A-Z April Challenge 2015: P for PURU BECOMES YOUNG AGAIN

Puru Becomes Young Again

P for PURU
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The Prince admired himself in the full length mirror, adjusting his angavastram on the left shoulder, his thick moustache oiled and brushed back, underlining his masculinity. His lips tilting in a half smile, he was content with his life. After completing a hard day at sword training, he was on his way to meet the love of his life, Tilottama. 

With his foot on the threshold to his chambers, the prince noticed a servant walking towards him. The servant stood in front of the prince and said, “Greetings O Prince Puru! His Highness Emperor Yayati sends his greetings to the prince and awaits him in the throne room.” He stood with his spear held in his left hand, his right hand at his mouth and his body almost bent double out of respect.

Puru’s expression never changed as he mentally postponed his rendezvous with Tilottama and walked towards the throne room to meet his father, the emperor. 

Seeing his aged father seated on the throne, Puru bowed before him offering his “pranam”. “My dear father, you wished to speak to me?” he asked respectfully.

The emperor glanced at the ministers around him. Understanding his silent command, they all left the throne room along with the attendants, leaving Yayati and Puru alone. 

“My dear son, I have a request. I know I shouldn’t ask this of you....?”

Puru rushed forward to place a hand on his father’s lips. “Never say so my father! Command me! I am always at your service.”

Yayati asked the youngest prince for something that none of his other sons were ready to grant him – his youth in exchange for the emperor’s old age, a curse he had acquired from Sage Shukracharya. Prince Puru didn’t think twice before agreeing to his father’s request. A rejoiced Yayati sprang up energetically from the throne while Puru’s form shrunk, his skin wrinkling even as his body bowed down with old age. 

Taking leave of his father, Puru went to keep his delayed appointment with Tilottama. Unable to recognise the old man with shrunken shoulders, Tilottama was extremely upset to find out that Puru had sacrificed his youth and good looks for his father’s sake. Unable to face a future with the ancient man in front of her, the lovely princess walked away, breaking the brave Prince’s heart. 

Puru ruled the kingdom for thousands of years while his father Yayati explored different avenues to enjoy his youth.

A few thousand years later.....

Yayati returned to the palace and gave back his loving son Puru, his lost youth, and retired to the forest.

A newly rejuvenated Puru with blessings from his father, set out in search of Tilottama. He arrived at her kingdom after five days of travel on horseback. Reaching the palace, he requested a meeting with Princess Tilottama. While he waited in the palace garden, he caught sight of the lovely princess as she sat near the lotus pond, lost in thought. “My Tilottama.......” called Puru softly. She turned around to see a stranger, obviously of royal lineage, looking at her with so much love that she blushed. 

The dowager queen looked from afar, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her prince had fallen in love with her great granddaughter who also happened to carry her name. 

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A-Z April Challenge 2015: O for OM NAMAH SHIVA!

O for Om Namah Shiva!
Mohini teaches Bhasmasura to dance while Lord Shiva watches on
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“Om Namah Shiva! Om Namah Shiva! Om Namah Shiva!” Bhasmasura chanted again and yet again over many years, patiently awaiting the appearance of his Ishta Devata Lord Shiva. The lord knew the asura’s intentions. But had he ever refused any bhakta’s prayers? Never! Lord Shiva never says ‘no’ to anyone’s prayer. And thus he came down to earth to give darshan to Bhasmasura.

The asura was mighty pleased when the lord appeared before him. Not the smartest person on earth, Bhasmasura had just one boon to ask. He could have asked for riches, land, wisdom, cattle, the most beautiful women, a horde of people to serve him. But no, he wanted just one boon – one that he believed will make him superior to all; one boon that will make him all-powerful; one boon that will make every living being fear him. And he asked of Lord Shiva to grant him the power of burning down to ashes anyone on whose head he placed his hand.

A smiling Shiva granted him exactly what he asked. An excited Bhasmasura went on a rampage, killing human being and animals. Having done with that, he went to Indraloka – where the Devas lived – and managed to kill a few before the rest of them disappeared. What more could he do to establish his power? The dim-witted Bhasmasura went back in search of Shiva. He wanted to place his hand on the lord’s head.

