The Rigveda code by Rashmi Chendvankar

"The Rigveda code" by Rashmi Chendvankar. This book is published by The Write Palace in 2014 and has 244 pages.

Vrij is strongest kingdom in Bharatkhanda. Rikshavi is princess of Vrij. She is a natural archer but her father is not interested in teaching her. Her father, King Vrajesh, is searching for the Ultimate weapon that ever existed. 

What is the ultimate weapon? Will the Kshatriya code be broken? What does Rigveda code say? Is Rikshavi the one to fulfill the prophecy? What secrets are going to be revealed? What is the politics?

The story is set in 600 BC, 300 years after the great Mahabharata war. It is the period when India was divided into smaller kingdoms after weakening of Pandav clan. A period when weapon wielding females was an oddity. 

The story is based in the legend that Krishna left his Sudarshan Chakra, the ultimate weapon, behind in the care of Pandav and there is a clan that still guards and hides the Chakra from being discovered. It's the Clan of Pancharishis founded by Sahadev, the fourth Pandav who was an accomplished astrologer. The Chakra is to be hidden until a person with unique Rajyog can claim it. 

This is a new Indian legend for a fiction. Search for Sudarshan chakra can be a powerful plot. However author only makes passing references about the search and failures of finding the Chakra. She builds the story up but the climax is summarily executed. It could have been more thrilling and interesting.

The book ends with the creation of the first republic in the world. Later known as Licchawi republic. However author does not elaborate much about how Rikshawi deciphers the Rigveda code and how she determines that Lord Krishna intended to create a republic through his message.

Author has left some threads unexplored. Why is Amogh in love. Even if he wasn't there would have been no change to story. What happens to Magadhan forces after they depart? Is there no retaliation. Why reveal identities of Pancharishis? Is Lord Krishna's work over after formation of one republic or did Krishna wanted it to happen for the whole world? We're there three storied residential buildings in 300  BC?

I liked one sentence from this book very much. It goes like this 'Each one of is born with an element of God inside of us, it's called the conscience'. 

Appreciation is due for the cover design showing outline of a female with flowing hair and stretched bow, about to release arrow on a backlit background. The arrow tip is colorful peacock feather. The cover interested me and I purchased the book. 

The book back cover identifies the genre of the book as historical fiction, but it's actually a mytho-historical fiction. It's a good book, could have been better.

Recommend reading.