Sita's sister by Kavita Kane

"Sita's sister" by Kavita Kane. This book is published by Rupa & Co in Mar 2014 and has 320 pages.

Everyone knows Ramayan. How Kaikeyi sent Ram to forest for Vanvas (वनवास) and how Sita and Lakshman voluntarily spent 14 years with Ram in the forest. But very little is known about Urmila, Lakshman's wife and Sita's sister; who spent all those years alone in Ayodhya.

Kavita has highlighted a character that is mostly ignored by history. How was Urmila? What did she feel when Lakshman left her? How did she cope? What did she do for 14 years? What was her contribution?

The book is about Urmila. Her life was divided distinctly in three parts. One before marriage, One during Ram's Vanvas and one after their return to Ayodhya. Author has covered first in detail, second in time leaps and third in epilogue. Second part should have got more page space.

Urmila is one of the most unfortunate characters of Ramayan. Sita was with her husband, Urmila was away from Lakshman. It was very easy to portray her as a tragedy queen and cry horse about the injustice meted out to her by making the book melodramatic. However author has commendably avoided such temptation and portrayed her in a different light.

Author has portrayed Urmila as the binding force of the house. She is fiercely loyal to her loved ones, has quick temper, is a learned pandit, is a good painter, is hopelessly in love with Lakshman, doesn't shy from speaking out her mind and has firm opinions.

Urmila asks some difficult questions to Raghuvanshi's and gurus on Chitrakoot (चित्रकुट) parvat, when Bharat and everyone else goes to request Ram to come back to Ayodhya. This section is a masterpiece of argument. Author has put forth arguments by Urmila that have no answers. Her anguish and anger are genuine.

Author has glorified Kaikeyi and her actions in the book unnecessarily. Unnecessarily not because I did not like it, but because it digresses from the topic of Urmila. The story or its impact would not have altered without it.

Characters of four sisters Sita, Urmila, Mandavi, Shutkirti and Lakshman, Kaikeyi, Kausalya, Sumitra are very well developed. Bharat and Shatrughna remain under developed. The story is nicely paced with occasional slow down. End seemed a little hastened.

Sita plays a very small part in the story of Urmila in this book, but still the book is called Sita's sister. Probably only because Sita is more famous, but it's unfair to Urmila. It appears to be a populist, rather than meaningful, title. Was it done to match with her previous book 'Karna's wife'?

Good book. Recommend reading.

For complete review, please visit:
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http://mandarbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Scion of Ikshvaku by Amish

"Scion of Ikshvaku" by Amish. This book is published by Westland Ltd on 21st Jun 2015 and has 354 pages. This is Book 1 of the Ram Chandra series.

Book 1 starts with Sita haran (सीता हरण) and then takes us to the past in flashback from before Ram's birth, his upbringing, his marriage, his exile (वनवास) and again ends at Sita haran (सीता हरण).

Amish has retained some concepts from Shiva triology like Naga (men born with physical deformity), Vayuputra (a tribe left behind by Rudra, the last Mahadev), Mahadev and Vishnu being positions not persons and their specific roles.

He has introduced some new concepts that counter the popular story e.g. Ram was hated by Ayodhyans, Sita was elder than Ram, Ram piercing eye of rotating fish looking into its reflection to win Sita etc. Author has also introduced interesting concepts of Masculine and Feminine societies.

Although he has tried to be consistent with Shiva trilogy there are some discrepancies e.g. Parshuram is a bandit warrior in Shiva trilogy but in this book he is the sixth Vishnu.

The map of Sapt Sindhu provided in the book is not very legible, should have been more legible. The cover says it's Book 1, not clear if it is a trilogy or more. The publicity for this book was very effective. I had ordered the book order release, received it the day after it was released and read it in 4 days.

The book is logically written. Author has tried to explain things realistically rather than taking refuge in magic or Godly wonders. Author has intelligently used modern day issues and philosophies with camouflage to explain conflicts of that era.

However this book doesn't have ground breaking and ingenious ideas and concepts like Shiva trilogy. It appears that Shiva trilogy and author's attempt to be consistent with it has put constraints on the artistic expression and creativity in this book. Or may be I expected too much after Shiva trilogy!

This book is not in the league of Meluha. But it's a good book.

Asura - The tale of the vanquished by Anand Neelakantan

Mandar's book review                             
"Asura - The tale of the vanquished", by Anand Neelakantan.

This is the story of Ravan, as the title suggests. But it is not Ramayan narrated by Ravan. It is the story of how Ravan became who he was and also includes war with Ram. And it is written in Asura perspective.
                                   
Story is narrated by Ravan and Bhadra (Servent cum advisor cum man friday cum non entity for Ravan). He may be invention of author. The idea, presented in this book, of Asuras being black but cultured and Devas being fair but barbarians is not new for well read. Author has tried to present mythological landmark incidents as they realistically happened e.g. lanka dahan.    

Writing style is factual but little bland in 1st half. Author has covered some major events just by mention rather than making them colourful narratives. Love-loath-hate-pity-trust relationship of Ravan and Bhadra is the soul of the book. Bhadra is participant in all the important events of Ravan's life. Character of Ravan is portrayed as human rather than rakshas. He seems clueless, often enough, to doubt his capabilities. A mere mortal.

Real twist in the tale is the revelation of Ravan-Sita relation and reason for Sita's abduction. It gives a new and unchartered perspective to the story & you start thinking on different lines. The war is good Vs evil, against castesim and untouchability.

Although 1st half of the book is slow and becoms boring at times, 2nd half is gripping. There are twists like Mandodaries abduction, Meghnad's blunders, agni pariksha, Ravan's death, 2nd vanvas to Sita that are presented in Asura perspective. Author binds you till the end. There were 2 incidents in Ramayan that I did not like when I was a child. One was the way Ram killed Vali and other was Sita's agnipariksha. Author has exploited these two incidents very well to put forth his theory.
           
The book is more than 500 pages long and size is larger than pocket book. If it was a pocket book, it might have been close to 800-900 pages. Reading needs time and patience.

At the end you can not help wondering that may be, just may be, it happened like this. History is always written by victors. This is the tale of vanquished told well.

A good read. Recommend reading.