Could the rest of the triumvirate (Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva) sit back watching? Lord Vishnu went to Shiva’s rescue, taking the form of Mohini, once again.

It was up to Mohini to deal with an impossible situation. The lovely maiden lured Bhasmasura with her beauty. She insisted that he should learn to dance before she would become his. He followed her steps as she danced. Soon, she placed her hand on her own head. Following her lead, Bhasmasura placed his hand on his own and got burnt down to ashes.

Glossary:

Ishta Devata – Favourite deity
Asura - Demon
Bhakta - Devotee
Bhasmasura – Bhasma+ Asura – ashes+demon – A demon who can turn things to ashes

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A-Z April Challenge 2015: N for NAKULA, THE 4th PANDAVA

N for Nakula with Panchali
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Panchali’s hands trembled in excitement as she arranged the royal blue vastra over her lush breasts. She looked into the mirror and smiled into her own eyes that shone brilliantly, like black grapes freshly plucked off the vine. She bit her lips to make them redder than they already were, as she tilted her head to look out of the window. A full moon was rising up in the sky just as the sun had slid down the horizon at the other end. Her heart pumped harder as she awaited her lover for the night.

Panchali didn’t know if she was lucky or not, for she did have five men to love her. But then, she found the eldest Yudhishthira quite staid. He went about making love just the same as he would go about running his kingdom – out of a sense of duty. That was not the best way to keep a woman happy.

Bheema was... Panchali searched her mind for the right word... his appetite for food outshone all his other appetites. She couldn’t stop grinning to herself as she passed this judgement over the second Pandava. Well, there was no other way to describe it.

Prince Arjuna! Well, he was handsome, he was a warrior through and through. And it was he who had won Panchali at the swayamvara. But did that make him the best lover? Panchali saw her head shaking in the mirror. Arjuna was too much of himself. He counted himself first and foremost. Everything else followed after that. His wife was probably way down in his list, she was sure.

Now Nakula... Panchali blushed a fiery red, her cheeks turning hot to the touch. He was the handsomest of the five. In spite of that, and despite the fact that he shared Panchali with his four brothers, Nakula had never thought of getting married again. All the other four had many wives. But not Nakula!

Panchali felt cherished by the 4th Pandava prince. He knew how to make a woman happy – both mentally and physically. Was it any wonder that Panchali eagerly awaited her turn with him? She quietly juggled the schedules of the other princes so that she got to spend more time with Nakula. It wasn’t too difficult as they did have other wives to keep happy.

Wasn’t Panchali lucky that she had got Prince Nakula in the package deal when Arjuna won her at the swayamvara?

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A-Z April Challenge 2015: M for MOHINI, VISHNU AVATAR

M for MOHINI
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The sea of milk boiled over as both the Devas and Asuras worked hard to churn it. It was not just these two groups at work. Lord Vishnu had taken the form of a tortoise (Kurmavatar) and settled in the ocean bed. Over the huge tortoise was placed Mount Mandara, used as a churn. Vasuki, the serpent was used as rope. All working in tandem, churned the ocean.

Out came Mahalakshmi, then the Kalpataru and more. Still there was no sign of the Amrut that the Devas and Asuras were seeking. Just as everyone was getting tired, a golden Kalash rose from the depths of the ocean. The two contingents jumped with joy. Finally, the Amrut was there – the potion that would ensure that they became immortal.

Lord Vishnu watched from the depths of the sea. Unless he did something in a hurry, the three lokas would soon be populated with evil Asuras who would never die. Rising from the river bed and changing his form quickly from a tortoise to that of a beautiful apsara, Lord Vishnu transformed into the beautiful Mohini in a second.

Holding the golden Amrut Kalash on her hips, Mohini walked slowly, her hips swinging deliciously, towards the eager Asuras. Giving them an alluring smile, she turned to the Devas and distributed the Amrut amongst them. While her hands were busy serving the Amrut to the Devas, her eyes were turned invitingly to the Asuras who were too absorbed by her beauty to notice what was actually happening.

