Sundari Venkatraman's Blog, page 47

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

Crossed &Knotted India's First Composite Novel



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!

Buy @
Amazon.com |Amazon.in  

Watch It 





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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A-Z April Challenge 2015: J for JARASANDHA’S REIGN OF TERROR

1. The queens giving birth to two halves of one baby; 2. Jara, the demon brings the two halves together to give life to Jarasandha
Google ImagesAt sixteen, the Prince of Magadha was built like a small mountain. And he had a temper to match. What drove him was hatred. When he was born, Jarasandha had been thrown out with the garbage, literally. His eyes turned red as the prince refused to shed the tears of anger that drove him to violence. Neither of his mothers – he had two unlike the rest of the world – had wanted him. Both the royal queens had shun him at birth. Was it his fault that he had been born in two pieces?

While the demon Jara had had the sense to bring the two halves of his body together and breathe life into him, his own parents had just thrown him away. Jarasandha paced up and down the corridor, restless. He had to become the greatest emperor on earth and prove to the king and his queens that he did not need them at any level. 

He turned around to slap the maid servant who had brought him a glass of wine. A sneer turned Jarasandha’s face harsher than ever. Yes! He had no use for women. He hated the species. Once he was emperor, he would turn all women into slaves, to serve him and his warriors.

And thus began Jarasandha’s reign of terror... 

Click Here to read the story of Jarasandha’s birth... 





Check out some of my favourite bloggers who are also participating in A-Z April Challenge 2015
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Flightless Bird Thoughtful Wings by Swathi Shenoy

A-Z April Challenge 2015: I for INDRA THE LORD OF THE DEVAS

I for Indra sitting on Airawat
Google ImagesYoung Krishna’s father Nandagopan was worried when his son suggested that they pray to Mount Govardhana for the rain and bounty they had received that year. What if Lord Indra punished the Yadava village? After all, they had been worshipping the lord of the Devas every year for the same. But he could not deny his son’s logic either. 

The people of Gokul listened to Krishna and venerated Mount Govardhana while Nandagopan watched the skies fearfully, expecting Lord Indra’s wrath to create havoc. A smiling Krishna did his best to reassure his father only in vain.

A lightning bolt struck, followed by the sound of thunder as he arrived, the lord of the Devas, on his white elephant Airavat. The majestic elephant with five trunks seemed to float down from the skies, Lord Indra seated on its back. Nandagopan’s fear reached its height when Airavat landed on the ground, close to Mount Govardhana. 

The people looked on in awe as Indra climbed down from his huge mount. He folded his hands in greeting to Lord Krishna and his father. Nodding his head at the others, Indra walked to the foot of Mount Govardhana and prostrated on the ground, paying his obeisance to the mountain that gave its bounty to the people of Gokul. 

Nandagopan watched on, his mouth open in amazement!




Click here  to read the original story... 

NOTE: I strongly believe that no power of God is negative. Such things as punishing Gods are tales woven to fit into the third dimensional illusory world that we are living in right now. Hence I have given the story of Indra’s wrath a new spin in the above tale. 


Check out some of my favourite bloggers who are also participating in A-Z April Challenge 2015
Ina Tales Devika Fernando - Author of Romance Novels Eloquent Articulation by Inderpreet Kaur UppalI Luv Fiction by Ruchi Singh Shanaya Tales
Prasanna Rao
Flightless Bird Thoughtful Wings by Swathi Shenoy

A-Z April Challenge 2015: H for HARISCHANDRA

H for Harischandra greets Sage Vishwamitra
Google ImagesIN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE...

King Harischandra walked out to the entrance of his palace to welcome Sage Vishwamitra. He bent down to wash the sage’s feet with rose water and greeted him with folded hands, inviting the revered Vishwamitra into his palace. 

A visibly pleased Vishwamitra walked ahead of the king and took his seat right next to the king’s throne, his feet placed on a small cushioned golden stool. 

The ministers and courtiers watched on as their king and the visitor discussed a number of things under the sun. King Harischandra listened more than spoke as he felt that he needed to learn a lot from Vishwamitra who had himself been a king many years ago. 

By and by, the sage arrived at the purpose of his visit. “Dear Harischandra, last night I had a strange dream. You came to me and promised to hand over your entire kingdom for the upkeep of my ashram. I have come to claim what is mine.” Sage Vishwamitra had a benign smile on his face, confident that the king will keep his promise, even if it had been made only in a dream.

The noble and truthful king, with folded hands and bowed head, replied to the sage, “I am so honoured you brought this matter to me Oh Great Sage Vishwamitra! I promise to handover my kingdom to you the very next time I visit you in my dream.” The king raised his head to look sharply at the sage, his eyes suggesting that the sage never visited the king in the latter's dream, ever. 

Was it surprising that Sage Vishwamitra was left speechless! 

