Ajaya: Rise of Kali by Anand Neelakanthan

"Ajaya: Rise of Kali" by Anand Neelakanthan. This book is published by Platinum Press in 2015 and has 530 pages. This book is Book 2 of Ajaya series.

Anand's story of Mahabharata continues, from Suyodhana's point of view, from where the first book ended i.e. with Draupadi Vastraharan. The war starts at around 60% of the book and ends at around 90%.

Dhaumya is the fanatic. Kripa is a maverick. Kirishna is the ultimate manipulator. Samba was the loutish son of Krishna, who Krishna had no control over. Shakuni is a schemer. Ashwathama craves for recognition as warrior and wants to be Suyodhana's best friend, better than Karna. Karna and Eklavya are emotional brave hearts. Suyodhana is a well meaning, righteous, emotional fool.

This book is the struggle between two philosophies. Pandav, Krishna and Parshuram are proponents of cast and class system, followers of scriptures for stable society whereas Duryodhana, Eklavya and Takshak favour merit based system. It's a fight between orthodoxy (Pandav) and liberals (Kaurav).

Author States that Pandav's portrayed themselves as epitome of Dharma and Kaurav's as evil whereas it was the other way round. Pandav used all illegal means to win war and Kaurav abided by the rules. He says Pandav used propaganda to depict themselves as torchbearers Dharma. But he does not say why Suyodhana did not do anything to counter this?

Author has given spin and twist to the known incidents from Mahabharata to put forth his point of view. Some interesting twists: Bhishma and Vidur's retirement. Eklavya taught weaponory to Ghatotkach and Iravan. It was Eklavya, not Lord Shiv, who defeated Arjun in the jungle. Samba, son of Krishna, raped Lakshamana, daughter of Suyodhana. Krishna killed Eklavya in a shameful fashion. Sarpasatra happened when Janmejay was a baby.

The first book was the story of Suyodhana. It tried to put forth the other side of coin. Second book though told interestingly, becomes story of Mahabharata instead of Suyodhana. Suddenly Suyodhana takes back stage and story moves on. There is no justification of Vastraharan, no second side to it. Suyodhana's point of view goes missing. From being a hero in first book, he becomes a supporting actor and an 'also ran' in this book. Mind you, the story is good but author has lost the soul of his story. End of the book is over stretched. He could have stopped at the end of war. But no. He continues and narrates death of Vidur, Kunti, Dhritarashtra & Gandhari, then narrates deaths of Pandav, then narrates death of Parikshit and ends with Sarpasatra with baby Janmejay as the puppet of Dhaumya and Yuyutsu.

You read a good book but it is not what you bargained for. You feel disappointed. A good story that strays from its objective.

If you have read the first one, you have to read this. If you haven't read the first one, well, read that then!

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Ajaya: The roll of dice by Anand Neelakantan

"Ajaya: The roll of dice" by Anand Neelakantan. This book is published by Leadstart in 2013 and has 456 pages. It is the first book of 'Ajaya' series.

Ajaya is the story of Mahabharata from Duryodhana's point of view. Kaurav's are the hero of this story. Since everyone knows Mahabharata, I will not delve into the story.

It's the epic of the Kaurava clan. Author has put forth the story in a completely different light. He shows two camps in India. The camp of conservatives is lead by Parshuram, Krishna, Kunti, Dhaumya, Dronacharya and Pandav's. The liberal camp is lead by Bhishmacharya, Vidur, Jarasandha, Balram and Kaurav's. It's a class struggle. Conservatives favouring cast and class system and liberals not being so rigid. There are also communists, lead by Nagas and other untouchables, who fight for the oppressed class and are involved in terrorist activities. And then there is a band of traitors lead by, none other than, Shakuni. Likes of Karna and Eklavya are gifted with skills but disadvantaged due to lower cast.

Author has introduced an interesting idea. There is a truce between Hastinapur lead by Bhishmacharya and Southern confederate lead by Parshuram, an ultra conservative and proponent of rigid class and cast system. The threat of fundamentalism from supporters of Parshuram is growing day by day in Hastinapur.

Characterization is different and interesting. Krishna is intelligent, devious and wants to retain cast system. Yudhishthir is polite with all and vicious with Kaurav's. Bhim is a bully. Kunti and Gandhari are in power struggle trying to install their sons as next king. Duryodhana is kind hearted and confused. Shakuni is a scheming devil. Karna an upright man with empathy for poor. Ekalavya is oppressed talent looking for goal in his life. Kripacharya is a maverick scholar who gives a hoot for cast system. Dronacharya is brahmin supremest. Balram is a liberal and progressive visionary. Bhishmacharya is a balanced personality who wants to improve society gradually without sudden major changes. Takshak is leader of Nagas and claims to represent oppressed class. Jara is a beggar who is nobody but appears in the story constantly and contributes to the proceedings.

Two major incidents that show what Duryodhana is made up of are his refusal to fight Arjun for Subhadra, even at the risk of ridicule, because she had gone with Arjun of her free will and his refusal to declare war on Pandav's, which will lead to loss of numerous innocent lives, upon his insult in Hastinapur by Draupadi.

Author says that Subhadra and Duryodhana were in love. However Subhadra eloped with Arjun. Author fails to explain Subhadra's change of heart. Author also skips to tell how Krishna convinced Draupadi to marry five men.

Duryodhana rejects Pandav's claim to throne because they are not sons of Pandu, but of Kunti's lovers (bastards). However the logic is flawed because if Pandav's have no claim, so does Dhritarashtra. Dhritarashtra was not the son of Vichitravirya and thus not a progeny of Shantanu.

When an epic is retold author's performance is not judged by the story but the approach. By looking at the story as a class struggle and social issue author has scored full marks. Although Duryodhana comes out as a good man at heart but a confused youth, the real man acting behind the scene is Shakuni. Another villain is Krishna.

The story ends with the game of dyut (roll of dice) where Yudhishthir losses everything including Draupadi, the sequel will be the concluding book which is already published.

It's an interesting and bold approach. If Pandav's being villain is palatable to you, it's a must read.