The author brings to us characters that are realistic and relatable while ensuring to weave in scenes of fights and of course glimpses of the Gods!

At first, I found the book a little difficult to get into, the initial setting was not clear, but a few chapters in and everything started falling into place. There is a lot of scene setting and character building that is done which makes the story quite enjoyable. The writing style is easy to read and follow and honestly, I think the author has an interesting way with words and a knack for storytelling.

What I enjoyed the most apart from the fight scenes is how the main character found himself and started to find his place in the world. We follow him as he struggles through normal day to day life, not quite fitting in but not really knowing why. He deals with anxiety, depression and tries to find an escape from the expectations of his peers, family and society in general. By discovering he is a Manwaan (a half man, half Celestial warrior), he slowly starts to identify with himself better and settle down in a way that people who have unconditional acceptance of themselves do.

I truly enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to the next one. This book ends in a way that leaves the reader wanting more!

Book Review: Rebellion (Warlord of Ayodhya, #1) by Shatrujeet Nath

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About the Book:

Bharat. Son of Kaikeyi. Brother of Rama. Reluctant king of Kosala.

Bharat’s carefree life in Kekeya is turned upside down by the death of his father Raja Dashratha and the exile of his brother and crown prince Rama. Untrained in statecraft and unsure of himself, Bharat begins his rule over Kosala by tackling an audacious rakshasa attack on Ayodhya.

There’s more trouble brewing. As the magic that sustains the kingdom starts weakening and a drought looms over Kosala, Ayodhya’s citizens begin to disappear mysteriously. Ambitious aristocrats manipulate the inexperienced king to their ends, while fickle allies seize the opportunity to assert their independence. And unknown to Bharat, the Lord of Lanka has put a cunning plan into action that will break the back of Ayodhya’s resistance.

Beset by challenges, will Bharat lose Ayodhya so early in his reign?

Crackling with characters overlooked and forgotten by the Ramayana, Warlord of Ayodhya is a thrilling spinoff by bestselling fantasy author Shatrujeet Nath.

My Thoughts:

This book was my most anticipated read at the beginning of the year and it is definitely a favourite! Having read Shatrujeet’s Vikramaditya Veeragatha series, it was a no-brainer to pick this up and I knew in advance that I would love it! There was no doubt about it and I was not disappointed.

Everyone knows the epic Ramayana, but how many of us actually stopped to think about the other people and the lives of the Ayodhyan’s during Rama’s 14 year exile? How many of us stopped to think about Bharat and his struggles to rule in the absence of his brother? Well, Shatrujeet Nath thought of this! He imagined how the life of Bharat could have been as he took over the rule of the kingdom and thus this series was born.

This is the first book in the series and sets the stage for what comes next as the title aptly suggests. As is usual with Shatrujeet’s style of writing, there are a variety of characters, each with an agenda of their own. What was interesting to read about was Bharat’s relationship with his mother and his feelings towards her. It is clear that a lot of planning and research went into crafting the plot. Additionally, with a threat to Ayodhya’s magic and the hint of the Lord of Lanka’s interest in Ayodhya, the reader’s interest is certainly piqued.

While the Ramayan focuses on Rama and Sita’s journey, their exile, Sita’s kidnapping and finally their return to Ayodhya, this series seeks to bring out the other side of the story. A little known side with characters who were never in focus and who now have a chance to have their story told! Shatrujeet Nath is indeed a master storyteller and a genius to create and write this story. In my opinion, this book and all books by the author are a must read!

Book Blitz: Vishwamitra by Dr. Vineet Aggarwal

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Vishwamitra by Dr. Vineet Aggarwal
Indian Mythological Fiction
~ Book Blitz ~
11th August, 2017

 

When Satyavati, wife of Rishi Ruchik, exchanges with her mother the magic potion for bearing a child, they change not just their children’s destiny, but also the history of mankind. Born of this mix up is Vishwamitra, the son of a Kshatriya, who strives to become a
Brahmarishi—the ultimate and most powerful of all Gurus.
Vishwamitra is the powerful story of a brave but stubborn, haughty yet compassionate, visionary king of Aryavarta who not only acquires material wealth through military conquests but also becomes one of the most well-known sages of all times.
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Top 5 Rishis of all
time:

5. BHRIGU – the father-in-law of none other than Lord Vishnu! He is famous to have tested the three gods of the Hindu Trinity to see who’s the most deserving out of them! He is the author of the famous Bhrigu Samhita also known as ‘Laal Kitab’ that supposedly contains
information about every human being’s past, present and future.
4. KASHYAP – the father of all species of life that exist including Devas, Daityas, Danavs, Manavs, Apsaras, Gandharvs, Nagas, Plants, Animals, Birds, Aquatics and many more! He gives realmeaning to the thought – Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam – the World is my Family.
3. VISHWAMITRA – an ordinary human who in spite of being born as a Kshatriya reached the highest levels of spirituality and became a Brahmarishi at par with Vasishth! He is the discoverer of the famous Gayatri Mantra, and the creator of an entire constellation!
2. ATRI – another son of Brahma and one of the oldest rishis to exist. Husband of a very powerful lady Anasuya and the father of Chandrama, the Hindu Moon-god; Dattatreya, the combined Avatar of Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva; and the angry rishi Durvasa.
1. VASISHTH – the son of Brahma the creator-god is number one on the list. He is the original Brahmarishi whom Indra gifted the Divine Cow Nandini. He was the Kulguru of Suryavanshis or the Solar Dynasty of kings in ancient India and mentored many famous kings like Divodas, Harishchandra and Shri Rama.
About the Author
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal is described by many as a doctor by qualification, manager by profession and artist by temperament. Born in a family of doctors, he successfully completed an initial stint with the family occupation before deciding to venture into pharmaceutical management and currently pursues writing and photography as a passion.
He is the author of popular online blogs ‘Decode Hindu Mythology’ and ‘Fraternity Against Terrorism and Extremism’ and the author of books ‘Vishwamitra – The Man who dared to challenge the Gods’ and ‘The Legend of Parshu-Raam’
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