Aryavarta chronicles ebook

With his death, a bigger plan of powerful people brought into a crumble. On another side, a cowherd Gopala took it on himself to bring Pandava to the front runners of Aryavarta. Pandava, five brothers, who themselves were not sure of their heritage due to mystery behind their birth, were supported by Govinda achieved many unreachable targets which they may not be able to if Govinda was not present with them. As the already mentioned concept is unique and so was the delivery of the content.

You will get a good amount of description to enhance your experience. It is up to you to decide whether you are okay with lengthy narrations or not. Coming to the content part, I have just read part one, but Mahabharata is vast and writing story till Rajsuya in just first part in around pages, which I found a little bit fast.

She might have taken it slowly. Having said that, there are places where the pace of the story was medium, and there are places where the pace was fast enough to keep turning pages.

I found a few factual things misplaced, apart from that a nice read. Jul 07, Sahitya rated it it was amazing Shelves: 5-star , politics-feminism-religion , indian-classics-and-retellings , read , fantasy-and-scifi , favorites. Mahabharata is my favorite book in the world and nothing will ever change that. The author has decided to strip the divinity from the epic and retell it as a socio-political saga of the kingdoms of Aryavarta, and I think she succeeds at it very well.

The central conflict around which the story revolves here is something new, and that definitely makes it feel like a refreshing tale. The world building is done excellently, slowly revealing bits and pieces, so that it never feels info dumpy. I loved the descriptions of the kingdoms and the palaces and the terrain in general, my particular favorite being the absolutely stunning depiction of Dwaraka - I could actually feel the sun and the waves and the total awe that Partha feels when he arrives at its gates.

The author also makes the characters here utterly human, with all their complicated motivations and moral dilemmas and I loved seeing them in a new light. The author manages to accentuate this feeling by giving some of the characters their not so popular names, so it never feels like you are just reading the Mahabharata.

The story follows multiple POV characters, so we get to know what everyone is thinking and the political plans they are weaving. The major perspectives we get are Govinda and Panchali, and I was just utterly fascinated by their relationship. Govinda loves his people and dedicates his whole life to be able to create a lasting empire, but he is also very dispassionate and almost emotionless in the way he manipulates everyone, which makes him pretty unlikable to everyone and also very difficult to get to know him closely.

Panchali on the other hand is fiery, very intelligent and capable and is appalled at the way women are discriminated against and prevented from being in ruling positions.

However, she is also pragmatic and uses her smarts to run her kingdom as well as understand the long term implications of everything happening around across the empire. Vyasa, Sanjaya, Asvathama and Shikhandin also play very important roles and it was fascinating to see them as much more developed characters. Dharma is probably the one Pandava whose depiction really surprised me, and I never knew it was possible to show him in such a morally grey light.

If you love Mahabharata reinterpretations, I would definitely recommend this book to you. View 1 comment. Jun 22, Sumeetha Manikandan rated it it was ok. I took me sometime to make up my mind about this book. And I have given it two stars only because I think the author has a strong command over her language and style of writing. The descriptive verses in this book brings forth the beautiful depiction of vedic India. The plot is intriguing but somehow it failed to capture my interest.

The only thing that fascinated me in this book was Yudhistra's admission to Draupadi that Duryodhana and his brothers were probably the rightful heirs of Kuru empire I took me sometime to make up my mind about this book.

The only thing that fascinated me in this book was Yudhistra's admission to Draupadi that Duryodhana and his brothers were probably the rightful heirs of Kuru empire. This he admits because he knew that he and his brothers were no relation to Pandu as they were conceived through Niyoga.

This could account for the complacent nature of Yudhistra and explain why he bowed down to his uncle's wishes all the time. And it also explains why the majority of Kings in Aryavarta at that time, allied with Duryodhana against the Pandavas.

