What do you think?
Rate this book
Rasia The Dance of Desire
"Two women wait for him at two different ends of the crossroads. He knows which path is his, but he can’t walk that path till he has attended to the other."
One perfect couple. An obsessed seductress. A Bharatanatyam show in Manhattan, New York. One hell of a love story.
Raj Shekhar Subramanian and Manasi, both Bharatanatyam dancers, are made for each other. Till an obsessed fan, Vatsala Pandit, enters their lives, testing the man’s character and his wife’s patience. But then why does Manasi invite Vatsala to her Bharatanatyam show, for a dance of passion with her husband—the very man vatsala wants to take from her? Why did Shekhar agree to take in Vatsala as his student in the first place? This singular love story deftly explores the many facets of love—mutual trust, obsessiveness, the arrogance of passion, the need for self-fulfillment, the yearning for the beloved and the complexity of modern relationships.
It narrates the captivating journey of the self-made and self-assured protagonist through the contributions of two women – one who owns his home, and the other, who believes no one else can complement him better on stage.
One perfect couple. An obsessed seductress. A Bharatanatyam show in Manhattan, New York. One hell of a love story.
Raj Shekhar Subramanian and Manasi, both Bharatanatyam dancers, are made for each other. Till an obsessed fan, Vatsala Pandit, enters their lives, testing the man’s character and his wife’s patience. But then why does Manasi invite Vatsala to her Bharatanatyam show, for a dance of passion with her husband—the very man vatsala wants to take from her? Why did Shekhar agree to take in Vatsala as his student in the first place? This singular love story deftly explores the many facets of love—mutual trust, obsessiveness, the arrogance of passion, the need for self-fulfillment, the yearning for the beloved and the complexity of modern relationships.
It narrates the captivating journey of the self-made and self-assured protagonist through the contributions of two women – one who owns his home, and the other, who believes no one else can complement him better on stage.
- GenresFiction
252 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2017
9 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Koral Dasgupta
13 books161 followers"Her stories give an insight into the unknown world of creativity and imaginations."
WION
"Her novel works beyond the obvious, characters not just individuals but a philosophy."
INDIA TODAY
Koral is an Indian author, now working on The Sati Series for Pan Macmillan. The Sati series is a five book project on the Pancha Kanyas of Indian mythology.
She is a compulsive storyteller. She writes academic non fictions and relationship dramas, exploring the inherent nature of complex minds that leads to a relatable conflict and unpredictable climax. As on May 2020, Koral has published five books with Westland, Niyogi, Rupa and Pan Macmillan Publishers.
She is the founder of www.TellMeYourStory.biz, a story laboratory led by crowd-sourced narratives.
She consults with educational and corporate bodies on content and communication projects and workshops.
Koral is known for a great sense of humour. But when she is tired or sad or angry, she paints.
Koral is recognised in the list of Innovator25 Asia Pacific 2019 prepared by The Holmes Report, a New York based PR news agency.
WION
"Her novel works beyond the obvious, characters not just individuals but a philosophy."
INDIA TODAY
Koral is an Indian author, now working on The Sati Series for Pan Macmillan. The Sati series is a five book project on the Pancha Kanyas of Indian mythology.
She is a compulsive storyteller. She writes academic non fictions and relationship dramas, exploring the inherent nature of complex minds that leads to a relatable conflict and unpredictable climax. As on May 2020, Koral has published five books with Westland, Niyogi, Rupa and Pan Macmillan Publishers.
She is the founder of www.TellMeYourStory.biz, a story laboratory led by crowd-sourced narratives.
She consults with educational and corporate bodies on content and communication projects and workshops.
Koral is known for a great sense of humour. But when she is tired or sad or angry, she paints.
Koral is recognised in the list of Innovator25 Asia Pacific 2019 prepared by The Holmes Report, a New York based PR news agency.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 6, 2018
This review is also available to read on Quint (https://www.thequint.com/lifestyle/bo...)
