Author: Pradeep Govind

Duryodhana is always projected as the antagonist in the Mahabharata epic. He is known as the tyrant who was opposed to Dharma and as a result, the Kurukshetra war happened that saw the destruction of lineages particularly the Kurus.

However was he the only one to blame?

What about the betrayals, he faced when the Kounteya’s arrived causing ripples in his childhood? As per the laws of the land he was meant to be the legitimate successor of King Dhritarashtra given that the Kounteyas weren’t Pandu’s biological sons. The book talks about straying away from the path of righteousness that happened on all counts and even by those who were the torchbearers of the virtue, eg, Yudhisthira

The book takes you through the sojourn of the entire Mahabharata through Duryodhana’s eyes. He comes across as someone with not entirely black but grey shades. He faced betrayal from his kith and kin across the spheres of his life. He was disliked and wronged as well. Though that doesn’t excuse his actions, be it insulting Draupadi before the world or denying Indraprastha to Pandavas later, or the deceitful game of dice that changed the course of the history of Bharata.

The book doesn’t take sides but makes you think. It makes you ponder over the what-ifs in a new light from Duryodhana’s perspective. It shows that all that glitters is not always gold.

I first read about Duryodhana’s perspective in Maithili Sharan Gupt’s translated book years ago. This book only vindicated my stand. A great job is done by the author. Flawless language suited to the times with adequate hyperbole with a fast-paced narrative is the USP of the book. A must-read for mythology lovers.

Author: Sudha Yadav

Have you ever imagined a street being personified? A street is a mute spectator to everything that transpires on it, complete life cycles and a gamut of emotions.

The Author has brilliantly brought out these occurrences through her characters who are residents of the street. There are ten short stories documenting and amalgamating the emotional roller coasters in the lives of these characters, respectively.

Be it a gathering of men on a rooftop with varied reactions to their life challenges, after a drinking binge, or a broken single mother who struggles to run her ironing shop so her daughter doesn’t face the same predicament she did, or a maid who has risen from the ashes after her husband was killed by the local goon and children deserted her, or the perils of a retired couple…. each story is weaved in a unique yarn of susceptibilities. Each story tugs at your heartstrings and the authors writing style is exemplary.

I loved how the author built the premise on mundane occurrences of daily life. I was reminded of ‘Malgudi days’ and ‘Nukkad’ (those who grew up in the late 80s or 90s would know what these are)

Author: Moitrayee Bhaduri

The story is a Historical fiction, based on the life of Troilokya, India’s first known serial killer. It is based in the 1870s when British colonialism and commerce were spreading their roots deep within the country. Particularly the city of joy, Calcutta (presently, Kolkatta) sees innumerable changes that shake the very foundation of local culture and heritage, customs, and traditions.

The story of Trinoyini begins as a beautiful little girl barely 12, belonging to the highest hierarchy of the caste system, Kulin Brahmin, is married off to a 40-year-old man. The latter only bleeds the family dry in form of dowry over the next few years and the marriage remains unconsummated. Eventually, the man passes and instead of living an archaic life of enforced widowhood, Trinoyoni chooses to elope with her paramour, to Calcutta.

She soon metamorphosis into Tronoyoni Devi after reaching Sonagachi, the famed redlight district within the city. The forbidden by-lanes bring her fame and wealth where patrons vie for a mere glimpse of the damsel she turns into.

But intense fame and wealth amassed in a short while, sow the seeds of downfall and unscrupulous decisions leave her penniless. She soon resorts to crime and the crux of the story speaks about her modus operandi. The narrative brings out the transition of the sensual seductress into a serial killer; the savage executioner behind the facade of breathtaking beauty. It’s an eventful journey of a child widow to a famed courtesan and eventually the remorseless murderer.

However if one thinks deeply, Trinoyoni didn’t fit into the classic profile of a serial killer. She did what she did to survive and for her foster son. It however doesn’t justify the killing spree she ventured upon.

