Exploring the Bookish World

A unique take on the tales of the mythological women, Yugal Joshi's 'Boons & Curses: Legends of the Mythological Mother' is an interesting read. Set in the times after the great Kurukshetra War, where the two groups of cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, fought for the throne of Hastinapur; the book is written in the form of a conversation between Kunti and Krishna. After the war of Kurukshetra, the Pandavas emerged victorious, defeating their cousins, the Kauravas. Dhritarashtra and Gandhari are left childless and at the mercy of the Pandavas. Kunti, the mother of the      Pandavas, feels guilty of fulfilling her desires and ambitions through her sons. A distraught Kunti seeks help from Krishna to get rid of her guilt. What follows is the conversation between the two - about the fascinating tales of the legendary women in Indian mythology. This brilliant retelling places Kunti at its centre and running parallel to her story are the tales of the mythological mothe...

Mohini: The Enchantress by Anuja Chandramouli is a wonderful retelling of the tale of Mohini, from her own perspective. A perfect amalgamation of Indian mythology with fiction, this book is quite a refreshing and insightful read. From the creation of Mohini, from the essence of Vishnu; to Mohini being the Enchantress and meandering her path in the tumult between the Devas and the Asuras; this book covers it all. Mohini  is loved and desired by all; and yet, she is elusive—a tantalizing temptress. The author beautifully tells the tale of Mohini through her book. And not just Mohini, there are a lot of mythological characters whose stories we get to know from this book. The author has done extensive research, and the book reflects that. It is quite an informative read. The character of Mohini, as has been portrayed in Indian mythology (which is basically from a patriarchal point of view), is quite different from what we see in this book. Hence, female characters often go unheard and...

Malathi Ramachandran's latest, Mandu: The Romance of Roopmati and Baz Bahadur,  is an exceptionally well-written book. As is suggested by the title, the book tells the tale of  Miyan Bayezid Baz Bahadur Khan was the last Sultan of Malwa Sultanate, who reigned from 1555 to 1562; and the beautiful peasant girl Roopmati. It is, however, not just the tale of love, and romance; it is so much more... This historical fiction is set in the 16th century India, in the enchanting fortress city of Mandu. The young Sultan Baz Bahadur comes across a beautiful maiden sitting near the banks of River Narmada, with her eyes closed, singing the alaap of Raaga Megh Malhar, the song of the monsoon... Roopmati, the beautiful and young peasant girl, has a special affinity with music and nature.  Baz Bahadur has a passion for fine arts. Listening to her magical voice, he is attracted to both the art and the artist.  He decides to bring Roopmati to his palace in Mandu as his personal musici...