The Palace of Illusions - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Mahabharata - An epic tale of love and hate, boons and curses, power and pride, all leading up to the grand Kurukshetra War. We know the basic storyline; it’s been passed down through generations. The story of Draupadi and her five husbands – the Pandavas and their fight for power against their cousins – the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, i.e. the Kauravas. Cursed at birth, Draupadi is blamed as the cause of Hastinapur’s devastation, the reason behind this war, yet she was used as a pawn by the men in her life, such as her father giving her hand in marriage in return for the Pandavas support against Drona. Or Yudhishtir, virtuous, philosophical, righteous Yudhishtir who gambled away his wife and lost her to the Kauravas who humiliated her in open court. Is it not justified then that a woman subjected to such embarrassment would lash out? Why then should she not curse the men who caused her such pain?

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni tells the entire tale of Mahabharat through the eyes of Draupadi. We are exposed to the sentiments of a princess; unexpected and unwanted by her father, a child who grew motherless in a world where woman had not many rights. We learn of her friendship with Krishna, her bond with her brother, her relationship with her husbands and her love for the one man she cannot have.

There are many parellels which can be drawn between society then and now. The atrocious acts to which women are subjugated (eve-teasing, disrobing, public humiliation, etc), pride and ego of both genders, the want for power and money, jealousy and vengeance, gambling and the downfall of the most righteous of men.

More important however is the way Divakaruni portrays how women established themselves in a strongly patriarchal society. Draupadi is a willful princess who wishes to learn and study alongside her brother. Sharp minded and well aware of her life and prophecies surrounding it, she is a lady with pride and knowledge, one who can speak out when needed and is fearless of the world, ready to take on challenges bravely. She remains loyal to her husbands till the end, putting duty above love each time.

Besides Draupadi, the stories of other females, in the Mahabharata are also depicted, showing the importance of strong females in the male dominated society. Kunti - who disciplines and educates her children - the Pandavas - to ensure that they get their rightful inheritance. Gandhari – wife of the blind king, who chooses to shut her eyes forever at marriage, thus choosing equality with her husband, and is grandly rewarded by the gods for her sacrifice. There’s Subhadra, wife of Arjun, who loses her son and yet risks her life to save her grandson. Bheem’s wife Hidimba sends her only son to fight in a war for a husband she hasn’t met in years.

What makes this book standout over other interpretations of the Mahabharat, is that it illustrates that women made their choices consciously, and not because of society or as ordained by the men in their lives. The women chose the lives they led and thus the story enfolds. Such power in the hands of women in a time of patriarchy is a phenomenal tale.

Of course there is magic and gods and boons and curses, following with the original tale, but these do not stand out as the highlights of this telling. Chitra Divakaruni skillfully focuses on “girl power” and its influence in the Mahabharat, making us wonder at the end, was society better then or now, or has it not really changed much in terms of its vices.

Origin - Dan Brown

  Dan Brown is one of my favorite authors. The incredible combination of history, religion, modern technology, conspiracies, world strife, global – scale danger, worldwide panic, secret societies, government organizations, betrayals and absolutely mind-spinning twists, all amalgamated and concisely packed into one novel. That, dear readers, is Dan Brown’s Signature Style.

So, obviously the wait for “Origin” was a long one. Four years, that’s longer than the wait for a new season of BBC Sherlock, but at least we were not left on a cliff hanger. Finally, Dan Brown regales us with another Langdon Chronicle.

 

“Origin” contains all the essential elements of a Robert Langdon book i.e. the professor himself, a brilliant side-chick, an unknown antagonist and multiple suspects. Robert’s personality is also maintained as the same charismatic intellectual, claustrophobic, with an eidetic memory and his renowned Mickey Mouse watch.

  The book follows the same template Dan Brown has always used, a race against a mysterious entity, with a killer on their back, to find the next clue and reach ground zero.

  

The theme this time is Science vs Religion, fitting the upcoming millennial generation which reveres science over religion, and finds a scientific explanation to every aspect of their lives.

  The book also reminds me of one of my own professors, who always emphasized on the importance of asking questions. This is because the book revolves around two questions, which hold within their answers the need for religion, but are finally answered by science. Honestly, I believe it’s a matter of perspective, religion or science; they do tie-in at some points.