Finally, Mohini reached the end of the line of the Devas to check the Kalash. Her face held pretended surprise to find the golden pot empty. She threw the Kalash back into the ocean of milk and walked away with swinging hips.

The enraged Asuras turned on the Devas. Alas, the Devas were invincible as Lord Vishnu had accomplished what he had set out to do – making them all immortal.

Glossary:
Devas – Heavenly beings
Asuras – Demons
Amrut – Potion of immortality
Kalash – Pot
Lokas – worlds

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A-Z April Challenge 2015: L for LORD OF LANKA

L for Lord of Lanka
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Ravana, the emperor of the three worlds, the Lord of Lanka, ruled his kingdom wisely. All his subjects were very happy during his reign. It is said that the poorest of people in his kingdom ate from plates made of gold. Such was the prosperity of Ravana’s kingdom.

With three queens by his side, the emperor rejoiced in art and culture. He himself played the veena. A great Shiva-Bhakta, Ravana had done severe penance for decades to acquire a number of boons from Lord Shiva. 

He had mastered the Vedas while becoming an expert in all modes of warfare. Acquiring vast amounts of land and wealth, Ravana did not hesitate to share them with his siblings. 

Alas...

The Lord of Lanka’s bad time was imminent when his sister Soorpanaka lusted after Lakshmana. Rama’s younger brother cut off her nose in a fit of temper when she made a nuisance of herself. 

“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” might be a modern saying. But the meaning applied to all times, it seemed. The scorned Soorpanaka instigated her powerful brother to kidnap Sita. 

Living an exemplary life until then, Ravana made the mistake of kidnapping Lord Ram’s wife. Though his brothers Vibhishana and Kumbakarna advised him to return Sita to her husband, Ravana’s arrogance would not permit that. 

And thus fell the mighty Lord of Lanka – because of his blind love for his sister and his arrogance. All the boons that he had acquired from Lord Shiva did not save him from sure death at the hands of Lord Ram. 

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A-Z April Challenge 2015: K for KAIKEYI AND KING DASARATHA

K for Kaikeyi
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Queen Kaikeyi’s joy knew no bounds. Her favourite Prince Ram was going to be crowned Heir to the throne of Ayodhya. She sang as she went about her duties, organising the function. She would not allow Prince Ram’s mother Kausalya to lift a finger. Kausalya and Sumitra watched in amusement as Kaikeyi went about the palace, ordering a number of maids and man-servants to do her bidding. 

The palace appeared like Devaloka when King Dasaratha rode on his chariot through the ornate gates, flanked by his four sons who were riding on horses. A smile broke out on the old king’s face. He knew that it was Kaikeyi who was in charge. She was the one who enjoyed the flamboyance of royal life more than anyone else.

Getting out of the chariot, the king’s eyes fell on Manthara, Kaikeyi’s faithful servant. Her half-bent figure was distinct in the twilight. His instincts told him that something was afoot. He went directly to Kaikeyi’s chambers to meet his favourite queen. 

Kaikeyi greeted the king with a wide smile. She held out her hands to him, “Where have you been the whole day? Have you forgotten it’s our dear Ram’s coronation tomorrow? There are so many arrangements to be made.”

Dasaratha smiled at her enthusiasm. Was the king expected to do the work of organising the coronation? He did not utter the words as he did not want to curb her enthusiasm.

Manthara stopped outside the chambers, hiding behind a pillar, when she saw that Kaikeyi was not alone. She bided her time, waiting for the king to leave, before poisoning Kaikeyi’s mind.

It was sad that all of Kaikeyi’s enthusiasm for her favourite Prince went to naught by an old maid-servant’s words. In barely a few hours, King Dasaratha found that his world had tilted on its axis. 

