Chanakya - Discussion..!!! {Link of Next Thread Updated on Page-1}

Page

Next Last

Abhay

@history_geek

Rocker

+ 5

Posted: 10 years ago

Hi all,

This is my first thread on this forum.

Started watching this show for my love of history. Though, history has been taken for a toss, so i won't be talking about that here.
We all know lot of NR is going on. { NR = Natkiya Rupanter = Dramatization}

Anyways, one thing which these shows make many of us do is - The reading associated with the characters of the show, in order to ascertain the real picture (as much as possible).

Coming to the show, i enjoyed the manner in which Chanakya has been portrayed. It's fine if not perfect. I was very much impressed to see the Court room like proceedings depicted during the trial of Asoka.

Till now also it is fine, though I expect some more shrewdness and strictness from his character, as the show proceeds, because that is his image which is portrayed in contemporary texts..

BTW, Here is an interesting read about Chanakya.
Chanakya talks about the manner in which a king should test the character of his ministers . :-P > Link Here

I gave the link here :
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/119083468

Indeed, Chanakya was a master politician, and what not. !

PS :
The child actor playing Asoka is simply perfect. His being a gymnast is an added advantage for the PH. He walks less and performs more of gymnastic feats. :-P

Link of my next thread on this forum:
STORY of Bindusara, Dharma and Ashoka

Edited by history_geek - 10 years ago

Quote

Frequent Posters

Shivani Priyam Kumar

@Meself

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

Gosh Abhay, it you! the go-to source of all thing history! Well I had always loved your posts in the other forum! Glad to see you here.

Chankya is the master planer in every sense. After having read a summarized excerpt from Arthshashtra ( and I am so glad my father forced me into doing so) I got a glimpse of what politics in Imperial setting was all about. Form elaborate spy network to political assassinations, it indeed is a massive task to run an empire.

I surely am loving the portrayal of Chanakya by Manoj Joshi. His calm exterior adds to the bonus. Also Siddharth is proving to be the best thing in Asoka by every passing day. The only problem that lies is the NR that makes is terrible to watch with a sane head.

P.S. Glad to see you here. Would be waiting for more such posts from you!

Quote

Looks like you are new here. Register for free, learn and contribute.

RadhikaS0

@RadhikaS0

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 10 years ago

Abhay

Congrats on the first thread here and wishing you many more :)

Coming to Chanakya, I like the way this character has been depicted. He is both kind and cruel in the way he is nurturing Ashoka to accept his due inheritance of being the future Magadha Samrat. He is so calm and composed at all times. Whether he is observing Ashoka play-acting being the king, sitting on Chandragupta Maurya's throne or taking away a son from his mother (more on this later) or taking an arrow to prove Ashoka's innocence or gently declining the post of mahamatya.

It's a joy to watch Siddharth as Ashoka. He has immense talent and screen presence and when he is on screen, you don't feel like looking at anyone else. He shows tremendous confidence (but just short of arrogance) in the set of his face and the gleam in his eyes. He is SO SURE he will be EMPEROR one day that you cannot but help believe him. He was delightful in the way he got out of the charges against him in Tuesday's episode by presenting an impromptu performance in front of Bindusara. He is resentful of Chanakya (loved the way he said that Chanakya should be imprisoned and denied food) and yet grateful to him for saving him from the gallows.

The most beautiful thing in the show however is the bond between Ashoka and his mother. It is so pure, so touching, so real. Hats off to both Siddarth and Pallavi for making it seem so natural. Chanakya knows that Ashoka will be clay in his hands as long as his mother is under Chanakya and he exploits this mother-son relationship to the hilt to get Ashoka in his control and prepare him to be the future king.

This is the first TV show my son is addicted to and he sits in my lap and cries throughout the episode esp when he sees Ashoka being hurt or when he sees the mother-son scenes. So I guess the makers have been able to connect with the audience at the emotional level in spite of the NR. This is critical for the success of any show.

As far as learning about the real history is concerned, the history thread of this forum and you are always there. :)

Quote

Abhay

@history_geek

Rocker

+ 5

Posted: 10 years ago

Originally posted by: Meself
Gosh Abhay, it you! the go-to source of all thing history! Well I had always loved your posts in the other forum! Glad to see you here.
Chankya is the master planer in every sense. After having read a summarized excerpt from Arthshashtra ( and I am so glad my father forced me into doing so) I got a glimpse of what politics in Imperial setting was all about. Form elaborate spy network to political assassinations, it indeed is a massive task to run an empire.