Krishna wields the political baton trying to forge alliances and strengthen the arms of his cousins to counter Jarasandha's threat. And I was shocked to read that Rukmini was kidnapped by Pradyumna. Wasn't Rukmini the wife of Krishna and Pradyumna her son. As far as I know, Krishna's dynasty is well documented in Bhagavatha Purana so much so that there is no confusion as to who his son, grandson or great grandson is for that matter.

So why play around with it for no purpose? Overall I think you could give this a miss unless you are keen to read another fantasy read about Mahabharata. View all 5 comments. Feb 14, RustyJ rated it really liked it Shelves: fiction , mythology , good-read. The rating is 3. What a refreshing read!

Krishna Udayshankar has done a phenomenal job of demystifying the mythical heroes and villains and makes a fantastic attempt at getting to the 'why' of events rather than the 'what'.

A very readable retelling of the Mahabharata, in which every character, from Krishna to Draupadi to Yudhishthira are mortals, with very human motivations, drives and failings.

The book is fast paced for a body of work with the immensity of the Mahabharata - in The rating is 3. The book is fast paced for a body of work with the immensity of the Mahabharata - in one single volume, the author covers the time right upto the conclusion of the Rajasuya Yagya.

In order to give a contemporary meaning and relevance, the author has taken certain liberties and resorted to interpretations that at times seem a bit far fetched.

They seem far fetched not due to the 'leap of faith' or 'leap of interpretation', but simply because certain events and certain view of events of the Mahabharata are so firmly entrenched in our minds that to overcome them is a challenge. Nevertheless, all credit to the author for stretching our thinking to a different direction. That is the biggest achievement of the book and its greatest undoing as well.

For, to develop the characters of so many people with complex persona and do justice to it, to bring in a change of perspective in all of the characters and at the same time packing in multitude of events spread across several locations happening simultaneously, is a tad too much.

Credit mush be given to the author for even attempting it. However, I do wish the author had not tried to pack in so much into one volume - why restrict the series to three volumes? The current work seems like a rushed job - you want more of it. The author has introduced several exciting and interesting ideas, but seems to be in a hurry to get to the next one. The characters could have been delved into in greater depth and detail, events described and analysed in more pages Maybe if the author had given it a few more months, it would have turned out to be far better than the already very good read that it is.

In conclusion, I like the book, the ideas and the perspectives and look forward to picking up the next in the series. Apr 19, Arun Divakar rated it it was ok.

To my mind that craved only action movies, this was a minor diversion and one that needed to be quickly bypassed to reach that big daddy of all battle scenes. But slowly with every retelling and re-reading that I went through, the forest grew on me. It was only very recently that Ashok Banker gave it a befitting name — The forest of stories.

You can draw out countless tales from this forest. Heroes, villains, gods and demons walk among these tales and it would make even the seasoned fantasy writers stare in wonderment at the seemingly endless treasure trove that stands before them. Needless to say, this seems to be the rage these days among young Indian writers too for everybody wants to try their hands at retelling mythology across varied genres from action to romance to family drama.

Hunting between the stacks at my library on Saturday, I came across a new series where Krishna was an assassin sent to take revenge on the Asuras by the Devas imagine Krishna as Liam Neeson : I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you!

Krishna Udayasankar is another entrant to this field who chooses a retelling of the epic steeped in palace intrigues, conspiracies and machinations with a special focus on the rock star god of the Hindu pantheon : Krishna.

One thing is set straight right at the start itself : there are no gods in this tale. No one harnesses supernatural powers and nor are they the descendants of gods.

They are Kings, Queens and Princes forever locked in the game of thrones. Merit should be awarded to the author for having stepped away from the ages old way of garishly painting Duryodhana as the baddie. In this tale, he is referred to by his actual name of Syyodhan and he is just another character and not the prince of darkness as most other authors would have us believe. This being the first installment I did not see nor hear much of Karna.