A riveting read!

authors:

1. Prahlad Hegde
2. Jacob John
3. Anamika Kundu
4. Venkat Balantrapu
5. Vishwanathan Iyer
6. Amisha Shah
7. Aparna Salvi Nagda
8. Bhumii R Parwani

This book is a collection of 8 short stories, each metaphorically based on the 8 chief ingredients in making a pizza. The acronym LA JAVVAAB represents each author. Just as the name suggests each component has its unique flavor that adds value to a pizza so does the associated tale.

The story mainly follows an Italian Elena Berlusconi who arrives in Bombay looking towards unraveling the success stories behind the pizza chains in the city. The chef gets chatting with her and in turn, takes her through the intriguing journey of the tales behind each ingredient.

Each story brings with it an exemplary emotional quotient that tugs your heartstrings and makes you want more. Whether it’s the story of the survival of the fittest in Bombay’s underworld or Jhumroo’s meteoric rise in the proverbial scandalous hierarchy, or whether its the gur-wrenching turn of events in Keshavji’s life filling it with abandonment and loneliness or the melancholic narrative of Chameli and her life on the other side of societal virtue, each story stands out on its own. The addition of poetic presentations adds to the literary hue, enriching the reading experience just like Elena relishes her pizza.

Here’s wishing the authors a sequel to this one!

Author: Nilutpal Gohain

The riveting narrative is based on a factual account of gruesome murders in the same family that took place in the 1970s.

The story begins with two young men who get posted in Dhubri, and are allotted a bungalow with its own mystic allure. However, there are sporadic whispers around them about the stories behind the bungalow and its not-so-pleasant history. Finally, they meet a man who tells them what transpired in that place around three decades ago.

Two narratives run parallel. The first is about Upen Rajkhowa a District judge nearing retirement who joins Dhubri court as his last posting. A year later he along with his family consisting of his wife and three daughters, goes missing.

The second narrative is about Upen’s Brother-in-law Barada Sharma a high-ranking police officer, who visits the family but is alarmed at their disappearance. He begins his subtle investigation regarding the same.

Prima facie the story belongs to the Judge and his family which is shown as a happy one with everything one can have to live a contented life. However, things aren’t as they appear. The girls despite a strict upbringing in an archaic household of the 70s without social media influence, go astray to the utmost disappointment of the parents. His wife too is often dousing him with complaints about their daughters’ indiscretions like having an affair with a lower caste man or an unemployed man. Gradually the layers are peeled off revealing the turmoil the judge has been facing for a long time.

Parallelly when Sharma congregates a task force to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the Rajkhowa family, he is stunned to find out the truth and the pieces of evidence that lead to the ultimate climax.

So what did happen? Did the family really disappear? or was there something more scandalously sinister hidden behind the facade of goodwill and honor?

The book is a combination of genres. Suspense, mystery, and horror as well. Brilliantly penned and hooks the reader from the first word to the last.

Authors:

1. Tuhin Sinha
2. Ankita Verma

The story is based in the nineteenth century when the Adivasis in modern-day Jharkhand were oppressed under the ruthless British regime. The Colonial administration not just burdened the poor tribals with unjust farm and tax laws in cahoots with the local Zamindars, but they also coerced conversions to Christianity. Everything, the tribals held dear, their cultural heritage, their ancestral land, and even their religion were lost as the British crushed them mercilessly in order to strengthen the Queen’s power and fill her coffers.

However, a little closer to the turn of the century a massive rebellion erupted like a volcano that had been lying dormant for centuries, spewing hostile lava and engulfing the ruthless powers in its wake, In the eye of the storm was a young dynamic revolutionary Birsa Munda all of 25. He took the onus of guiding the rebellion and igniting the passion for freedom from oppression, to reclaim what was rightfully theirs. A true visionary, he spearheaded a massive movement that spanned enormous plains and brought the masses together. He channelized their frustration and anger and stoked their dormant desire for freedom. His revolution shook the British solid foundation.

