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HI
Traditional Mahabharata retelling have always written as a good vs evil story. The Kauravas are said to be evil incarnate and Duryodhana might be the most hated villain for the past four thousand years in India, after perhaps Ravan.
In my first book, Asura, tale of the vanquished, the story of Ravana and his people, I had explored the side of Ravana and told Ramayana from the perspective of Asuras.
In my new book, Ajaya, epic of Kaurava clan, book I, Roll of the dice, I am seeing the entire Mahabharata from the side of Kauravas. It is not easy to take the side of losers. Victors write history, and we have been fed with propaganda in the name of religions, scriptures and popular mythology about the evil nature of Duryodhana and his friends. Off late, a few great works of literature had made Karna a bit more acceptable. However, Duryodhana is always damned. How true is this in the original Mahabharata. Vyasa tells the story without taking sides. I believe the great sage had written the epic for warning people about the evil of war. That is why he named the story as JAYA or victory and a more ironic name he could not have chosen. The victory of Pandavas in Mahabharata war was a Pyrrhic victory and resulted only in death and tears on either side.
I am attempting to view Mahabharata in a purer form, without getting swayed by the religiousity of the great epic. I am just trying to shine the light from a different angle, write the story from the other perspective. As the angle of light is different, the black may become grey and the pure white may turn ashen, but that is to be expected.
I am also trying to open up a discussion forum here and I invite everyone to participate in this debate. Yes, I want more people to read my work but more importantly, I believe it is better for everyone if we know about the two great epics of our country in a deeper manner and draw their own conclusion, without getting swayed with prejudice and preconceived notion of evil and good,
I have a surprise gift for the best entries in this discussion and it does not matter whether you take the side of Kauravas or Pandavas or no side at all. What matters is how well you present your point.
A brief introduction of my book
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an5lcg4teOQ- Video trailer
http://www.amazon.in/AJAYA-Epic-Kaurava-Clan-ROLL-ebook/dp/B00H9IZ5TW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387624960&sr=1-1&keywords=ajaya+kindle
THE MAHABHARATA ENDURES AS THE GREAT EPIC OF INDIA. But while Jaya is the story of the Pandavas, told from the perspective of the victors of Kurukshetra; Ajaya is the narrative of the unconquerable' Kauravas, who were decimated to the last man.
***
At the heart of India's most powerful empire, a revolution is brewing. Bhishma, the noble patriarch of Hastinapura, is struggling to maintain the unity of his empire. On the throne sits Dhritarashtra, the blind King, and his foreign-born Queen - Gandhari. In the shadow of the throne stands Kunti, the Dowager-Queen, burning with ambition to see her firstborn become the ruler, acknowledged by all.
And in the wings:
* Parashurama, the enigmatic Guru of the powerful Southern Confederate, bides his time to take over and impose his will from mountains to ocean.
* Ekalavya, a young Nishada, yearns to break free of caste restrictions and become a warrior.
* Karna, son of a humble charioteer, travels to the South to study under the foremost Guru of the day and become the greatest archer in the land.
* Balarama, the charismatic leader of the Yadavas, dreams of building the perfect city by the sea and seeing his people prosperous and proud once more.
* Takshaka, guerilla leader of the Nagas, foments a revolution by the downtrodden as he lies in wait in the jungles of India, where survival is the only dharma.
* Jara, the beggar, and his blind dog Dharma, walk the dusty streets of India, witness to people and events far greater than they, as the Pandavas and the Kauravas confront their searing destinies.
Amidst the chaos, Prince Suyodhana, heir of Hastinapura, stands tall, determined to claim his birthright and act according to his conscience. He is the maker of his own destiny - or so he believes. While in the corridors of the Hastinapura palace, a foreign Prince plots to destroy India. And the dice falls...
ANAND NEELAKANTAN
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anand_Neelakantan
Traditional Mahabharata retelling have always written as a good vs evil story. The Kauravas are said to be evil incarnate and Duryodhana might be the most hated villain for the past four thousand years in India, after perhaps Ravan.
In my first book, Asura, tale of the vanquished, the story of Ravana and his people, I had explored the side of Ravana and told Ramayana from the perspective of Asuras.
In my new book, Ajaya, epic of Kaurava clan, book I, Roll of the dice, I am seeing the entire Mahabharata from the side of Kauravas. It is not easy to take the side of losers. Victors write history, and we have been fed with propaganda in the name of religions, scriptures and popular mythology about the evil nature of Duryodhana and his friends. Off late, a few great works of literature had made Karna a bit more acceptable. However, Duryodhana is always damned. How true is this in the original Mahabharata. Vyasa tells the story without taking sides. I believe the great sage had written the epic for warning people about the evil of war. That is why he named the story as JAYA or victory and a more ironic name he could not have chosen. The victory of Pandavas in Mahabharata war was a Pyrrhic victory and resulted only in death and tears on either side.
I am attempting to view Mahabharata in a purer form, without getting swayed by the religiousity of the great epic. I am just trying to shine the light from a different angle, write the story from the other perspective. As the angle of light is different, the black may become grey and the pure white may turn ashen, but that is to be expected.
I am also trying to open up a discussion forum here and I invite everyone to participate in this debate. Yes, I want more people to read my work but more importantly, I believe it is better for everyone if we know about the two great epics of our country in a deeper manner and draw their own conclusion, without getting swayed with prejudice and preconceived notion of evil and good,
I have a surprise gift for the best entries in this discussion and it does not matter whether you take the side of Kauravas or Pandavas or no side at all. What matters is how well you present your point.
A brief introduction of my book
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an5lcg4teOQ- Video trailer
http://www.amazon.in/AJAYA-Epic-Kaurava-Clan-ROLL-ebook/dp/B00H9IZ5TW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387624960&sr=1-1&keywords=ajaya+kindle
THE MAHABHARATA ENDURES AS THE GREAT EPIC OF INDIA. But while Jaya is the story of the Pandavas, told from the perspective of the victors of Kurukshetra; Ajaya is the narrative of the unconquerable' Kauravas, who were decimated to the last man.
***
At the heart of India's most powerful empire, a revolution is brewing. Bhishma, the noble patriarch of Hastinapura, is struggling to maintain the unity of his empire. On the throne sits Dhritarashtra, the blind King, and his foreign-born Queen - Gandhari. In the shadow of the throne stands Kunti, the Dowager-Queen, burning with ambition to see her firstborn become the ruler, acknowledged by all.
And in the wings:
* Parashurama, the enigmatic Guru of the powerful Southern Confederate, bides his time to take over and impose his will from mountains to ocean.
* Ekalavya, a young Nishada, yearns to break free of caste restrictions and become a warrior.
* Karna, son of a humble charioteer, travels to the South to study under the foremost Guru of the day and become the greatest archer in the land.
* Balarama, the charismatic leader of the Yadavas, dreams of building the perfect city by the sea and seeing his people prosperous and proud once more.
* Takshaka, guerilla leader of the Nagas, foments a revolution by the downtrodden as he lies in wait in the jungles of India, where survival is the only dharma.
* Jara, the beggar, and his blind dog Dharma, walk the dusty streets of India, witness to people and events far greater than they, as the Pandavas and the Kauravas confront their searing destinies.
Amidst the chaos, Prince Suyodhana, heir of Hastinapura, stands tall, determined to claim his birthright and act according to his conscience. He is the maker of his own destiny - or so he believes. While in the corridors of the Hastinapura palace, a foreign Prince plots to destroy India. And the dice falls...
ANAND NEELAKANTAN
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anand_Neelakantan
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