Born and brought up in the United States, ballet dancer, Vatsala Pandit is young, talented and free-spirited. She is also volatile in her temperament and fiercely wilful – a proverbial brat, so to say – and a complete antithesis of shy and introverted Bharatanatyam dancer, Manasi Bhattacharya. Between these two women is the drop-dead handsome hero of our story, dance virtuoso, Raj Shekhar Subramanian. Where Manasi is married to him. Vatsala covets him. Using dance as a theme to bind all her characters together, Koral Dasgupta creates a riveting tale of love, passion and obsession in her latest novel, Rasia (published by Rupa).
For someone who is a keen lover of all forms of art, it is not a surprise that she chose an idea like this to write her third novel, even so – “it required years of in-depth research, and no less, especially the bits about Bharatanatyam,” she tells me over an email. “I consulted with Thankamani Kutty’s dance team in Kolkata and Chitra Shankar from Singapore. An interview with choreographer Bosco Martis also helped me to get the attitude (of the dancers) right,” she says. However, since Bharatanatyam, as a dance form, has traditionally been used to interpret mythical legends from sacred Hindu texts, the novel is also replete with references to mythology. To her credit, instead of dumping all her research on the readers like a rookie writer, Dasgupta deftly melds it with the story. Here’s an excerpt from the novel where Manasi (Shekhar’s wife) ruminates on her fascination with Goddess Kali and how it led her to marry her engineer-turned-dancer husband:
“My fondness for Kali had started when I read the works of Ramkrishna Paramhansa and later, the complete works of Swami Vivekananda in my teens...In the meaning and representation of Kali, I find the most feminine purpose of a woman. ‘Destroy everything that adds to your pride; in fact, destroy your pride. Rebuild and rediscover, as if you are no one and you never had anything. Cleanse your system. Let not the evil tempt you towards a mundane existence. Exist fearlessly, as if there is no tomorrow; because actually, there isn’t one,’ I remember the preacher at Vivekananda Mandir saying thus.
It is perhaps this fearlessness that lead me to instinctively marry a man who was going to pursue an uncertain career.”
Explaining her many interests, Dasgupta tells me how she was brought up on a rich diet of literature, art and Indian mythology. “That list did not include Bharatanatyam, though,” she says. Despite that, the author has done an impressive job of explaining the nuances and techniques of this dance form to the readers. Most of this has been achieved through the main characters of her story, Manasi and Shekhar, both of whom run a dance academy in Mumbai called, Kala Mandir. Following is another excerpt from the book where Shekhar is explaining the origin of Bharatanatyam to one of his students:
“Bharatanatyam was created not just for pleasure of the divine, but to embody cosmic relationships and expressions for all worlds. Hence, it draws inspiration from all activities, be it work or leisure, calm or laughter, war or peace. When Bharata along with the apsaras and Gandharvs performed Bharatanatyam for Shiva, he asked Maharishi Tandu to develop it further into a Tandava, which later came to mean ‘masculine’ style of dance, and got recognized as the Cosmic Dance of Shiva.”
In that way, the author has not only written a mature romance, but also one that leaves the readers (more so the NRI community) with a deep sense of appreciation for Indian art and culture. This is again one of the recurring themes in the novel, where Shekhar, the protagonist of the novel, is emphatic about not mixing and fusing Bharatanatyam with any other dance form like ballet, for instance. “Just like a mother doesn’t need to accentuate her beauty to come to her child, I feel Bharatanatyam is an extremely self-sufficient dance form, the beauty of which only increases the more you explore it within its boundaries,” he reiterates time and again in the novel.
Another theme that the author also captures in the novel, albeit a bit more subtly is of ‘unity’ – how an art form (any art form, for that matter) has the capacity to bind people. Raj Shekhar Subramanian, for instance, is an orphan. He is married to a Bengali, and training students who belong to different religions and come from all sorts of backgrounds. Together they compose and perform one of the most fascinating dance performances of their lives, aptly titled, Rasia – a conjugal dance between Lord Shiva and his two divine consorts, Gauri and Kali. These and other such themes explored in Rasia make it quite unlike other romance novels flooding the market, and a most enjoyable read, that too.