Glossary:
Ashram - Hermitage






Check out some of my favourite bloggers who are also participating in A-Z April Challenge 2015
Ina Tales Devika Fernando - Author of Romance Novels Eloquent Articulation by Inderpreet Kaur UppalI Luv Fiction by Ruchi Singh Shanaya Tales
Prasanna Rao
Flightless Bird Thoughtful Wings by Swathi Shenoy
The Moving Quill by Shailaja Vishwanath

A-Z April Challenge 2015: G for GANDHARI... WHAT IF?

G for Gandhari
Google ImagesWHAT IF...

Gandhari is left with no choice when her father, the King of Gandhar makes a pact with Bheeshma to wed her to Prince Dritharashtra. Worse it yet to come, as she’s unaware that the prince who she’s going to wed has been blind since birth. 

Her brother Prince Shakuni is greatly upset with his father when he gets to know the truth. “Gandhari, there is no need for you to marry a man who’s blind since birth. Allow me to send a messenger across to Bheeshma, cancelling the alliance,” pleaded Shakuni to his only sister. “I’m ready to face the consequences, even if we have to go to war with Hastinapura.”

Gandhari shook her head to say, “It’s on the part of a daughter to fulfil the wishes of her father. I will not go against the promise that our father has made to the ruler of Hastinapura. Let the wedding take place as planned.”

Gandhari decided to accept her fate. She planned to help the blind prince, heir to the throne of Hastinapura, rule his kingdom to the best of his ability. He could definitely do it. She had a strong enough vision, both literally and figuratively, to take care of his kingdom.

That’s how Gandhari married Dritharashtra and became his eyes. Impressed by her cleverness and wisdom, Bheeshma decided to crown Dritharashtra the king of Hastinapura. The king and queen of Hastinapura lived long and ruled wisely.

And they all lived happily ever after! 

...THE KURUKSHETRA WAR WOULD NEVER HAVE COME ABOUT






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

Ina Tales Devika Fernando - Author of Romance Novels Eloquent Articulation by Inderpreet Kaur UppalI Luv Fiction by Ruchi Singh Shanaya Tales
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The Moving Quill by Shailaja Vishwanath

A-Z April Challenge 2015: F for FATHER OF KARNA (SURYA)

F for Father of Karna (Surya)
Google ImagesThe skies turned dark while the wind whistled shrilly. It was barely noon though it appeared as if it was past twilight. Surya, the Sun God, suddenly felt his power reduced. What was happening?

On Earth, the young girl Kunti was excited. Her eyes shining with happiness, she invoked Lord Surya as she uttered the Shloka taught her by Sage Durvasa. Within a few seconds, the Sun God appeared before her, bound by the mantra. Though he didn’t look too happy about it, he gave Kunti what she sought. A baby boy! His work done, Surya rose up into the skies, as it turned light once again.

Aghast, Kunti looked at the newborn baby in her arms. The little one shone almost as bright as the Sun himself. He even wore a golden armour and earrings of gold. Kunti raised a hand to shade her eyes from the brilliance. Karna stared up at the sky, a beatific smile on his baby face, as if in acknowledgement of his father, the Sun. 

Surya watched helplessly as Kunti placed Baby Karna in a basket and let him float in the River Ganga. It wasn’t possible for Surya to take the baby with him. The little one wouldn’t be able to survive outside the Earth. 

Golden rays shielded the baby as the basket floated along the river. Surya gave a sigh of relief when a charioteer picked up Baby Karna and made him his own. Glad to see his baby boy in safe hands, Surya went about his duties.

Surya peeped into the charioteer’s home to check on his son from time to time. He could see that the child was well loved. Surya was proud to see that his son was growing up to be a fearless man. 

Moreover, Karna had acquired one special quality from his father – the art of giving. Karna gave people whatever they asked for - gold, precious stones, jewellery, houses, land, elephants, horses, cattle, just about anything that he could lay his hands on. One just had to ask Karna for something and receive it the very next second. Surya was mighty proud of his son. 

The father of Karna was disturbed when he saw that his son had taken the side of Duryodhana. Duryodhana was the epitome of Adharma. That way lay ruin. But how could he stop his son from taking the Kaurava’s side? Karna was bound by gratitude, the same way his father, the Sun God, had been bound by Sage Durvasa’s mantra. Surya sighed deeply. There was no way he could stop Karna from a sure death in war. 

It was Day 17 of the Kurukshetra war. Karna was still going strong as he faced Pandava Arjuna. Suddenly, his chariot wheel got stuck in the soil. When Karna got down to lift it, Lord Indra appeared before him in the form of a Brahmin seeking alms. This was one time when Surya so wished that his son wasn’t a giver. Not having anything else to give the old man, Karna took out his knife to cut off his golden armour and earrings that he was born with and handed them over to him. Surya watched in anguish as Karna did away with the last vestige of protection that he had given to him at birth. Knowing that there was no way that he could stop Karna’s death, Surya hid his face behind dark clouds as the skies opened up and poured on the land of Kurukshetra, just as Arjuna released the arrow that drove into Karna’s unprotected chest. 






