Book:
Udayan-The Forgotten Pandava
Author:
Rajendra Kher
Publisher:
Platinum Press (Leadstart Corp)
How often do you get to read a story that
tells you the happenings after a very epic and a known event?
Udayan-The
Forgotten Pandava is the story of Udayan, the
direct descendant of Arjuna, taken from what remains from the third great epic
of India, the Bruhatkatha. We meet
our protagonist and the namesake, Udayan, who is the Emperor of Bharatvarsha,
but is more inclined towards his heart which leans towards the Veena. A
supremely gifted Maestro, he prefers playing the Veena over his duties as a
King and the kingdom is expertly managed by his Maha Amatya, or the Prime Minister Yaugandharayan. Things take a turn when the kingdom begins to disintegrate
because they start losing wars and yet the King shows no inclination towards
his duties. On the other hand, his desire to catch a White Elephant, with the
power of his Veena drives him to such a level of obsession that he gets entrapped
in an elaborate espionage plan by the King of Pradyot. It is also the story of
how he falls in love with Pradyot’s daughter and elopes with her, under the
very nose of her father.
The plot of the book is very well written
and is very refreshing to read as it is quite different from the retellings of
the various epics that has become the latest trend. The author has taken up the
story from the folktales, the background of which is very well explained. The twists
and turns of the book are engaging and keep the tempo of the book in a good
pace. The plot points are very well spun, and the storyline does not break in
between. Some parts of the climax are predictable but that does not bring down
the charm of the book.
Talking about the characters, the author
has created distinct personalities for each of the characters that we encounter
in the book. Be it the Veena Playing Udayan who is easy going and prefers
passion over duties or be it Yaugandharayan, who is ever-so-serious, duty-bound
and stickler for the rules, or for that matter Princess Vasavadatta, who is love-struck
yet chooses duty over jealousy and enmity. The author has given due space for
emotions to be expressed and that is something that gives an edge to this book.
It is a refreshing and a wonderful read.
Definitely recommended.
The book certainly struck a chord and a
musical note with 3.5 notes hummed out.
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