I surely am loving the portrayal of Chanakya by Manoj Joshi. His calm exterior adds to the bonus. Also Siddharth is proving to be the best thing in Asoka by every passing day. The only problem that lies is the NR that makes is terrible to watch with a sane head.

P.S. Glad to see you here. Would be waiting for more such posts from you!

Hi Shivani..

Remember you from JA Forum, from your comment on a wife of Akbar saving his Life once, endangering herself. I think i am right.? :)

Yup, you are correct. The show has fine blend of everything but historical accuracy, which is something i am finding hard to digest. Asoka is one whom i regard a LOT. Don't want this show to go the JA way. Lets see, it's too early to judge..

More than the show, it's the reading about the REAL ones which is interesting. Also, I am equally enjoying what ever you all are sharing here. :)

About Chanakya, i am at loss of words to explain that person. He is truly the BisMarck of India. ! or i must say Bismarck was the "Chanakya of Prussia". Both played SOLID roles in the unification of their nations.!

But, What Chanakya wrote 2300 years back is remarkable even by today's standards. A feat unparalleled. !

Edited by history_geek - 10 years ago

Quote

Shivani Priyam Kumar

@Meself

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

Originally posted by: history_geek

Hi Shivani..

Remember you from JA Forum, from your comment on a wife of Akbar saving his Life once, endangering herself. I think i am right.? :)

Yup, you are correct. The show has fine blend of everything but historical accuracy, which is something i am finding hard to digest. Asoka is one whom i regard a LOT. Don't want this show to go the JA way. Lets see, it's too early to judge..

More than the show, it's the reading about the REAL ones which is interesting. Also, I am equally enjoying what ever you all are sharing here. :)

About Chanakya, i am at loss of words to explain that person. He is truly the BisMarck of India. ! or i must say Bismarck was the "Chanakya of Prussia". Both played SOLID roles in the unification of their nations.!

But, What Chanakya wrote 2300 years back is remarkable even by today's standards. A feat unparalleled. !

Boy! You've got Sheldon's brain! You remember!!! No wonder history agrees with you so wonderfully! Oh my!

BisMarck? Yes...yes...yes indeed! Why hadn't I thought of this before? Both seemingly are men cut from same cloth!

@bold: this is the thing that catches unwavering attention!

Quote

IlaTanwar

@IlaTanwar

Dazzler

+ 4

Posted: 10 years ago

Read it today it was amazing to know i had known he was the master mind of the politcs and knew how to use this politics in good sense unlike todays politicans who had brought the negative light to it.. but i will be happy and eager to read your further posts on history

Quote

Putija

@PutijaChalhov

Stunner

+ 9

Posted: 10 years ago

Thanks Abhay Some info on Chanakya more in the history thread

...Kautilya's 'Arthashastra,' the 'Science
of Polity,' to which reference has already been made. Kautilya
is another name for Chanakya, and thus we have a book written,
not only by a great scholar, but a man who played a dominating
part in the establishment, growth and preservation of the empire.
Chanakya has been called the Indian Machiavelli, and to some
extent the comparison is justified. But he was a much bigger person
in every way, greater in intellect and action. He was no mere
follower of a king, a humble adviser of an all-powerful emperor.
A picture of him emerges from an old Indian play " the Mudra-
Rakshasa " which deals with this period. Bold and scheming,
proud and revengeful, never forgetting a slight, never forgetting
his purpose, availing himself of every device to delude and defeat
the enemy, he sat with the reins of empire in his hands and looked
upon the emperor more as a loved pupil than as a master.
Simple and austere in his life, uninterested in the pomp and
pageantry of high position, when he had redeemed his pledge and
accomplished his purpose, he wanted to retire, Brahmin-like, to
a life of contemplation.