He died young and unsung despite his valor.

About a hundred years later the independent state of Jharkhand was created.

This thrilling chronicle is based on a true story, and it’s sad that the warrior who had started it all lies hidden in the cul-de-sacs of history.

Author: Smita Das Jain

The story is about a highly educated corporate woman Sonia who believes in love but with her conditions applied. She is married to Sameep and he has loved her since college. Her subordinate Mehul who is much younger than her falls for her. Also her boss Rishabh adores her and has liked her for a long time. Sonia however has had an unhealthy childhood and probably that’s why no person holds her interest beyond a certain period…

Being married she has to juggle between high-pressure work scenarios and domesticity and that causes friction between her and Sameep.

The author has craft fully used the retro themes, using ample flashbacks to help us dive into the characters. Though many of us don’t agree with Sonia’s methods, one can’t help but be in awe of her skills in the corporate world. She handles her professional and personal lives with amazing panache.

The story talks about the boundaries that define love and faithfulness…, particularly for women.

Author: Rrashima Swaarup Verma

The story is based in the late 1700s during British Rule. It’s a love story in the backdrop of changing political liaisons and engulfed by the gloom of testing times when interracial marriages were frequently looked down upon with disdain.

Recently appointed British Resident Lieutenant Colonel James Achilles Kirkpatrick falls in love at first sight with the 15 -year-old Khair-un-Nissa, belonging to a noble family, having close ties to the British, and holding tremendous political clout in Hyderabad.

However, they are both soon submerged in the challenges posed by conflicts related to their religions, James’s work commitments as well as their quest for survival.  James’s relationship balance with both the Indian Royals and the British government becomes a bone of contention and despite being married and blessed with two beautiful children James and Khair do not have ever-lasting happiness.

The story is heart-wrenching and the narrative keeps you hooked till the end. The author’s research of the times is remarkable and this story takes you along a tumulous journey of love, sacrifice, deceit, and heart-break. The descriptions of the palatial grandeur, regal lives, the picturesque detailing of the flora, and nature’s paradise hold the reader in awe.

A must-read for a peep into the past!

Author: Aashisha Chakraborty

This is a story about 25-year-old Enakshi Chatterji from Delhi who is sent as an MBA intern to a Telecom company office in Chennai. What follows is a roller coaster of a ride, as she struggles with the extreme heat, indifference from her colleagues, prejudice, sexual advances, and language issues. She realizes that field-work in sales is no joke, particularly in a male-dominated profession.

She also sets up on a quest to uncover a twenty-five-year-old family secret that reveals itself and throws her into an emotional upheaval that threatens to change the dynamics of her closest relationships.

The fast-paced story despite its turbulence is a light and breezy read that makes you smile, and keep your heart on your sleeve. It bares the grim reality that’s faced by women in a hard-core patriarchal society. It also speaks about forgiveness and acceptance in a way that tugs your heartstrings.

Author: Anita Nair

A thirty-five-year-old single woman, Sreelakshmi from near Nila kills herself. She has been a zoology professor with a safe government job and is also a Sahitya Academy winner. However, a finer of hers is cut and preserved in a secret compartment of an antique cupboard. Years later it gets exposed and here begins the journey across lives. Sreelakshmi tells the story from another realm and the author intercepts her journey with many others who happen to touch the digit.

There is Megha a 6-year-old rape survivor, there is an acid attack survivor Najma, Urvashi who looks for love outside her marriage of convenience after being tired of pretenses… etc. Each story talks of the struggle faced by these women in myriad circumstances. It brings out the darker side of humanity where feminism is pushed into a corner.

The book is an in-depth read, that takes you through a roller coaster of emotions. Some make you ponder while some leave you wanting more. Some stories were open-ended and I wish to know more…

I particularly loved the authors writing style and command over the language. The use of figures of speech is commendable. I look forward to reading more of her works.