"Harappa: Curse of the blood river by Vineet Bajpai

"Harappa: Curse of the blood river" by Vineet Bajpai - Interesting.

This book is published by VB Performance LLP. This edition was published in 2017 and has 316 pages.

In 1700 BCE Harappa, Vaivaswan Pujari - half man half God, decides to avenge Harappa. Saraswati river, the giver of life turns to blood river. In 2017 Vidyut Shastri, an entrepreneur, marital arts champion and a very handsome man, receives a phone call from Dev-Rakshas math of Benares. He must meet his great grand father. 'The Order' wants to kill 'The Aryan boy'.

What is' The Order'? Who is Romi? Why is Vidyut summoned? What is the impending battle? What is the curse of blood river? What secret of Harappa is being protected?

Story of Vaivaswan Pujari, his Son Manu, Wife Sanjana and dearest friend and brother in law Chandradhar in 1700 BCE Harappa is narrated alternately with story of Vidyut, his fiancee Damini, closest friend Bala, his childhood friend Naina, great grand father Dwarka Shastri and warrior monks of DevRakshas math in modern day Benares.

It's a clash of good and evil, light and dark, Dev Rakshas math and 'The order' from Rome. 

This book counters the theory purported by west that Harappans did not know horses and were defeated and displaced by horse riding, fair skinned, blue eyed Aryans from West. Author says that this was the theory propagated by British deliberately to subjugate Indian populace through psychological warfare to impress on Indian minds that Indian race was an inferior race and requires civilized and superior race for their salvation. That's why they destroyed the excavated Brahminnabad, before formal discovery of Harappa, and used it's baked bricks for constructing Lahore-Karachi railway line. Author says that Aryans were none other than local Harappans.

The section where Purohitji explains to Damini how, in Sanatan Dharma or Hindu Dharma there is male female equality or rather how female is considered superior, is very interesting.

Narration is interesting. Story is gripping, research is adequate, characterization is good, ancient mysticism is omnipresent, reader's interest is piqued but powers of Devta sound unreal. 

Cover depicts ancient ruins during thunder storm and flowing river against backdrop of sun. It serves the purpose of catching the eye of a potential buyer in a book shop. This book was predominantly displayed in Crossroad.

When I reached last page of the book I came to know that this is a Book 1 of the series and Book 2 'Pralay' will continue the story.  Author does not reveal this to the readers anywhere on the front page, blurb or introduction. I believe that reader should be the one who makes the decision if he wants to read a series or not and it's author's duty to inform potential readers that this book is first of a series. Not doing so is tantamount to cheating. Why would an author or publishing house do such a thing?

Why did I read this book? Harappa.

What I didn't like? Nowhere it says it's Part 1. 

What did I like?  Drama, narration. 

A good book. Recommend reading.