Born and brought up in the United States, ballet dancer, Vatsala Pandit is young, talented and free-spirited. She is also volatile in her temperament and fiercely wilful – a proverbial brat, so to say – and a complete antithesis of shy and introverted Bharatanatyam dancer, Manasi Bhattacharya. Between these two women is the drop-dead handsome hero of our story, dance virtuoso, Raj Shekhar Subramanian. Where Manasi is married to him. Vatsala covets him. Using dance as a theme to bind all her characters together, Koral Dasgupta creates a riveting tale of love, passion and obsession in her latest novel, Rasia (published by Rupa).
For someone who is a keen lover of all forms of art, it is not a surprise that she chose an idea like this to write her third novel, even so – “it required years of in-depth research, and no less, especially the bits about Bharatanatyam,” she tells me over an email. “I consulted with Thankamani Kutty’s dance team in Kolkata and Chitra Shankar from Singapore. An interview with choreographer Bosco Martis also helped me to get the attitude (of the dancers) right,” she says. However, since Bharatanatyam, as a dance form, has traditionally been used to interpret mythical legends from sacred Hindu texts, the novel is also replete with references to mythology. To her credit, instead of dumping all her research on the readers like a rookie writer, Dasgupta deftly melds it with the story. Here’s an excerpt from the novel where Manasi (Shekhar’s wife) ruminates on her fascination with Goddess Kali and how it led her to marry her engineer-turned-dancer husband:
“My fondness for Kali had started when I read the works of Ramkrishna Paramhansa and later, the complete works of Swami Vivekananda in my teens...In the meaning and representation of Kali, I find the most feminine purpose of a woman. ‘Destroy everything that adds to your pride; in fact, destroy your pride. Rebuild and rediscover, as if you are no one and you never had anything. Cleanse your system. Let not the evil tempt you towards a mundane existence. Exist fearlessly, as if there is no tomorrow; because actually, there isn’t one,’ I remember the preacher at Vivekananda Mandir saying thus.
It is perhaps this fearlessness that lead me to instinctively marry a man who was going to pursue an uncertain career.”
Explaining her many interests, Dasgupta tells me how she was brought up on a rich diet of literature, art and Indian mythology. “That list did not include Bharatanatyam, though,” she says. Despite that, the author has done an impressive job of explaining the nuances and techniques of this dance form to the readers. Most of this has been achieved through the main characters of her story, Manasi and Shekhar, both of whom run a dance academy in Mumbai called, Kala Mandir. Following is another excerpt from the book where Shekhar is explaining the origin of Bharatanatyam to one of his students:
“Bharatanatyam was created not just for pleasure of the divine, but to embody cosmic relationships and expressions for all worlds. Hence, it draws inspiration from all activities, be it work or leisure, calm or laughter, war or peace. When Bharata along with the apsaras and Gandharvs performed Bharatanatyam for Shiva, he asked Maharishi Tandu to develop it further into a Tandava, which later came to mean ‘masculine’ style of dance, and got recognized as the Cosmic Dance of Shiva.”
In that way, the author has not only written a mature romance, but also one that leaves the readers (more so the NRI community) with a deep sense of appreciation for Indian art and culture. This is again one of the recurring themes in the novel, where Shekhar, the protagonist of the novel, is emphatic about not mixing and fusing Bharatanatyam with any other dance form like ballet, for instance. “Just like a mother doesn’t need to accentuate her beauty to come to her child, I feel Bharatanatyam is an extremely self-sufficient dance form, the beauty of which only increases the more you explore it within its boundaries,” he reiterates time and again in the novel.
