Book Review #20: Chanakya's Chant By Ashwin Sanghi

It is always difficult for any author to go for a historical fiction novel. More than this, if the subject/characters chosen for the book does exist in reality in the past, it becomes even more difficult to give a fictional angle for it. I had sensed the same thing, when I read this book Chanakya's Chant penned by the author Ashwin Sanghi.

Chanakya's Chant is a fantastic attempt by the author to help his readers to learn about the life story of a great master, learned guru and a super strategist Chanakya in a fictional manner. Though this is a fictional novel, but, as far as the Chanakya's character is concerned, it appears so real for the readers.

As far as the plot of the novel goes, the entire novel runs in two tracks. One track was about Chanakya and his master strategies to bring entire Bharat united under the leader and his protege Chandragupta Maurya. Whereas, the other track of the novel, is about a person called Pandit Gangasagar Mishra, who was depicted as a modern political strategist and a devotee of Chanakya, who masterminds several coups to bring his own people to be bethroned at the helm of Indian political system.

The imagination of the author is brilliant as far as the story is concerned. The book itself is arranged in such a manner that, each chapter is an alternate story. In First chapter it was about modern day Gangasagar Mishra, while the Second Chapter is about the Historical Chanakya.

The story of Historical Chanakya reveals that, he was plotting the revenge to kill a king called Dhanananda, who had killed Chanakya's father, Chanak. Here, author introduces us to the younger days of Vishnugupta a.k.a Kautilya alias Chanakya. This King Dhanananda is a bad ruler of his kingdom, and always found with women who accompanied him. This has sent wrong message to the people of that Kingdom. Sensing this, Chanak father of Chanakya advised Dhanananda to stop all this and concentrate on the good governance. Outraged king Dhanananda orders to behead Chanak. This event made Chanakya to take a vow to kill Dhanananda and unite all the Bharat under his protege, the king, the son of senapati Maurya, the Chandragupta Maurya. 

In the other side of the novel, a person called Gangasagar Mishra, a fairly educated man, who found out the secret verse of chants of Chanakya, goes on to become a successful kingmaker in Indian politics. Here, Gangasagar Mishra follows the same strategy and coup of what Chanakya followed 2300 years back. Gangasagar Mishra befriends a local thug and don Ikram Bhai and persuades him to become a local mayor. He helps a local shop owner to send his daughter Chandini Gupta to school. He plays some of his master strategy with Ikram to adopt Chandini Gupta as Ikram's daughter. From here on, Chandini Gupta becomes the political heir apparent of Gangasagar Mishra. He plays his cards tactically in every stage of Chandini's political life and helps her to become chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Gangasagar Mishra never stops here, he plays his mastery mind games and helps his protege Chandini Gupta to become the Prime Minister of India for 3 times in a row.

How he plays his tricks, strategies and his plans must be read in the book. That's the actual take away from the book. In both of the stories, Chanakya and Gangasagar Mishra constantly chants a special verse before doing anything and constantly chants throughout the novel. So, here is that mantra:

"Adi Shakti; Namo Namaha"
"Sarab Shakti; Namo Namaha"
"Prithum Bhagavati; Namo Namaha"
"Kundalini Mata Shakti; Mata Shakti; Namo Namaha"

As per this novel, chant the above mantra 400 times every day and for next 4000 days to receive the powers of Chanakya. Author had used lot of great quotes of Chanakya along with several yester year's politicians and great thinkers, philosophers and influential people's quotes. These quotes you can read it at the end of the book.

Overall a must read book for everyone. It lets you to bask in the glorious days of Chanakya.!!

My Rating: 5/5

Book Review #18: Mandra By Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa

As the monsoon picks up in Southern India. Having a good enthralling book along with a cup of coffee for the evenings would be a perfect match!!. Good heavens, It was just a straight jackpot for me. I started to read this novel "Mandra (novel)" and went into a trance. Just read few pages per day to savour the writing flavor of my favourite writer Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa. 

The title of the novel "Mandra" can be literally translated to english as "Lower Octave". You guessed it right, this novel is fictional story of a famous Hindustani Classical singer Pandit Mohanlal. This book is all about his experiments with Classical Musics, Raga's and his beloved students or rather I can say disciples and close intimate encounters with all of them.

If it is just for a normal musical fiction novel, it wouldn't have been awarded with India's one of the Prestigious Award Saraswati Samman in the year 2010. This book is beyond the music that touches everyone's soul. It is a spiritual journey, as well as profound. The readers would be certainly spellbound after reading this, just like me!!. Detractors always finds one or other reasons to malign SLB sir for his works. This book was not spared after all. They went ahead and called this novel as an erotic novel!!

The plot of the book is very simple. Mohanlal, a boy from Haridwar, studying music in his Guru's Omkarashram. Having a thought to achieve more in music, he runs away from his Ashram and finds his place in Mumbai. Initial struggle, disappointment, anger, dissatisfaction, etc... that made Mohanlal as a budding classical singer of the town. He earns lots of money, name, fame that he has never seen before over the years, at the same time, he started to teach classical music to students. However, Mohanlal has one weakness, he can't control his desires for women. He often indulges in sexual activities with his many female students. He used to call his favorite students with the names of the Raga's that best matches with them.

As the story introduces us to the younger days of Mohanlal, Author introduces us to a king, a master in classical music that never taught any students in his lifetime. Surprisingly, agrees to teach Mohanlal by observing Mohanlal's interest. Here also, despite learning every minute details of music, his hunt for female has never stopped. He indulges in sex with one of the workers in the King's court called Chunni.

As the novel progresses further, Mohanlal marries a village woman Ramakumari, and soon enough he loses interests in her and starts to find a new partner. Then comes Champabai, a well learned female, who agrees to marry Mohanlal, from there on, his music journey takes a different height. He always wanted to achieve more and more in music, at the same time, he wanted to taste more and more woman. This is the dark side of the Mohanlal in this novel.

If I start giving more details of the novel, the book loses its grip. It's better I stop with this much and mention only the important sketch of the novel. The story takes us to a point, where, Mohanlal loses interest in his 2nd wife as well and runs behind a Classical Dancer, Manoharidas, to Delhi. Here also he gets cheated by Manoharidas or rather, He cheated himself for many occasions. He heads back to Mumbai. He involves with the same sexual activity with one of his brightest student Madhumita Sha, which led her to divorce her husband.

This is the journey of this entire novel. Mohanlal, despite going to unimaginable heights through his music, he was always found himself in more trouble than merry. This is mainly due to his weaknesses for women, women and more women. He often convinces himself that this is expected for an artist. As the story takes its leap towards climax, Mohanlal, now, Pandit Mohanlal Ji, loses interests in all his music once and for all. He decides to visit every place and person, to confess his mistakes and heads back to Haridwar to find solace. This calls the curtain of the novel.

The plot of the novel that author has chosen requires lot of knowledge on Hindustani Classical Music. As the author claims in the preface itself, he knows most of the Hindustani Classical Music and its intricate details. Though the story is about common city dwellers. The details of Hindustani Music, the Raga's, the detailed notes of particular swara's like Kalyani, Bhairava, Ahir Bhairava, Mohana, Kaafi, etc, etc... is a great take away from the book and its a treat to read.

Readers should not have any prejudice or any orthodox thoughts while reading this book. You may feel at times, like, you are reading an adult, erotic novel. Leave those thoughts aside, just bask in the glory of Hindustani Classical music and its specialities. I recommend this novel to everyone. I am sure, those who have already read this novel, knows the real deep meaning of this novel that the author tried to portray here.

My Rating: 5/5