If we go by the usual sentiments of authors, they romanticize this character to glorious heights of excessive magnanimity and valor. Here, Karna or Vasusen is a vassal King of Hastinapura and that is pretty much about him. No fanfare, no muses singing his praises with their lyres fully tuned etc. The author is in command of her language and has a good way with words. It is a well written book from the language perspective. And now sadly for the other parts of the book! The whole book is hinged on a clash of clans two of them!

The conflict between these two overshadows even the Kaurava — Pandava conflict and gives the story a whole new dimension.

The author unspools thread after thread of conspiracies and counter-moves and somewhere post two-thirds of the book, I lost my bearings and kept confusing firewrights with firstborns. A typical conversation that I had with my mind went like this : Me : Alright, so that is a firewright in action! Mind : No, it is a firstborn you fool! Mind : That was three pages ago, what were you looking at? Me : Oh darn you, you misleading double-crosser you!

Another point of disagreement with the author was on describing battle scenes. This is exactly a point where I found the author to not reach up to her mark as a writer of fantasy. A tremendous battle is hinted at and as soon as you snap your fingers, it is over.

The author just skims over the whole battle with a little glance at it all. If this keeps up, I might be in for a soggy ending during the Kurukshetra scenes. Towards the end, the book starts meandering and some of the principal characters go off on adventures which make no sense while looked at from the main story. A few scenes featuring Govinda also tend to get to being nothing more than rambling and long, long discourses which are not very enlightening. By the look of things, I get a feel that the story has bitten off more than what it could chew.

There are so many loose ends here that I surely hope the author ties them all up before the trilogy is done with. Remember what the wise man said : If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there. View 2 comments. May 17, Murali Neelakantan rated it it was amazing.

It is not often that an author is brave enough to take on one of the most well known mythological and religious texts for her debut novel but, knowing her, albeit in another life a long time ago, one would expect no less from Krishna.

Most of what one reads as the Mahabharata is a collection of a simplistic "good prevails over evil" stories that is probably meant for children. Krishna does exceptionally well to make it interesting for those who know the stereotypes but yearn for someone to conne It is not often that an author is brave enough to take on one of the most well known mythological and religious texts for her debut novel but, knowing her, albeit in another life a long time ago, one would expect no less from Krishna.

Krishna does exceptionally well to make it interesting for those who know the stereotypes but yearn for someone to connect all the stories. The idea of a work of fiction based on existing works of faith and mythology is always a challenge when stereotypes built over centuries become sacred cows and any attempt at a different perspective risks being termed blasphemous. In many ways her novel is so much like Bhimsen where the various characters of the mythology have complex personalities, showing up the simplistic uni - dimensional personalities which only work in the separate stories of the Mahabharata.

With more aspects to the personality of the various characters which she builds so exquisitely, she is able to weave a wonderful story, when many of the others have just been collections of incidents about central characters involved in the Mahabharata. I started reading the book expecting it to be a work of fiction based on the various stories surrounding the Mahabharata.

Having read some of the works that she has used in her research, one cannot but be impressed by how she has assimilated so much research while at the same time not for a moment looking like the novel was just a mere re-mix of old tunes. When I read the author's note at the beginning and her note on sources and methods at the end, I was not sure if this was a debutant seeking approval of her work and methods or if in some way, by presenting her hypothesis and research she expected this work to be an interpretation of the Mahabharata to impress the academics.

Perhaps when she reads Amitav Ghosh, who did not impress me with a similar approach in Imam and the Indian, she will realise that an author needs to allow the readers to appreciate the work for what the end product is, not for the list of ingredients or the recipe, which the discerning ones will like to discover for themselves.

I do hope that she has more time and editorial resources to iron out the Indian English and have it proof read a few more times. Perhaps I am what many call, anal, but I cannot help wincing when I read "revert back" and "involuntary shiver". I didn't understand the use of Syoddhan and Vasusena as replacements for the more popular Duryodhana and Karna.