Another theme that the author also captures in the novel, albeit a bit more subtly is of ‘unity’ – how an art form (any art form, for that matter) has the capacity to bind people. Raj Shekhar Subramanian, for instance, is an orphan. He is married to a Bengali, and training students who belong to different religions and come from all sorts of backgrounds. Together they compose and perform one of the most fascinating dance performances of their lives, aptly titled, Rasia – a conjugal dance between Lord Shiva and his two divine consorts, Gauri and Kali. These and other such themes explored in Rasia make it quite unlike other romance novels flooding the market, and a most enjoyable read, that too.
January 22, 2018
Rasia is a story of dance, passion and obsession. A man passionate about his craft of dancing. A wife, a student and a perfect partner. A made for each other couple. A stubborn and obsessed girl. A Bharatnatyam show in Manhattan which brings them all on one stage.
The story revolves around dance and passion. The story captivates you as soon you get in the forty-fifty pages in the book. I like the way the author explores the characters and give them space to come forward and speak the readers directly. The characters communicate with you and open their heart to peek in.
The story is perfect and worked well for me. A journey of a self-made man behind whose lie the contribution of two women. One who supported him and stands as a rock and other challenged him to perform on stage with her. Find out who is a better partner with him on stage.
A story of the dance of desire. An excellent story, well articulated and superbly narrated. The story speaks perfection.
https://thereviewauthor.com/
The story revolves around dance and passion. The story captivates you as soon you get in the forty-fifty pages in the book. I like the way the author explores the characters and give them space to come forward and speak the readers directly. The characters communicate with you and open their heart to peek in.
The story is perfect and worked well for me. A journey of a self-made man behind whose lie the contribution of two women. One who supported him and stands as a rock and other challenged him to perform on stage with her. Find out who is a better partner with him on stage.
A story of the dance of desire. An excellent story, well articulated and superbly narrated. The story speaks perfection.
https://thereviewauthor.com/
September 4, 2022
Bharatanatyam to Raj Shekhar Subramanian is what breath is to life. A universally acknowledged genius of his craft, Subramanian once an inmate of an orphanage, succeeds in elevating one of the purest forms of classical dance to such exalted levels that it transcends aesthetics, adumbration and applause. Standing by his side like a rock is his wife Manasi. Having learnt the nuances and intricacies of Bharatanatyam from her formidable husband, Manasi essays the role executed by Man Friday in Robinson Crusoe. Patient, perceptive and poignant, Manasi sacrifices every desire and ambition of hers at the fire that is the passion of Shekhar. The duo together establish Kala Mandir, an institution for propagating the finer intricacies and nuances of Bharatanatyam to eager, aspiring and deserving students. The prospective candidates are handpicked by Shekhar and together with Manasi the recruits undergo a punishable grind that transforms them from rough and uncut stones to exquisitely crafted and delectably polished diamonds.
Vatsala Pandit is a ballerina in Manhattan who, pursuant to attending a show featuring Shekhar, gets instantaneously smitten by both the art and artist. Her quintessential ambition in life becomes obtaining access to Shekhar. When her innumerable attempts and advances are spurned by a ‘stone-hearted’ Shekhar, Vatsala Pandit, embarks on an audaciously devious scheme that will bring Shekhar himself to her doorstep. Campaigning for a Kala Mandir to be established in the United States, Vatsala starts a campaign that picks great steam and gathers immense momentum. Hundreds and thousands of accumulated signatures later, Shekhar is formally invited to establish a branch of Kala Mandir in Manhattan.
Vatsala, encouraged by her success, exploits the position of a lead volunteer and campaigner by brazenly accosting Shekhar and demanding to be accepted as his student. But it is not just expertise in a classical form of dance that is Vatsala’ s ultimate objective. The student is also the incorrigible and impossible enchantress who will not deviate from her amoral mission of usurping Shekhar from Manasi.
When her repeated requests for a role in the inaugural show of the United States Kala mandir is spurned in no uncertain terms by Shekhar, Vatsala takes the ludicrous step of accosting Manasi directly and hurls a vile challenge at her. Accusing Manasi of hiding behind the substantial glory of her powerhouse husband, Vatsala challenges Manasi to a ‘battle on the stage’ that will ultimately determine the fate of both women.