  The chase in this book, along with the characters and their quirks ensures that we don’t keep the book down and finish it to the end. Also, as I always find myself doing when reading one of Brown’s books, your suspect keeps changing; with every new evidence uncovered, or news revealed, your attention shifts to a new individual. The pace is maintained and the climax is built with great anticipation akin to the last peak of an amazing roller coaster. But the final fall, the roller coaster’s final leap seems... half-baked. Perhaps it is meant to be an unexpected move judging by Brown’s previous works, but the conclusion of the story just did not sate this bookworm. The story seemed inconclusive making it largely unsatisfactory and leaving me with the desire to go back in time and redo the tale.

  To conclude, the book is endearing and piques your interest throughout, but definitely ranks after “Da Vinci Code”, “Inferno”, and “Angels and Demons” in my opinion, somewhere along the likes of the “Lost Symbol” maybe. If you’re an advent fan of the author, go ahead, read it, it’s peachy. However if this is to be your first Dan Brown book, don’t do it. It would be much like meeting Rahul Gandhi and assuming all Indians are naïvely ludicrous. ;)

Chanakya's Chant - Ashwin Sanghi

  An entrepreneur by profession and an author by choice, Ashwin Sanghi’s novel - Chanakya’s Chant - is prodigious. It is written in the fashion of a double novel - the book has two protagonists, set in two timelines. In the 340BC, we have Chanakya - the kingmaker, pioneer of Political Science and Economics in India and author of the Arthshashtra. In the modern era, there’s Pandit Gangasagar Mishra, who lands upon a tablet inscribed with Chanakya’s Chant.

Adi Shakti, Namo Namaha
Sarab Shakti, Namo Namaha
Prithum Bhagavati, Namo Namaha
Kundalini Mata Shakti; Mata Shakti ,Namo Namaha

 

The mantra comes as a curse from Suvasini, Chanakya’s childhood love, who gets terribly pawned in the midst of Chanakya’s political games, and his revenge. She curses that Chanakya will have no lineage, no successors to pass on his knowledge to and his wisdom could be accessed in the future by using this mantra but only if it is used to ascend a female. Shakti must triumph over Shiva. And so comes into the picture Pandit Gangasagar Mishra, who finds the tablet, inscribed with this mantra in the modern times and adopts it. He then players a new age kingmaker (or prime minister – maker) and aims to make Chandani the prime minister of India.

  The book alternates between the two times, proffering various similarities in the fallacious and sagacious two protagonists. Chanakya’s basic story is known to most Indians, as the man who unified India under King Chandragupta Maurya. However, it is educating to learn exactly how his philosophies worked, the measures undertaken, plans made, his use of science and technology, as well as of people and society. His shrewd methods definitely benefitted him, and succeeded in the re-creation of Bharat. However in the process, he eliminated many existing kings ( no doubt about that not all of them deserved to be kings), destroyed relationships, created misunderstandings, played with emotions and became himself a man without love and emotions(some might say a man with no weakness). 

  A rather interesting concept in this book was the creation of Vishakanyas - reality poison maidens. Carefully selected and groomed by a practice known as Mithridatism (though it is not referred to as such here), they were Chanakya’s secret army of assassins, and greatly useful in his cause.

  In the modern times, we get to see how an ancient text – the Arthshashtra or the Science of Wealth - still applies to our society. The intelligent and sharp Pandit Gangasagar Mishra begins his life as a young boy working for Agrawalji, after his father’s death. He learns about business, creating profit, strategies etc... and “the incestuous relationship between business and politics.” One day, on an assignment from Agrawalji, Gangasagar finds a tablet inscribed with the Chanakya Chant. Soon after, he resigns from his job and starts his own political party, with his former employer as his financer. Hence begins his tale of ascension into the political scenario of Kanpur and his slick planning to make Chandani, the daughter of a pan vendor in a slum, the prime minister of India.

  Some of Pandit Gangasagar’s decisions seem too far-fetched and unrealistic in the modern times, especially since it is hard to believe that manipulating one man and killing another would be quite so easy in the current society.

  All along the book, similarities are drawn between Chanakya and Gangasagar, especially in their schemes, ruses and contrivances. As someone who relishes historical fiction, the parts elucidating Chanakya’s story seem more attractive. However the match and pace of the tales of both the protagonists are spell binding and keep the reader captivated.

  So, if you’re bored of non-generic novels, and are searching for a break from sappy romances and gruesome murders and chilling horrors, look no further!! This mashup of history, politics, and intellect with fiction is something you’ll definitely revel in!!!