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

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A-Z April Challenge 2015: E for EKLAVYA VICTIMISED

E for Eklavya
Google ImagesEklavya stood with both hands folded in front of the clay statue of Dronacharya. He prayed to the man he had accepted as his own Guru and began practising his archery late into the night. Well, during the day, Eklavya had been busy watching the Acharya teach the Kaurava and Pandava princes. That is how he had been learning the skill so well.

One night, some of the princes happened along the path where Eklavya was practising his archery. Arjuna was amazed at the Nishadh boy’s prowess. Drona followed his students and was equally impressed. But soon, the Acharya’s mind began to play. What if this boy became a better archer than Prince Arjuna? That’s when he decided to ask for Gurudakshina.

Eklavya’s surrender to his Guru was so complete that he agreed to give Dronacharya any Gurudakshina that he sought. He did not even wait to find out what was it that the Acharya sought. 

And Drona could not have asked for anything worse. It would have been better if he had asked for Eklavya’s life. The cunning Dronacharya requested Eklavya for his right thumb, the thumb without which the boy would never be able to wield an arrow. Did Eklavya refuse? Of course not. He did not even hesitate before taking out a small knife that he carried in his waistband and cutting off his thumb, presented it to his Guru. 

While Dronacharya had done his best to remove Arjuna’s competition, he never foresaw Eklavya’s determination to become a skilled archer. That he became, despite the lack of his thumb. It is proof of his greatness that Eklavya never sought to compete with Arjuna nor did he ever lose respect for his Guru in the process. 

Glossary:
Acharya / Guru - Teacher
Gurudakshina - Teacher's fee






Check out some of my favourite bloggers who are also participating in A-Z April Challenge 2015
Ina Tales Devika Fernando - Author of Romance Novels Eloquent Articulation by Inderpreet Kaur UppalI Luv Fiction by Ruchi Singh Shanaya Tales
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Flightless Bird Thoughtful Wings by Swathi Shenoy
The Moving Quill by Shailaja Vishwanath

A-Z April Challenge 2015: D for DRITHARASHTRA’S HEARTBREAK

D for Dritharashtra
Google ImagesDritharashtra thrashed around like a mad bull elephant. The servants stayed away from the prince for their own safety. He appeared capable of crushing someone with his bare hands. But no strength or intelligence of his had been enough to garner Dritharashtra the throne of Hastinapura. And all because he had been born blind!

Dritharashtra pressed both his hands against his blind eyes, wishing to pull them out of their sockets. Oh why! Why had he not been born normal? Why had he learned all the scriptures and the many methods of warfare? To what avail? Why had Bheeshma had him trained in all the virtues of a king if he had never meant him to become one? They could have killed him as a child. It would have been so much better. Dritharashtra rued his fate.

And hatred gushed from him towards Bheeshma, mother Satyavathi and his brother Pandu. Pandu had no qualms about accepting the crown of Hastinapura. How dared he? Did that mean that his, Dritharashtra’s, descendants would never ascend the thrown?

The keening sound emanating from Dritharashtra’s chambers made the servants move further away. They did not want to bear the brunt of the Arya prince’s anger. But Gandhari could sense her husband’s pain, his heartbreaking disappointment. She shed tears of sorrow for his broken dreams, his aspirations to rule the mighty kingdom of Hastinapura. She walked into the chamber to commiserate with her husband. And that night, that very night, Gandhari was impregnated. 

All the disappointment, anger and jealousy in Dritharashtra got transferred to her womb – to be born as the hundred Kauravas. That night the seed of Kurukshetra was sown in Gandhari’s womb by Dritharashtra’s heartbreak. 





Check out some of my favourite bloggers who are also participating in A-Z April Challenge 2015
Ina Tales Devika Fernando - Author of Romance Novels Eloquent Articulation by Inderpreet Kaur UppalI Luv Fiction by Ruchi Singh Shanaya Tales
Prasanna Rao
Flightless Bird Thoughtful Wings by Swathi Shenoy

A-Z April Challenge 2015: C for CINDERELLA’S LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER

C for Cinderella
Google ImagesCinderella stepped into the coach drawn by six white horses, feeling beautiful. She was a princess for the night, all thanks to the Fairy Godmother. She lifted the hand mirror that was on the cushion beside her and checked her face once more. She couldn’t help but be fascinated by how lovely she appeared. There wasn’t a streak of coal on her rosy cheeks. Her lips appeared luscious while her eyes shone with excitement. Prince Charming will definitely notice her, wouldn’t he? 