The calm and collected Manasi, without batting an eyelid accedes to her request. Shekhar will essay the role of Shiva who would be enticed, enraptured and entangled by Kali (a role to be played by Manasi). The ultimate objective of Goddess Kali is lure Shiva away from his divine consort, Gauri (to be executed by Manasi). Only time will tell whether the battle of the protagonists would end in sheer despair for one and unbridled delight for the other.
“Rasia” is an extremely compelling tale of layers. The unpeeling of each layer reveals the full extent of intrinsic as well as extrinsic human desires, subtle and suppressed emotions and wistful and wanton longings. It is also a story of untold intricacies that embellish as well as endanger the relationship between a man and a woman. It is also an adroitly balanced tale of conflicts, conjectures and consternation.
‘Rasia’ – a dalliance with destiny.
Vatsala Pandit is a ballerina in Manhattan who, pursuant to attending a show featuring Shekhar, gets instantaneously smitten by both the art and artist. Her quintessential ambition in life becomes obtaining access to Shekhar. When her innumerable attempts and advances are spurned by a ‘stone-hearted’ Shekhar, Vatsala Pandit, embarks on an audaciously devious scheme that will bring Shekhar himself to her doorstep. Campaigning for a Kala Mandir to be established in the United States, Vatsala starts a campaign that picks great steam and gathers immense momentum. Hundreds and thousands of accumulated signatures later, Shekhar is formally invited to establish a branch of Kala Mandir in Manhattan.
Vatsala, encouraged by her success, exploits the position of a lead volunteer and campaigner by brazenly accosting Shekhar and demanding to be accepted as his student. But it is not just expertise in a classical form of dance that is Vatsala’ s ultimate objective. The student is also the incorrigible and impossible enchantress who will not deviate from her amoral mission of usurping Shekhar from Manasi.
When her repeated requests for a role in the inaugural show of the United States Kala mandir is spurned in no uncertain terms by Shekhar, Vatsala takes the ludicrous step of accosting Manasi directly and hurls a vile challenge at her. Accusing Manasi of hiding behind the substantial glory of her powerhouse husband, Vatsala challenges Manasi to a ‘battle on the stage’ that will ultimately determine the fate of both women.
The calm and collected Manasi, without batting an eyelid accedes to her request. Shekhar will essay the role of Shiva who would be enticed, enraptured and entangled by Kali (a role to be played by Manasi). The ultimate objective of Goddess Kali is lure Shiva away from his divine consort, Gauri (to be executed by Manasi). Only time will tell whether the battle of the protagonists would end in sheer despair for one and unbridled delight for the other.
“Rasia” is an extremely compelling tale of layers. The unpeeling of each layer reveals the full extent of intrinsic as well as extrinsic human desires, subtle and suppressed emotions and wistful and wanton longings. It is also a story of untold intricacies that embellish as well as endanger the relationship between a man and a woman. It is also an adroitly balanced tale of conflicts, conjectures and consternation.
‘Rasia’ – a dalliance with destiny.
February 17, 2018
‘Rasia- The Dance of Desire’ is the story of determination versus dedication; a story where a body part is pitched against a partner. With Bharatanatyam at the centre of the story, the book is about a married couple, both dancers, and an ambitious American student, who wants much more than the art of Bharatanatyam from her master.
Shekhar is the famous Bharatanatyam dancer of India, running his academy- Kala Mandir, along with his wife, Mansi and his dedicated students. Ambitious as he is, he wants to open a branch of his dance academy in America. Vatsala, a young American girl interested in Bharatanatyam, makes the way easy for him, much to Shekhar’s dislike. Shekhar takes pride in calling himself a self-made man but his wife has as big a hand in his success as Vatsala has in bringing the dance academy to New York.
As Shekhar goes to New York to make arrangements for the opening of his academy there, the responsibility of preparing the opening show falls on Mansi’s shoulders. In the smooth flowing river of Shekhar and Mansi’s marital life, Vatsala appears as a blockage. Little does she know that a river never stands still, come whatever may.