Sita - Warrior of Mithila - By Amish Tripathi

    Choosing to veer away from the traditional and known, Amish Tripathi displays yet another marvel in his latest book, Sita – Warrior of Mithila. Adapting a lesser known version of the life of Ram and Sita, i.e. Adbhuta Ramayana, this novel regales us with the tale of Sita, a princess, a prime minister, a wife and most importantly, The Seventh Vishnu. The book follows a multi-linear narration strategy, instead of a mere sequel. The first book told us the story of Ram. The third will aim at conveying the life of Raavan. The books following these will continue from the same point where the first three ended, i.e. Sitaharan.

  Sita is found as a baby by Queen Sunaina and King Janak, protected by a vulture, against a pack of wolves. She is adopted by the couple and hailed as the princess of Mithila. She is sent to Rishi Shvetaketu for tutelage, where she encounters Maharishi Vishwamitra and his tribe - The Malayaputras. Impressed by her finesse, pragmatism and knowledge, Vishwamitra selects her as the Seventh Vishnu. After honing her skills under her new pedagogue - Vishwamitra, she returns to Mithila, to aid her ailing mother’s rule as the Prime Minister. She uplifts the country and its citizens and stabilizes its financial condition. 

  Then comes in Ram, a student of Maharishi Vaishishtha. Sita learns of Ram being chosen by Vaishishtha as the seventh Vishnu and doubts Vishwamitra’s true intentions, in lieu of the enmity between the Maharishis. She chooses a pragmatic path and opts for a partnership with Ram, combining the interest of both the Maharishis. This evolves into a marriage alliance between the pair, arranged by the scheming Vishwamitra.

  However, Raavan shows up at the swayamwar, where he is enraged by Ram victory. He returns with an army and lays siege beyond Mithila’s gates. The ensuing battle ends with the victory of Mithila, but only because Ram used a Daivi Astra – The Asuraastra.

  Soon after, the couple returns to Ayodhya, where Ram seeks a 14-year exile as punishment for using a Daivi Astra, as per Lord Rudra’s laws. They go into the forest accompanied by Lakshman as well as the Malayaputras to protect and assist them. Their exile passes by with various events, ending with the abduction of Sita by Raavan. Interestingly, there is no golden deer involved, instead Sita is foraging for banana leaves whilst Ram and Lakshman are off hunting for food, when Sita is abducted. Also, Lakshmanrekha, renamed as Lakshman’s wall by Amish, is a defense strategy devised by Lakshman and not a magical barrier drawn by an arrow.

  The book does not feature Sita as a docile, pretty, little bride, nor as the supporting character in a patriarchal marriage, whose only role was to be beautiful and dutiful, accepting every decision of her husband. Rather, she is an adept warrior, with a muscular lithe structure(as promised on the front cover), ready for combat. Wise and intelligent, caring and stern. she possesses the characteristics of a Vishnu, as needed for the society then, recognized by Vishwamitra. Her abilities and skills impress Ram as well, who expresses an unconventional desire for his wife to lead as the Vishnu and him as her follower.

  One cannot help but await the next book, wondering how Amish will make us sympathize with Raavan, the man who broke a perfect marriage. Personally, I’m also quite curious to know how Amish ends up depicting the end of the Ramayana, where, according to the commonly known mythology, Sita is made to go on an exile by her husband and ends up asking Mother Earth to swallow her whole to prove her fidelity in love.

 Featuring an excellent depiction of female Shakti (power) and truly equalizing both the counterparts in one of history’s most famous marriages, Amish Tripathi works his magic yet again enticing and entrapping us within these word webs he spins.

  

The Infernal Devices - Cassandra Clare

  Magic and secrets, hidden pasts and complicated futures, love and treachery, family and foes. The ultimate combination to spin an excellent and enthralling tale.

  The Infernal Devices Trilogy consists of three books - The Clockwork Angel, The Clockwork Prince, and The Clockwork Princess. It is the second series by Cassandra Clare, set in the Shadowhunters universe. The first one - The Mortal Instruments - which introduced us to the world of Nephilim (Shadowhunters to you mundanes out there), was set in the modern world, thaumaturgy amongst texting and technology. It was about a girl who discovered herself to be a Shadowhunter through a series of unfortunate events, and unraveled the mysteries of her past and her abilities, using them to fight a psychopathic and murderous villain.  

