The Wanderer

[wanderpursuits]

Scion of Ikshvaku

After the successful Shiva triology, Scion of Ikshvaku is author Amish’s first instalment of the much of awaited Ram Chandra series. The book portrays Ram Chandra’s righteousness, and the path of law he never deviates from, in entirely new light.

The book opens to the scene in Ram Chandra’s fourteen year exile, when Sita is abducted by Raavan, the demon king of Lanka. Then it goes thirty years back in time where the mighty army of Ayodhya led by King Dasrath, father of Ram Chandra, is annihilated by the army led by Raavan - all of this on the same day as Ram Chandra is born. Apparently, Dasrath and whole of Ayodhya blames their misery on Ram Chandra. Being punished for a crime that he did not commit, Ram Chandra has the herculean task of winning the hearts of his father and his people, for he is the next Vishnu. After his marriage to Sita, Ram Chandra has the impossible task of protecting Mithila with the help of a handful of soldiers, from the onslaught of Raavan’s ten thousand bodyguards, as Raavan is determined to avenge his humiliation in Sita’s swayambar. Ram Chandra has no other option but to use a daiviastra, as advised by Maharshi Vishwamitra, the punishment for which is fourteen years in exile.

I have always been amazed by the ease with which Amish turns our fabled gods in to humans, and the instances in our mythology in to believable acts in the history. Amish blurs the fine line we always had between mythology and history, and makes it easy for us lot who always search for logic behind everything. For example, we always read in Ramayan that Lakshman had cut Surpanakha’s nose. Amish, in this book has presented it logically as to how and why it would have happened. Another instance would be why and how Lakshman chose to accompany Ram Chandra on his exile whereas Shatrughan chose to stay back. And not to forget, why did Manthara do what she did. The book also highlights the helps Ram Chandra might have got in order to achieve what he did.

Amish has rewritten Ramayan, and has made Ram Chandra, one of our own, one as human as us. He has immortalized Ram Chandra, yet again.

May you be the Valmiki of our age, my friend!

ISBN: 978-93-85152-14-6

Publisher: Westland Ltd

MRP: Rs.350.00 (Rs.262.00 + Rs.40.00 on Amazon)

[wanderpursuits]

Land of Seven Rivers

"Indians view history not in political but in civilizational terms." Explains why the Indian civilization is unquestionably the oldest surviving civilization in the world.

Was Gondwanaland the craddle of life? Did Indians also see the great flood that is described in the Bible? What caused the great flood? Was India ever invaded by "Aryans" from the Central Asia? If no, then how does Sanskrit have so much commonality with other Central Asian languages? What happened to river Saraswati and the Indus valley civiliazation? How did Iran get its name? Is it really the wheel of Emperor Ashoka in India's national flag? Was Emperor Ashoka as remorseful as we think, after the Kalinga war? How and why did Islam prosper in South East Asia? Why did Qurtab-ud-din Aibak build the Qutab Minar? How did the Portugese find their way to India? How was the height of Mt. Everest first measured?

Sanjeev Sanyal answers these questions and many more in his second book. Written as an unmatched narrative, "Land of Seven Rivers" is undoubtedly the most gripping account of India's history and its contemporary geography. This well-researched book gives an undistorted sight in to India and its surroundings. It busts a lot of myths regarding India and its people, the most prominent of them being "We Indians are not very good recordkeepers of our history". Finally, an Indian storyteller has taken on the pain to narrate the Indian story.

A must read book for every Indian, resident or otherwise! And definitely a suggested reading for school going children, so that our future generations know of our past.

ISBN: 978-0-143-42093-4

Publisher: Penguin

MRP: Rs.399.00 (Rs.330.00 on Flipkart)

[wanderpursuits]

#Sunflowers don't face the sun. #Nature #Colors #Yellow #Flowers #Dusk #Backpacking #Odisha

[wanderpursuits]

Writing on the wall... #Applique art of #Pipili as seen in Biju Patnaik International Airport, #Bhubaneswar, #Odisha #Odia #Art #Mural

[wanderpursuits]

How is Kingsman? Jollygood sir!

Kingsman is a nongovernment secret society, with one and one mission only - save the world. Kingsman have their own set of gadgets too. The storyline could have been stronger, but Kingsman makes up for a weaker story in its fast pace. It keeps you engaged throughout, though not at the edge of your seat. Colin Firth has come a long way from being King George in The King's Speech to Harry, the secret agent, in Kingsman, does absolute justice to the character, this being his first action movie (Am I right?). Taron Egerton handles the transition from a trouble seeking youngster to a secret agent really well. Michael Caine looks home in the shoes of the chief of a British secret society, with a nice twist to his role at the end (I will leave it to you to find out). Mark Strong as Merlin the trainer/examiner of spies and the hacker who saves the world, has done some good acting, though I would have liked to see some more him. Finally, Samuel L. Jackson with his funny accent is the quintessential bad man with an aim to play Noah and God himself in his own great flood and recreate world order. And almost succeeds at it. And yes, if you thought only James Bond got all the girls, you are wrong. Kingsman get to take princesses to bed. Verdict: Don't miss it! It is a pleasant departure from the usual spy movies.