Chanakya's Chant - Book Review

Historical fiction is not really a genre that I prefer. But when the hefty 450-page paperback came into my hands, I started reading the first few pages, assuming that this book would leave soon. I read the Prologue and was hooked. It took a while to go through the entire book but each day I would eagerly return to the pages, so see how the bilayered narrative developed.

Chanakya's Chant is a story about the legendary Chanakya who begins life as Vishnugupta, son of learned Chanak of the ancient kingdom of Magadha. But Chanakya's Chant is also a Sanskrit verse that is described multiple times in the modern day story that parallels the original tale. Pandit Gangasagar Mishra, a modern day Chanakya uses the powerful chant to further the political career of his protege in the sleazy world of Indian politics. The two stories are told side by side and mark the steady progression of the potential rulers, Chandragupta Maurya as leader of a united Bharat in 340 BC under Chanakya's tutelage and of Chandini Gupta, aspiring to be India's Prime Minister under the training of Mishraji.

It is an extremely well-researched book with very tight narration that keeps you glued to the pages as you learn the smart and underhanded ways in which kings are mere puppets in the hands of the kingmakers. With the uncanny ability to process reams of seemingly unrelated information, predict the behaviors of the other sides, and ruthless precision, these Chanakya's steadily advance their proteges towards the desired goal. While the historical Chanakya leaves his long hair untied until he fulfills his prophecy of avenging his father's death, the motivation of Gangasagar Mishra is not quite clear.

The author, Ashwin Sanghi, has divulged many secrets commonly known to modern-day politicians and some historical secrets like the use of the many medicinal plants available in India which can be used to harm or heal. Preying on the vices and weakness of men, even men as powerful as the great Alexander, Chanakya and his counterpart Mishra, bring about the fall of emperors and ministers, all mere pawns in the race to secure the highest position of power. One striking aspect that stands out is the fact that the art of politics is truly the Arthashastra, the science of wealth, not governance.

A must read for history buffs but highly recommended for those looking for a thrilling read as well.

Sight Vs Vision

I am at an age where I have to admit that sometimes reading fine print becomes difficult. For a voracious book worm like me, the ultimate punishment is to keep me away from my beloved books. I still read a lot more than most people in my circle but it is definitely less than what I am used to reading. Some days are better than others and so I carry on, refusing to get the reading glasses that would instantly alleviate my discomfort. It is pure vanity that makes me do this. It is possible that there will be a day when I have to capitulate but I would like to delay it as long as I can. So I have started doing some eye exercises that are supposed to strengthen the eye muscles and reverse the aging process. Doing this makes me feel a little bit in control, knowing fully that nature marches in only one direction - forward.

But growing older has its rewards. Perhaps with failing eyesight, there is compensation in the form of vision. We often use the words interchangeably, equating the action of a sense organ to the ability to look deeper, further into an unknown future, seeing it happen before others can. Is it age that makes this possible? Or experience? Or self-knowledge which then translates into wisdom? Vision is not the power to predict the future but sensing of what is ahead in the maze of life without having a map. It is an internal compass that guides but does not give a recipe. Vision is what builds value in the long term regardless of losses that may happen in the interim. Vision does not necessarily come with age, some are blessed at a young age. I am not sure how finely honed my visionary skills are at this time but I think it is better for me to acknowledge my yearning for acquiring vision even as I lament the loss in eyesight. As Helen Keller famously said "It is a terrible thing to see but have no vision."

One Amazing Thing - Book review

Nine people are trapped in the basement of a building in an unnamed American city. This group of strangers are bound together for an unspecified period of time due to the earthquake that traps them in an unlikely place - the Indian consulate office. With this interesting premise, Chitra Banerjee brings together people of various races, religion, age and economic backgrounds to rally around their shared fate of being forced to stay together while they await rescue or death. The strange situation of spending time in a dark gloomy about-to-collapse building, makes the usually reticent strangers divulge their secret stories to a willing audience that amicably suspends judgement as it listens intently to each of them in turn.

Chitra Banerjee has woven together a reasonably plausible plot to explain the reasons for the stereotypical characters to want to visit India in spite of their apparent lack of connection to the country or their reluctance to do so, as the case may be. So we have Cameron, the African American ex-military man, a well-heeled Caucasian couple, the Pritchetts, a Chinese grandmother (Jiang) with a surly teenager granddaughter Lily, Tariq an angry Muslim boy, Uma a young single woman, and the two Indians from India - the consulate employees Malathi and Mangalam, taking turns to spill their stories into a room where a leaking water source starts flooding the floor, parts of the ceiling collapse and their hopes of rescue decline with each tale that is told.

I have read many of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's books and I am impressed with her writing style. The prose is poetic and her metaphors are unique, underlining the beauty of each observation. But her strength has been in writing for a predominantly American audience and her stories border on a magic realism underpinning to narratives that superficially appear to be about contemporary issues. This hybrid genre unique to Indian writers writing about India from their location based in Western societies has spawned many authors and Banerjee is at the forefront among them. While she has been prolific in creating diverse narratives, this book is different from her usual formula. With the key ingredient of "exotic" India missing from the stories within the larger story, the book is at best a half-baked attempt to link what might have been better presented as a collection of short stories instead of a homogenous novel.

The individual characters don't seem like real people and the disjointed tales serve no larger purpose of moving the story forward. Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the ending which really is neither an ending nor a reasonable denouement for a novel. Although an attempt to explain the title is made in the last few pages, it fails to register. The book is not in the same realm as any of Banerjee's previous writings and appears to a half-hearted and shoddy attempt at publishing within a deadline.

Late bloomers

It was Wimbledon finals this weekend with surprise victories with ever younger and newer talent taking the spotlight. In the arenas of sports and entertainment, it seems like the winners are getting younger each year. Fortune seems to bless only the early birds, the child prodigies, the tender saplings that are nurtured by ambitious parents and blessed by lady luck soon after birth. This seems consistent with the public interest in fresh news stories and fresh faces to look at, novelty is the first priority for an audience that has attention spans shorter than that of toddlers.

But what about arenas where age and experience blend to create masterpieces that depict the depth of the creator's talent. Performing arts require years of practice. So do the visual arts like painting and sculpture. Great literature demands the writer to dive into the world and ferret out pearls of wisdom and then fashion them by his/her talent and fluency of language into classic works. A young writer may have voice that is unique to his age and generation and certainly carry contemporary lingo with ease, but does the work have the ripeness of a rich life behind it? If publishers seek a young and marketable author to produce bestsellers, where would the writers who have toiled for decades on honing their craft and polishing their storytelling skills go?

This weekend's The Hindu's literary supplement carried an article about four senior women writers (above 70 years of age) whose initial works have been recently published by Leadstart Publishers. The women featured were Gouri Dash, Dhiruben Patel, Ambika Sirkar and Meera Sashital. What is common to these women is their ongoing interest in reading, a trait they cultivated during the years they handled traditional responsibilities. What is unique to these women from a generation where their roles were gender-bound, is their assertion that writing is as natural as breathing, it is what makes them feel young, it is their companion as they face the challenges of their age. They write for one reason - it makes them happy.

Seeing their words in print has taken them a lifetime. But they persist, they persevere, they still read and of course, they write. Their motivation is not public adulation, accolades and prizes, but a desire to share their gift through the medium of the written word. And one day, the audience shows up.

It is reassuring to see that there is a place in this world for late bloomers as well.