In the Clockwork Angel, Tessa (Theresa Gray) discovers her ability to shape shift, after a period of imprisonment, harassment, pain and anguish caused by the Dark Sisters, all for the sake of her brother who is supposedly held hostage by “The Magister”. She is rescued by Will Herondale - the blue-eyed sarcastic hero, and introduced to the world of Shadowhunters, where she meets Jem (James) Carstairs - the fragile and gentle lover. The rest of the book follows up with the rescue of Tessa’s brother, deceit and death, and unveiling the identity of “The Magister”. The Clockwork Prince is focused on Will and his curse, Tessa’s brother and his loyalties, the Clave (which is something like a Shadowhunter Law Council), and the automatons made by the Magister. Jem and Tessa fall in love, with Will at the apex of the triangle, in love with Tessa who suppresses her emotions for him, in lieu of her promise to Jem. The intense brotherly love between Jem and Will also plays a further role in this complicated love triangle, where each one loves the other two. The third book, i.e. The Clockwork Princess concludes the series, with the defeat of the Magister in an action filled, stupendous climax scene, and resolution of the love triangle in the most unexpected, intensely emotional way.

  

The series is set in Victorian London, giving way to some amusing incidences, such as when Tessa is astonished by the fact that ladies can wear trousers, in a time when corsets and hoop skirts were all the rage in women fashion. Being a good girl in the Victorian Age, she has been taught to be docile and gentle, and is thus alarmed at the mere thought of women fighting, let alone the idea of her learning to use weapons, as is the Nephilim norm. Blending in fancy vocabulary and formal acknowledgments - a characteristic of older English - along with informal tones and the affectionate language of Nephilim, as well as Will’s quotations of various poems, the dialogues in the Infernal Devices seem enriching and sophisticated to read.

  The contrast between the Mortal Instruments Series and the Infernal Devices Trilogy is not just the plot, which is marvelously designed in both cases, but also the characters. While the former focused on the futures of the characters and prophesies associated, the latter is more about the unravelling of pasts and how each character’s history ties in with the present storyline. With Jem and Will’s secrets being revealed, their love triangle with Tessa, amongst deceit by multiple characters due to misplaced amour, and with angels and demons tied in together, the story has an incredible pace, fast yet not speedy, unveiling the true nature of Tessa at the very end.

  Creating an entire alternate fantasy - with fictional languages, concepts, traditions and rituals – could not possibly be an easy task. Heaven knows how possibly impossible it was to write a mere 500 words story back in school. Yet, Cassandra Clare has managed to invent this phenomenal concept of Shadowhunters and built upon it wonderfully. With her first series being adapted into a movie, followed by a Netflix Show, she has amassed a massive fan following akin to that of Rick Riordan and Veronica Roth. So, for lovers of warlocks, vampires and werewolves (especially if you’ve been disappointed by Twilight); magic, love and deceit, Cassandra Clare is here to enchant you.

P.S.: Be sure to read the filler series, starring Magnus Bane, an eccentric kind warlock who played a major role in both the series, and his absolutely hilarious adventures being an immortal with magic.

The Scion Of Ishvaku - By Amish Tripathi

  The first book in the Ram Chandra Series, The Scion of Ishvaku is a retelling of the Indian epic - Ramayana - by Amish Tripathi. An alumnus of St. Xavier’s, Mumbai and IIM-C, Amish began his career in finance, working his way up through a multitude of top-notch banks, for over 15 years, before he chose writing as a career. The success of his books can be alluded not only to his impeccably well researched and framed stories, but also to phrenic, adroit and ingenious marketing schemes (characterizing the pedagogy of his alma mater), which helped him publicize each book, ensuring its success. Amish Tripathi is the recipient of numerous revered awards, such as the Raymond Crossword Popular Fiction Award for this very book, the Dainik Bhaskar Readers choice award.

  The story begins with King Dasharatha, invincible till his defeat at the hands of Raavan. On the same day, Ram is born, thus casting upon his the grim shadow of misfortune. It follows with Ram and his brothers’ childhood and tutelage, surrounded by politics, him overcoming the dark shadow upon him, and his accession to the throne. Ultimately, the book concludes with Ram’s fourteen year exile and the kidnapping of Sita.