She looked at her feet encased in dainty slippers made of glass. She was used to running around in threadbare socks. But the transformation was just incredible. Cinderella couldn’t take her eyes off her feet as she stepped out of her grand coach. A footman gave her his arm and escorted her into the palace’s ballroom. She walked in, confident, quite thrilled to be the cynosure of all eyes. Her red ball gown caught everyone’s eye in the light of the chandeliers; her slippers tap-tapping as she walked on the marble floor. 

Prince Charming came forward to greet the beautiful woman who had arrived late for the dance. He had never noticed her before. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as he lifted a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and went to greet her. Taking the glass in his left hand, he lifted her small white hand to his lips in greeting, his eyes holding hers steadily. Cinderella’s left hand went to her fluttering heart, drawing his attention to her bare shoulders. Without a word, Charming pulled her into his arms as they began to dance. Champagne glass in hand, Cinderella danced with the Prince, completely unaware of the jealous glances from the other women – young and old. 

As he plied her with more champagne, Cinderella got rather tipsy and forgot all about her promise to get back home by midnight. When the clock began striking twelve, she came to her senses and started running towards the entrance or tried to. Her feet refused to co-operate while her glass slippers kept sliding off her feet. In a hurry, she bent down to remove them off her feet, to help her run better. The slipper on her right foot flew out of her hand and landed afar on a cushioned chair while the left slipper stayed with her. Did Cinderella wait to find out what happened? Of course not!

She rushed out of the door and reached the garden, only to be snarled at by a couple of footmen. Where did this ragged urchin spring from? The King would have their hides if he found out. Without making a noise, they lifted Cinderella bodily and dumped her outside the ornate gates. It took her all of four hours to walk back home. 

Mind and body bruised, Cinderella wept over her loss. Why did she have to go to the palace that night? It only made her crave for the life of a princess that could never be hers. She recalled the pretty picture they had made – Prince Charming in his princely attire and herself in the red ball gown, holding a glass of champagne, dancing to live music. Sigh! She looked down at the glass slipper that she had carried back with her. 

Alas, it had turned back into a ragged sock! 





Check out some of my favourite bloggers who are also participating in A-Z April Challenge 2015
Ina Tales Devika Fernando - Author of Romance Novels Eloquent Articulation by Inderpreet Kaur UppalI Luv Fiction by Ruchi Singh Shanaya Tales
Prasanna Rao
Flightless Bird Thoughtful Wings by Swathi Shenoy

A-Z April Challenge 2015: B for BAKASURA VS BHEEMA

B for Bakasura vs Bheema
Google ImagesThe earth trembled from the sound of the snores emanating from the sleeping Bakasura. He had been completely satisfied with the meal the villagers of Ekachakra had sent him the earlier day – five jugs of wine, one cow, two goats, a few baskets of fruits and vegetables along with two huge containers of cooked rice. Even better was the hefty man who had brought the cartload of food. Bakasura snored louder, a smile on his harsh face as he dreamt of the next meal he was to receive that very day.

He woke up a few hours later, thirsty. His huge hand reached out to the last jug of wine that he had retained for the morning and drank it in one single gulp. Sitting, he was as tall as most of the trees in the forest and taller than some. Raising a paw of a hand to scratch his beard, Bakasura turned towards the direction of Ekachakra. The sun was riding high in the sky and it was on its way down. Where was his food?

Bakasura rose to his feet, knocking a few trees down, without making an effort. He took a couple of giant steps towards the village and let out a roar. It was followed by an uproar as animals and birds that stayed a few miles away, took away in a hurry, not wanting to fall prey to the asura. 

Bheema, who was sitting about a hundred feet away, heard the roar. A smile on his face, he continued to eat the food that he had brought from the village – the cartload that was meant for Bakasura. 

Taking a whiff, Bakasura smelled human flesh and walked towards Bheema. The sight that greeted him made the asura roar again, as he beat his fists against his chest. Though hugely built for a man, Bheema was barely half the size of Bakasura. How dared he eat the food meant for the asura? 

The villagers quaked as they heard Bakasura’s roar. They turned anxiously to look at Kunti and her four sons, surprised to see them smiling. Soon, they heard a keening sound of pain. That surely must be Bheema. The old Brahman who should have sent his son that day, had tears in his eyes. He had sinned by sending his guest in the place of his son. Will God ever forgive him?

A few hours later, the villagers of Ekachakra came out to see the strangest sight. Bheema was dragging the heavy cart that held the corpse of Bakasura. Cheers rent the air as the crowd celebrated the death of the asura who had been killing the people one by one. 




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

Ina Tales Devika Fernando - Author of Romance Novels Eloquent Articulation by Inderpreet Kaur UppalI Luv Fiction by Ruchi Singh Jayantiblogsphere The Multicolored Diary by Zalka Csenge Virág Author Stephen Tremp