There was hardly anything Chanakya would have refrained
from doing to achieve his purpose; he was unscrupulous enough;
yet he was also wise enough to know that this very purpose might
be defeated by means unsuited to the end. Long before Clause-

vvitz, he is reported to have said that war is only a continuance
of state policy by other means. But, he adds, war must always
serve the larger ends of policy and not become an end in itself;
the statesman's objective must always be the betterment of the
state as a result of war, not the mere defeat and destruction of
the enemy. If war involves both parties in a common ruin, that
is the bankruptcy of statesmanship. War must be conducted by
armed forces; but much more important than the force of arms
is the high strategy which saps the enemy's morale and disrupts
his forces and brings about his collapse, or takes him to the verge
of collapse, before armed attack. Unscrupulous and rigid as
Chanakya was in the pursuit of his aim, he never forgot that it was
better to win over an intelligent and high-minded enemy than to
crush him. His final victory was obtained by sowing discord in
the enemy's ranks, and, in the very moment of this victory, so the
story goes, he induced Chandragupta to be generous to his rival
chief. Chanakya himself is said to have handed over the insignia
of his own high office to the minister of that rival, whose intelli-
gence and loyalty to his old chief had impressed him greatly. So
the story ends not in the bitterness of defeat and humiliation,
but in reconciliation and in laying the firm and enduring found-
ations of a state, which had not only defeated but won over its
chief enemy.

Edited by PutijaChalhov - 10 years ago

Quote

MaddyO

@MaddyO

Sparkler

Posted: 10 years ago

Originally posted by: history_geek
Hi all,

This is my first thread on this forum.

Started watching this show for my love of history. Though, history has been taken for a toss, so i won't be talking about that here.
We all know lot of NR is going on. { NR = Natkiya Rupanter = Dramatization}

Anyways, one thing which these shows make many of us do is - The reading associated with the characters of the show, in order to ascertain the real picture (as much as possible).

Coming to the show, i enjoyed the manner in which Chanakya has been portrayed. It's fine if not perfect. I was very much impressed to see the Court room like proceedings depicted during the trial of Asoka.

Till now also it is fine, though I expect some more shrewdness and strictness from his character, as the show proceeds, because that is his image which is portrayed in contemporary texts..

BTW, Here is an interesting read about Chanakya.
Chanakya talks about the manner in which a king should test the character of his ministers . :-P > Link Here

I gave the link here :
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/119083468

Indeed, Chanakya was a master politician, and what not. !

PS :
The child actor playing Asoka is simply perfect. His being a gymnast is an added advantage for the PH. He walks less and performs more of gymnastic feats. :-P

Abhay so wonderful to see thread from you. 😃
So far I am enjoying Ashoka.

NR is such a dreaded word and we have experienced how it is used by idea depraved writers to turn historical into sbs saga! 😡

Not only NR does huge injustice to the real persons who are depicted wrongly but it just gives liberty to writers to distort history to suit their story telling abilities or lack of!

I had read one interview of someone from PH of Ashoka, he had said NR will be limited not distort real history. I hope so.

Ashoka was not a favorite of his father Bindusar, nor his mother Dharma was favorite of Bindusar, this was well known. Instead here they are showing Bindusar loves Dharma and is unaware of Ashoka!

I had a somewhat more ruthless cunning image of Chanakya in my mind. He is coming across more gentle firm but accommodating here.
I liked the episodes where Chankya clears Ashoka of the charges. Frankly was just glad that at least they showed "an investigation" into the attempt on Emperor's life! As we know from previous experience that itself was something to marvel at! 😉

Abhay I hope they will keep NR at the minimum and hope you will make lots of posts here on forum and also on blog.

Edited by MaddyO - 10 years ago

Quote

Shivani Priyam Kumar

@Meself

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

@Maddy, well Asoka was always dear to Dharma. It was her ill-treatment that instigated Asoka against his own father!

Quote

MaddyO

@MaddyO

Sparkler

Posted: 10 years ago

#10

Originally posted by: Meself
@Maddy, well Asoka was always dear to Dharma. It was her ill-treatment that instigated Asoka against his own father!

Hi Shivani 😃 (read your name on this thread)
Ouch, I did not write clearly. 😕 I meant to write neither Ashoka nor his mother Dharma were favorites of Bindusar. After reading your post I re-read what I had written and edited my comment.

Of course you are right, Dharma loved Ashoka and I have read that (here in serial) once Ashoka learns who his father is, he vows to give his mother all her rights as Queen. I hope they show this in a nice way.

BTW - you are absolutely right Abhay has brain like Sheldon! You Big Bang Theory fan? I am huge fan 😃

Quote

1 2 3 4 5 ... 13

Chanakya - Discussion..!!! {Link of Next Thread Updated on Page-1}

Related Topics

Explore Topics