Just this would not be sufficient for her to be able to defend any charge that she was rewriting a religious text. She has set herself quite a challenge by promising us the second and third books of The Aryavarta Chronicles, which will keep many of us anxious for some time now while we still digest this wonderful feast that she has just served up. Mar 06, Avinash K rated it liked it Shelves: hist-myth , mystical-philos. Great premise. Very poor story telling. Hopefully the next one will be better.

Sep 18, Swagat rated it it was amazing. An excellent read. I have read all the volumes of "Krishnavatara" by K. So the idea of Mahabharata as a story of extraordinary humans who had no superpowers was not new to me. What was new in "Govinda" is Mahabharata as a story of people all of whom have personalities which fall into grey or black except I think Suka, Vyasa's son and the intrigue in the political plots and plans behind the well known wars and conflicts.

The book gives a different perspective, and there's no way to deci An excellent read. The book gives a different perspective, and there's no way to decide if it's true or not. Edit: I previously mentioned the author of Krishnavatara as C. It was actually K. Aug 27, Mihir rated it it was amazing. For most SFF readers in the subcontinent, their fascination begins when their grandmothers tell them about the Ramayana or the Mahabharata or both. These two epics are the cultural and mythological foundation in India as they deal with magic, heroes, destiny and lo Full Review originally at Fantasy Book critic ANALYSIS: I have been a fan of history and mythology as long as I can remember, plus being born in India led to me being exposed to a whole host of stories based on history and mythology.

These two epics are the cultural and mythological foundation in India as they deal with magic, heroes, destiny and lots of other things. For me, the Mahabharata always held a special fascination as it had a vast character cast and shades of grey to almost all of them. My first exposure to this mega story came via the Amar Chitra Katha comic books, then as I read the C.

Rajagopalchari version and finally culminating into the canon version by Kisari Mohan Ganguli. Through out these versions, the complexity never dimmed but kept on growing and made the story even more enticing. Bhyrappa etc. So when I came across this new debut, I was intrigued simply by its blurb and wanted to see where it would stand among the aforementioned gems that I have previously read. The story begins in the past and introduces a land that is slowly decaying from within.

We are told about the machinations of the order of Firewrights that has lead to the ruination of the Matsya kingdom. There has been a decades long conflict going on between the Firewrights and the order of the Firstborn, a priestly order that has been leading various nations in matters of theology, politics and social structure. These two orders have been at loggerheads for reasons divulged in the book but that has also lead to various kingdoms arrayed differently in either support or against the Firewrights.

However in the recent past things have take a drastically bad turn for the Firewrights and many of their members are dead. Govinda is one of the crown princes of the Vrishini clan and of the Yadu kingdom while also being considered by many to be an enigma. He has led his people from their origins in Mathura to a new city called Dwarka on the Western boundary of Aryavarta. His enmity with Jarasandha, the Magadhan emperor has also complicated the political landscape and he needs to find newer allies to strengthen his own position as well.

Panchali is the princess of the Panchala kingdom who are a force to reckon with and her marriage will further complicate relations between neighboring kingdoms. The Kuru kingdom have their own problems as two groups of princes are looking to mark their own destiny. The Kuru princes are lead by Syyodhan who is a fair person. The Pandava princes are lead by Dharma who considers himself to be a sagacious leader. There are many more characters that play further important roles and should be discovered by the readers.

This book takes the bones of the Mahabharata saga and then weaves it away from its magical, divine entity roots and makes it out to be a socio-political saga that makes this debut book very interesting and even so for those like myself who have a good idea about what to expect. Its a retelling of the Mahabharata but stripping it away from all its Gods, Magic and poetry. This is a story purely focused on the socio-political structure of the land and the characters that are presented as human beings with agendas of their own.

This was the first terrific thing about the novel that it does away completely with the divinity of the characters and makes out to be real human beings, who are as confused, conflicted and complex as the rest of us. This allows for newer turns in the story and also for the author to explore character relationships in a manner not seen by the readers before.

