Skip to main content

Book Review: 'The Brahmin' unravels secrets and mysteries of Mauryan Empire under Emperor Asoka

Set with thrilling historical details and unforgettable characters, Ravi Shankar Etteth's novel 'The Brahmin' kept me glued from start to finish.  The story of 'The Brahmin' revolves around a skillful and ruthless spymaster of Emperor Asoka's court, whose intelligence and cunning helps him to unravel a dangerous mystery of the 'Blood Flower' unfolding across the corridors of power.  



What is it about 'The Brahmin' that allows him to be treated almost an equal by Emperor Asoka?  He even commands the respect of Queen Asandhimitra, who comes to his advice as a friend. Her emotional dependence on 'the Brahmin' is clear as crystal, further strengthened in the narrative through scenes where it seems that she secretly adores the man who can safeguard her husband's powerful empire as well as command the loyalty of Greek soldiers like Antochlius.

More interestingly, the portrayal of powerful and fearless women warriors like Hao and beautiful enchantress like Mur, is fully in evidence in this thriller. The scene where the two women meet is packed with suspense, especially when Mur refers to the men with her, ''They are good men who will kill for me...I always choose the best fighters to accompany me when I travel."

Ravi Shankar Etteth's novel is one that takes you back in time and makes you ask questions about the little we know of our iconic Kings and Queens, who are celebrated in boring history books with equally boring details.  Action-packed scenes and dramatic sequences that evolve in Emperor Asoka's court enthralled me about an era that we can otherwise imagine so little about. 

But it also ends with a set of questions that we all can ask:

Why was violence a part of acceptable governance norms and great kingdoms? 

What set of interests does violence and espionage serve in protecting legacy rule in a multi-cultural society like ours?

And how likely is it that this pattern continues to sow seeds of discontent and violence in today's world?



Ravi Shankar Etteth's novel 'The Brahmin' is a striking, historical thriller that unravels the mysteries of the Mauryan empire under Asoka, with its fast paced, action-packed narrative that keeps readers curious and excited till they know what happens next. Go read it!
Labels:

Comments

MOHAN SUNDARAM said…
@ Mrs.SANAND, Please go through my comments to your post "KARMA IS A BITCH" & post your comment. Thanks.
May 27, 2018 at 12:44 AM
Anonymous said…
your blog is good.
here is my blog about hinduism
The Hindu Prayer
July 9, 2018 at 12:14 PM
Post a Comment

Most LOVED Posts

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being bor...
181 comments
Read more

Best time to light diya

Want to know when is the best time to light diya or deepam at home? In most Hindu homes, 'deepam' or 'diya' is lit at least twice - once in the morning and then in the evening. For both times, brass is considered to be auspicious for lighting deepam or lamp at home. Clay diyas are auspicious for lighting at home. On Fridays, it is considered auspicious to use ghee in a silver lamp. When Should I Start Lighting Diyas? The symbolic shift begins from darkess to light. Therefore, in the evenings, light diya before sunset to usher in divine blessings into your home. What is the purpose of lighting a diya? Light dispels darkness. When we light a diya, we bring light into our hopes and positive energy in our personal spaces. Nothing is more beautiful than Light. At what time should we light diya today? Every morning at sunrise and every evening before or at sunset. An ideal time would be to light the diya at least half an hour before sunset. Can we light diya after 12 PM? In ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Scientific reason behind lighting diyas

Lighting diyas at home is a part of my childhood. What is the science behind lighting diya? For decades, Hindu households light the diya or deepam every morning and evening. However, increasingly, there are many questions regarding why this practice is integral to the well-being of a Hindu home.                                                         [Source: Pexels.com]                                       Significance of Lighting Deepam Let's do a practice session. At sunset, switch off all the lights in your home - feel the energy inside your home. After all, everything is the same - your home is the same, the furniture is the same, your personality is the same. Sit in the darkness and decode the energy in your home - is it the same as during sunl...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Book Review: One and a Half Wife by Meghna Pant

When I picked up Meghna Pant's One and a Half Wife , it is the title that evoked a curiosity in me more than the blurb that explains the story of a young Indian Immigrant girl whose Big American dream turns to ashes. To be honest, I’d say that there didn't seem to be a 'new-ness' to the way the blurb explained the story. In fact, if given a second chance, I’d suggest to the author to completely rewrite the blurb because it is plain dull and doesn't do justice to the subtle, exquisite nuances that underlines this deeply touching, well written story.   .  Also read: The Power of OM  and   Dark Night of the Soul Talking about nuances, I like the introduction of the story beginning with a parrot who picks up cards to predict the little girl Amara’s destiny as a ‘one and a half wife.’ The description is deeply touching and will evoke interesting memories with a distinct Indianess that all of us can relate to. The author adds a dash of subtle humor too, poking fun at t...
2 comments
Read more

Khatta Meetha: Life's Games of Wins and Losses

Priyadarshan’s Khatta Meetha is a movie that I didn’t want to miss. I was determined to see the movie that was a remake of one of my favorite Mohanlal-Srini movies. Tired of candy floss romance and terrorist-turns-good romance in Bollywood movies, I wanted to watch something that is about ordinary people like me. The song sequences in foreign locations, the mindless hero-heroine plots and unbelievable romantic encounters were chipping away at my interest in watching movies altogether because every movie seemed to be a rehash of a commercial formula that has doses of love, violence and glamour. Khatta Meetha: Romance is out, Social Satire and Mass Appeal is in Critics have come up with detailed interpretations of this film. However, an ordinary viewer like me didn’t go to nit-pick on the gaps in the movie. I went there to just watch and enjoy. I assume many viewers do the same when they go to watch a movie. When most people watch a Bollywood movie, if the hero-heroine chemistry isn’t...
5 comments
Read more