Glossary:
Devaloka – Abode of the Devas (Heaven)

Check out some of my favourite bloggers who are also participating in A-Z April Challenge 2015

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Prasanna Rao
Flightless Bird Thoughtful Wings by Swathi Shenoy

Book Review: CROSSED & KNOTTED - Composite Novel by fourteen authors

Crossed &Knotted

India's First Composite Novel

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My Review

The novel begins with a bang with Sutapa Basu’s first chapter. It makes the reader sit up and take notice. Hey, what the hell is happening? Something incredible indeed! Ayan Pal continues with the second chapter and he has already moved to the next generation. Press you hand against the dropping jaw. Yes, it continues with Shivi’s story – the girl who is fascinated with diaries. Are James and Joseph one and the same as James claims? You need to read the book to find out more. Chapter Three is about Shivi’s friend Siya and her boyfriend Siddharth. He leaves on a trip to the US and barely a few hours later a plane crashes. Siya’s petrified. Is Siddharth safe? This chapter has been penned by Sanchita Sen Das.

The story continues with the introduction of many characters as different authors write each chapter, weaving everything – crossing and knotting – into one long story. I always like reading Deepti Menon’s writing. The Dragon Lady is the chapter penned by Menon. Her characterisation of Kamu is simply amazing and so real - a dangerous woman to reckon with. The other authors who have continued the story are Arvind Passey, Mithun Mukherjee, Avanti Sopory, Bhaswar Mukherjee, Anupama Jain, Amrit Sinha, Monika Nair, Amar Lakshya Pawar, Bhuvaneshwari Shankar and Arpita Banerjee. 

It makes the mind boggle when you think of fourteen people getting together to create a novel seamlessly. I must say it’s an achievement by itself. While the story appears to take off in many different directions, all the threads come together in the end to create one whole. A special kudos to Readomania for this one!

Having said all that, I do have one nit to pick. There were just too many characters, too many incidents; too many life spans, especially 2-3 generations handled together in the same chapter – I have a niggling thought that they have gone a bit overboard. It was kind of difficult to read the book. Like it’s too much at one go. Then again, if you read over a period of time, you tend to lose the thread. 

The Blurb

Crossed & Knotted is India’s first Composite Novel, a book written by fourteen authors in close collaboration with each other. The chapters, each a story in itself, are knotted with one another through characters, events, settings and emotions. The result is a read that criss-crosses through a multitude of emotions bringing out deep rooted human desires. They narrate tales of love and betrayal, suspense and mystery, courage and dilemma, along with hope and resilience. Read it for a taste so tantalizing, that your mind will surely be craving for more!

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ABOUT THE EDITOR

Sutapa Basu is an Honours scholar from Santiniketan and holds a Masters degree in English Literature. Her professional career has seen her as a teacher, editor, and publisher. She has worked with renowned international publishing houses like Oxford University Press and Encyclopaedia Britannica. In the last five years of her professional career, she has launched 111 educational titles, 33 CDs and digital products, a language lab and a website. She has also developed and edited over 450 books over the last thirteen years.

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER : READOMANIA

India has traditionally been the land of storytellers and a lot of us have an inherent skill of creating good plots, stories and narrations. With a little encouragement and support, many more authors can be widely read. This is the essence of Readomania-an initiative that nurtures emerging stars of the literary world.

Readomania is an online content discovery platform that brings to life a whole new literary world, with stories, authors, books and a lot more. We also have a publishing house that takes the best of Readomania from the online format to print editions and launches debut authors. Our focus is to bring to the market, new authors and novel concepts, a composite novel being one of them. Our previous book, Chronicles of Urban Nomads, a collection of short stories, was also an experimental publication. 

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Readomania is the talent hunt in fiction that goes a step beyond, nurtures talent and showcases it to the world, in the process, creating a powerhouse of content.

Our website also has a lot in store for the reader. Since the content is edited and curated, by a strong team of editors, readers get quality reads on a platter. The variety on Readomania is impressively vast; we have romance, emotions, thrills, travel, humour and drama. 

Accessing Readomania makes for a perfect break of fifteen minutes from your daily grind. The website was launched in January, 2014 and is already very popular with about 3500 registered users, of which 300 members are active contributors and authors. The site also boasts of 800 online publications and more than three lakh page views till date.

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