The characters that get a POV in this book are most of the famous ones however the author presents a newer side of their relationships. She however does it smoothly whilst being careful so as to not seem to be info-dumping. The world settings as well as the political structure are very effectively described for the readers to understand the why and what about the land.

Since this story is focused on the socio-political structure of Aryavarta, this description was a very important component of the story and makes the ongoing conflict a bit easier to understand. The characterization is also another plus point as the author presents a complex story with a multi-POV structure and with many characters vastly different from those presented in the original texts.

The story takes quite some twists as the character relationships are again markedly different than those presented in the canon version of the story. This twist to the story was again a calculated one that makes the reader to be engrossed by the happenings within the story. There's also a curious naming pattern to all the characters and one that I hope the author will clarify in her forthcoming FBC interview.

I think this book will be a good surprise to most readers however for those looking for an interpretation closer to the canonical story might not find it here and might be disappointed.

I thought this to be the strongpoint for the book but it all depends on the perspective of each reader. There's also the massive character cast and with a character appendix not provided, it might not be easy for readers to remember them all without a moment's hesitation.

I consider myself to be well acquainted with the Mahabharata as I have read the original work as well as the other books about it such as Mrityunjay, Parva, Yajnaseni, and those by C. Rajagopalachari, C. Divakaruni, etc. Yet I was completely enthralled by the story, as I was constantly kept a bit askew by the story's turns and twists.

This is a complex retelling of a terrific story and is very much recommended for all readers who want something different from the usual pseudo-European fantasy fare. On a sidenote this book also fits perfectly with "Non-European Fantasy by Women" list as well. The Mahabharata is said to be an Ocean of stories, which is ever expanding, Krishna Udayasankar has just added a huge dollop to it that enriches the complexity of the story even more. Nov 25, Megha rated it it was ok Shelves: history-as-they-say-it , definitely-overrated.

Had the book not been based on the 'Mahabharata', I would have really liked it. But where Krishna author failed is mixing mythology with the fantasy.

There are many absurd instances in the book that is quite not digestible and contradicting 'Mahabharata'. Though I was very happy when I read the book cover page, I regretted it the moment I started reading it. Not going for book 2 and 3. Hugely disappointed.

Sep 19, Dilip Varma rated it it was ok. An attempt at re-telling the Mahabharata story. A bit dragging and over fictitious. Tough to rate it high if you have read M. T or Iravati Karve. Nov 19, VaultOfBooks rated it really liked it. By Krishna Udayashankar.

Aryavarta Chronicles 1. Grade: A —Reviewed by Anuj Sharma — At the young and naive age of six, my grandmother got me married. Felt as the Ramaya I cannot comment on something incomplete, but the way its being written, its mesmerising.

I read the paperback edition of the Scion of Ikshvaku, but then got the kindle right after that, I failed to … raavanan, raavan movie, ravana, raavan orphan of aryavarta, raavan orphan of aryavarta pdf, raavan orphan of aryavarta release date, raavan film, raavan full movie, raavan songs, raavan cast, raavan movie shahrukh khan, raavana song. Raavan Orphan of Aryavarta pdf ebook by Amish Tripathi free download.

Discover ideas about Amish Books. May Understanding how the system works is the first step in receiving the information and services that you need. Health — Province of British Columbia — B. Homepage M. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Have learnt several new words, words which I have unheard before. The Firstborn represent the philosophical side of the life while the Fire Wrights are the known for their materialistic prowess, an expertise in knowledge of weapon making.

The book is very fast paced. One must read all three in the Series. Though I was very happy when I read the book cover page, I regretted it the moment I started reading it. Many authors have attempted their own interpretations and re-tellings qryavarta this is yet another version from yet another author.

It is a bookk pain to be kept waiting for the next one! I have never seen any Indian author writing this badly. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

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