This is not an easy book to write. Everyone in India knows Mahabharata. Everyone knows the Pandavas are the heroes, the Kauravas are the villains. And then suddenly, Anand Neelakantan (of the "Asura" fame) gives us a book where the Kauravas are the good ones, the Pandavas a manupulative lot! This is an intriguing plot; here Anand has approached the well established mythological villains with understanding and compassion. Though I am quite familiar with the story in Mahabharata and though all the incidents in this book are exactly the same as those in the traditional Mahabharata, this time it was almost like reading a new story - a totally convincing story where the Kauravas are the heroes of the epic. And by the time I arrived at the last page of the book (which is the first of a series), I ended up, if not a fan, an admirer of Duryadhana.
Admittedly, at the initial pages of the book, it was difficult to agree with Anand's interpretation of the Pandava's characters. Yudhisthira is a smug kid who grows up into a man who knows to twist "dharma" to meet his own ends. Bhima is a greedy bully, who grows up and remains much the same. Arjuna is not brave enough to stand for his own beliefs and easily bows down to what Yudhisthira and Krishna have to say. And ofcourse, Nakula and Sahadeva just follow lead. Together with Krishna and Kunti, they plot and plan to acquire the throne of Hastinapur, which rightfully belongs to Duryadhana. But Anand has done such a good job that soon I started wishing that the Pandavas would fail!
One most endearing character in this book is the beggar Jara who walks the street of Hastinapur with his blind dog, Dharma. He does not play any pivotal role, but he, with his unfaltering love for his God, Krishna will win the heart of every reader.
Also, by virtue of characters like Karna, Vidhura and Ekalavya, this book ends up being a good exploration of the caste system of the society. All these people belong to "lower" caste and are shunned by society in one way or another. The book unflinchingly points out how the able and the worthy were made to eat dirt because they belonged to a "lower" caste. Duryadhana is shown sympathetic to the pain of the "lower" caste people. This should not come as a surprise because in all versions of Mahabharata, his best friend has always been Karna. Duryadhana would often question this caste structure and go out of his way to bend the rules, to help the people. On the otherhand, the Pandavas strictly upheld the cruelty and the inhuman treatment meted out to the "untouchables" in the society; this was Dharma for them. This has great context in the present day society of India which still carries the ancient evil burden of casteism.
Interestingly, compared to the other tales of Mahabharata, we get to see a lot of Ekalavya in this book. We see his turmoils, his hard work, his success, his failures, his hunger, his dreams, his fears and his tears. Also, Shakuni is not just a villain behind the curtain in this tale. He is a scheming villain, actively conspiring with the dark sides to bring the downfall of the empire. He has his reasons and he will leave no stone unturned to get his revenge.
Who will steal your heart in this book? It is Duryadhana. He loves his friends and always remains loyal to them. For the first time, we see the romantic in him when he falls in love with Subhadra. For the first time, we see the seed of a benevolent ruler in him when he manfully takes betrayal in his stride and refuses to wage war against a state to satisfy his own ego. He loves his countrymen and is often found amidst them. He respects his elder but is brave enough to question them. He knows how to forgive. But sadly, he has Shakuni as his uncle, who knows how to manipulate people.
Ajaya - Roll of the dice is a brilliant exploration of Mahabharata. It is a very intelligent piece of work; it effortlessly makes us see the other side of the coin. Would I recommend this book to my friends? Ofcourse yes. This is an account of Mahabharata which should not go unheard; that it is written so lucidly and intelligently is a bonus.
Admittedly, at the initial pages of the book, it was difficult to agree with Anand's interpretation of the Pandava's characters. Yudhisthira is a smug kid who grows up into a man who knows to twist "dharma" to meet his own ends. Bhima is a greedy bully, who grows up and remains much the same. Arjuna is not brave enough to stand for his own beliefs and easily bows down to what Yudhisthira and Krishna have to say. And ofcourse, Nakula and Sahadeva just follow lead. Together with Krishna and Kunti, they plot and plan to acquire the throne of Hastinapur, which rightfully belongs to Duryadhana. But Anand has done such a good job that soon I started wishing that the Pandavas would fail!
Also, by virtue of characters like Karna, Vidhura and Ekalavya, this book ends up being a good exploration of the caste system of the society. All these people belong to "lower" caste and are shunned by society in one way or another. The book unflinchingly points out how the able and the worthy were made to eat dirt because they belonged to a "lower" caste. Duryadhana is shown sympathetic to the pain of the "lower" caste people. This should not come as a surprise because in all versions of Mahabharata, his best friend has always been Karna. Duryadhana would often question this caste structure and go out of his way to bend the rules, to help the people. On the otherhand, the Pandavas strictly upheld the cruelty and the inhuman treatment meted out to the "untouchables" in the society; this was Dharma for them. This has great context in the present day society of India which still carries the ancient evil burden of casteism.
Interestingly, compared to the other tales of Mahabharata, we get to see a lot of Ekalavya in this book. We see his turmoils, his hard work, his success, his failures, his hunger, his dreams, his fears and his tears. Also, Shakuni is not just a villain behind the curtain in this tale. He is a scheming villain, actively conspiring with the dark sides to bring the downfall of the empire. He has his reasons and he will leave no stone unturned to get his revenge.
Who will steal your heart in this book? It is Duryadhana. He loves his friends and always remains loyal to them. For the first time, we see the romantic in him when he falls in love with Subhadra. For the first time, we see the seed of a benevolent ruler in him when he manfully takes betrayal in his stride and refuses to wage war against a state to satisfy his own ego. He loves his countrymen and is often found amidst them. He respects his elder but is brave enough to question them. He knows how to forgive. But sadly, he has Shakuni as his uncle, who knows how to manipulate people.
Ajaya - Roll of the dice is a brilliant exploration of Mahabharata. It is a very intelligent piece of work; it effortlessly makes us see the other side of the coin. Would I recommend this book to my friends? Ofcourse yes. This is an account of Mahabharata which should not go unheard; that it is written so lucidly and intelligently is a bonus.
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