  The salient feature of Amish’s books is that his elucidation sets the epic in an ancient yet surprisingly modern world. All the magic and mystique we’ve known as kids is adduced as science and technology. Case in point is Raavan’s legendary Pushpak Vimaan that is his flying chariot, by which Sita is kidnapped. We imagine it to be a horse carriage, driven by flying horses (often ones with wings, like pegasi), as per our Grandma’s tales. However, Tripathi’s version depicts it as a helicopter, simplifying the picture with logic. Similarly, the famed Brahmastra, an egregious weapon that devastates the target land and its surroundings for seven generations, is basically a nuclear weapon. Our beloved Lord Ganesha, bestowed by Shiva with the head of an elephant, and the talking vulture Jatayu, who lost his life attempting to rescue Sita, are both Nagas, who are people born with genetic mutations and possess cancerous outgrowths, making normal humans look like a mix of animal and man.

  The book makes us realize that all of our latest inventions and discoveries, largely by foreign scientists and researchers, have been an integral part of ancient Indian history. In a sense, it is a lost science, akin to Ayurveda, lost beneath the folds of language and time, setting back the work by millennia.

  It is time for all Indians to jump onto the bandwagon that is Amish’s books, forged in a furnace of knowledge, faith and logic. They’re a reminder of what we have been and where we could be, inspiring us to develop and reach India’s true potential.

The Da Vinci Code - By Dan Brown

  Reading a Dan Brown novel for the first time is a lot for solving one of those ten thousand piece jigsaw puzzles. So you try to solve the case-in-hand and almost finish the puzzle, only to realize that some of the pieces aren’t in the right spots, even if the edges fit in. However, when you correct yourself, the entire picture clears up.

  Almost every ardent reader will have read “The Da Vinci Code”. With historical fiction and Christianity at its core, this novel launches you into an arena of puzzles and riddles versus art and history, ultimately elucidating you about the hidden facets of this world.  Starring the virtuous and brilliant Robert Langdon (created by Dan Brown as an fictional alter ego of himself, of what he wishes to be and inspired by two real people – John Langdon and Joseph Campbell), this book jumps into the brutal murder of the curator of Louvre Museum, France, Jacques Saunière.  You are introduced to his granddaughter Sophie Neveu - an astute cryptologist, Captain Bezu Fache of the French Judicial Police, Sir Leigh Teabing – A British knight living in France, Silas and Bishop Aringarosa amongst other characters, over the course of the tale.

  With such diverse roles in play, Dan Brown’s signature style of switching perspectives follows, often mid- scene. Action sequences started by one character end through another’s eyes, sudden crossovers to another player’s affairs occurring concurrently. To some, these ubiquitous changes in vista may seem distracting, but for more accustomed readers willing to fabricate the story in their minds, these jumps keep you tied to the book. They ensure that the wheels in your brain spin and that your “mind-engine” attempts to iron out the mystery alongside the primary protagonists.

  You learn of the Priory of Sion (no Mumbaikars, not the station), a secret society, founded to hide cryptic documents to be revealed on a particular date, which would bring Christianity onto its knees. Its members include renowned scientists like Sir Issac Newton (note the sir, indicating his Knighthood status). You learn of curious concepts like PHI – The Golden Ratio - existing in every aspect of nature, the Fibonacci Sequence, various religious symbols, their meanings, etymologies and histories and the stories behind famous paintings and other artwork, majorly by Da Vinci, who is the one of the most subtle but loud advocates of the ‘secret’, and has imbibed science and mathematics into his art, hiding conspiracies beyond layers. An impeccable example of this is the depiction of Jesus and his followers in ‘The Last Supper’ (unravelling the meaning behind the deviance of this depiction from that of the Bible is a scintillating experience). Chiefly, you learn of the Holy Grail, its meaning, and an alternate derivation of this term, conferring it a wholly different eminence in the framework of Christianity. All in all, you learn a lot and by the end of the book, your minds are left reeling with the plethora of information swarming in them and your faiths and beliefs vanquished.

  Ensuring that he stands uncontested, by means of thorough research, Dan Brown weaves a controversial, yet intriguing tale, mashing fact with fiction, boiling down the broth to a tantalizing climax, with all the essential spices – action, a dramatic reveal, brilliant puzzle decryption, family reunion, a tad bit of romance and of course, a kiss. He ensures that you, the readers are gripping the edges of your seats, fervently flipping pages, panting and yearning for more.

  For mystery addicts and crime-solving bibliophiles, this is a perfect choice. And for anyone wishing to try out murder mysteries and historical fiction for the first time, I assure you, this book is your route down that genre. So go on, read it already!! And those of you who’ve already read it, you know it’s worth devouring again!!!