Bonafide Urban Chick

Winds of Hastinapur & Rise of Hastinapur | Sharath Komarraju | Bonafide Urban Chick

Sharath Komarraju is a lovely writer who has brilliantly written the story of Mahabharat from the perspective of its women - Ganga, Satyavati, Amba, Kunti and Gandhari!

Till now, two parts of the series have been published. First, Winds or Hastinapur and second, Rise of Hastinapur. We will look at both the books respectively, so that there is no confusion.

Winds of Hastinapur | Sharath Komarraju | Bonafide Urban Chick

All about Meru and Ganga's life! Winds of Hastinapur starts of throwing a lot of light on that fact that Ganga is not a person, but a philosophy, an idea, a never ending entity that reproduces in manifests. Ganga passes her wisdom, memories and identity to her daughter when she is of age. As such, Ganga is Gange from mother to daughter.  
It also explores the love shared between Ganga and Shantanu, as well as Shantanu and Satyavati. Just for clarity, Sharath has also exlored the love shared by Kali (Satyavati) and Parshuram!  How Kali went from being a smelly Matsyakanya to a well-wanted lady who even the King of Hastinapur couldn't resist.
Sharath speaks of Devratta and his struggle for Dharm and how to see his father happy, he gave up the humane joy of love and intimacy, which is the right of every man. He goes on to talk about Satyavatis struggle to be a good Queen.
The book ends with the birth of Dhritirashtra, Pandu and Anuj. That is where the real story of Hastinapur was to start!

Rise of Hastinapur | Sharath Komarraju | Bonafide Urban Chick

Rise of Hastinapur starts with Amba's love affair with Salva. Nonetheless, because Salva is the King of a Vassal state, when Devratta wins her and her sisters in the Swayamvar she has difficulties dealing with it. Devratta then gives her permission to go on to Salva if he gives up something in return. The politics of it all leaves Amba scorned.
Sharath then goes on to delve into the sensitive emotions of Gandhari and Kunti. How Kunti actually gets impregnated by Surya to have Karna and how Gandhari is traded off to the blind king of Hastinapur. The dilemma faced by Kamsa, a loving brother who has to see his sister live her life blind.
Sharath speaks of Bhishma, a father-like brother who can't seem to draw the line between guiding, and acting instead of, his younger brothers. He depicts Satyavati and her internal struggle to do what is right for the people, knowing that the biggest mistake made by her cannot be undone!
The book ends unveiling the politics of Meru and how it is working on the fate of Hastinapur and the Kuru race.

I am not a big fan of non-fiction books. I prefer my reading to be my escape from the complications for the real world. nonetheless, there are times when a book comes by that can change your choices temporarily.

On the bookshelves where lay half-brained books like Half Girlfriend, there was a book that i just couldnt keep away from. Nirbhaya & Others who Dared is a breeze of cold air on a hot day that shakes you and sends a shiver down your spine. It is a revolution through reality that doesn't jar, but shows hope!

With stories that show you how trauma and violence doesn't ensure that a woman's life is ruined, this book resonated with every principle that i live with. it is fearless, just like it's name. In this  book, Nirbhaya lives! i know of rape victims who survived, molestation victims who succumbed to drugs and a wasted life, violence survivors who tasted success and women who have beaten every attack that has come their way. this book is a salute, a lesson and a reality to all those women!

Like all the other reviews I write, i will not give out much. But one thing that i am going to do is tell each woman to grab a copy and read, and tell every man to read so that he is shown the mirror to the harsh realities of his gender.

I am an avid reader. But very rarely do I come across writing that takes time for me to digest. Being a one-sitting-reader, The almond Tree was a major exception to my regular reading style. Hence, it deserves a review.

The Almond Tree is the story of Jamal and his life. Beautifully weaving fact and fiction Corasanti has created, what I can call, a classic.

So many lessons to learn, this book is a gold mine of morals and episodes that take your breath away. Be it for the Ahmad Hamid's pain when his baby sister dies, or his intelligence or his passion to make ends meet when the time calls for it.

Michelle Cohen Corasanti's in depth knowledge of the subject is amply clear in the crystal writing and pleasing verbiage.

Not a book for the light readers, I would surely suggest those with an appetite for reading and a metabolism for thinking, to grab a copy and get reading stat!

Thank you, Michelle, for this book!

The first impression of the book, on seeing the cover is vibrant and something out of an 80's Bollywood Movie. But as they say, "don't judge a book by its cover".

While vibrant and fresh surely the book is, it definitely isn't anything like an 80's flick. Starting with the description of the lives of two north indian "gabru jawans", Akhil, the narrator, and "Jazz" ride with us through a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences.
Emphasising on the emotional impact of decisions, the importance of knowing what you want and why you want it, Atulya Mahajan (through Akhil Arora) shows how people and ideals can change. He shows us how all that glitters may be gold, but it is just better to check and be certain before you buy it. He lets us believe that no matter how hard the battle may be, dreams do come true and love surely conquers all.
Covering friendship, parental issues, love, sex, dhoka and even annoying neighbors, there are many more things to read between the brilliantly written lines by Atulya Mahajan. The common thread through the book is the fact that if you are certain of the destination you wish to reach, no matter how different, hard or seemingly stupid your route, you will reach it.
Like all books that I enjoy, I wouldnt want to give out much of the story to you in a review. But one thing is for certain, have a cup of comforting coffee in hand, and some leisure time before you delve into the intricate and interesting lives of these Amreekandesi's.
My final verdict: The book is worth its price and then some. Infact, it would be a great story to turn into a high budget, NRI type, Karan Johar movie!

Ok, so my first ever fan review was written for a book that I really enjoyed reading. I wrote it for The Tossed Salad (click it to know more and read the full review).


Here is what the review goes like.