While Shekhar believes Mansi to be his best student, Vatsala thinks no one is a better match for Shekhar in stage than herself. As the ‘perfect couple’ and the ‘obsessive seductresses’ come together on stage, one of the three will have to recede. But alongwith recession, comes self realization and the life and the perspective of each one changes as the show comes to an end.
*My Verdict
I instantly fell in love with the blurb of the book. And I was quite keen on discovering what was there in the pages. The story is told through shifting point of view making it possible for the readers to have a peep into each character’s mind. With the use of this technique of multiple POVs comes the challenge of making each voice distinct. But the voices were not always very distinct in the book. It felt like an omniscient narrator many times.
As I made my way through the book, to my surprise, I encountered mythology. The chapters told from Mansi’s perspective were devoted to mythology and the mythology part played an important in shaping the climax of the book. Although mythology is one my favourite genres, I didn’t like reading those chapters because I was not expecting any such thing in this book. But in the end, I came to appreciate the way the author had connected everything.
At times, I felt I was reading some book by Paulo Coelho. I got the feeling that one gets while reading his books, wherein he advocates some philosophy by making it an integral part of the narrative. But still I felt that the author could have reduced the portion devoted to this philosophy and mythology. Also, there was no need to put so many characters.
The author kept everything in focus and didn’t sideline any aspect of the story. I wonder if that’s to be appreciated or not because in the blurb she doesn’t hint at all those things. So they come as a surprise for the readers. Now some may find it a pleasant surprise and some may not like it.
To conclude, this book didn’t turn out to be what I expected of it, nevertheless the story is one that most readers will enjoy reading. I just expected some intense action filled story which is wasn’t. Those having an interest in Bharatanatyam will cherish this book.
My Rating: ***(3.25/5)
Shekhar is the famous Bharatanatyam dancer of India, running his academy- Kala Mandir, along with his wife, Mansi and his dedicated students. Ambitious as he is, he wants to open a branch of his dance academy in America. Vatsala, a young American girl interested in Bharatanatyam, makes the way easy for him, much to Shekhar’s dislike. Shekhar takes pride in calling himself a self-made man but his wife has as big a hand in his success as Vatsala has in bringing the dance academy to New York.
As Shekhar goes to New York to make arrangements for the opening of his academy there, the responsibility of preparing the opening show falls on Mansi’s shoulders. In the smooth flowing river of Shekhar and Mansi’s marital life, Vatsala appears as a blockage. Little does she know that a river never stands still, come whatever may.
While Shekhar believes Mansi to be his best student, Vatsala thinks no one is a better match for Shekhar in stage than herself. As the ‘perfect couple’ and the ‘obsessive seductresses’ come together on stage, one of the three will have to recede. But alongwith recession, comes self realization and the life and the perspective of each one changes as the show comes to an end.
*My Verdict
I instantly fell in love with the blurb of the book. And I was quite keen on discovering what was there in the pages. The story is told through shifting point of view making it possible for the readers to have a peep into each character’s mind. With the use of this technique of multiple POVs comes the challenge of making each voice distinct. But the voices were not always very distinct in the book. It felt like an omniscient narrator many times.
As I made my way through the book, to my surprise, I encountered mythology. The chapters told from Mansi’s perspective were devoted to mythology and the mythology part played an important in shaping the climax of the book. Although mythology is one my favourite genres, I didn’t like reading those chapters because I was not expecting any such thing in this book. But in the end, I came to appreciate the way the author had connected everything.
At times, I felt I was reading some book by Paulo Coelho. I got the feeling that one gets while reading his books, wherein he advocates some philosophy by making it an integral part of the narrative. But still I felt that the author could have reduced the portion devoted to this philosophy and mythology. Also, there was no need to put so many characters.
The author kept everything in focus and didn’t sideline any aspect of the story. I wonder if that’s to be appreciated or not because in the blurb she doesn’t hint at all those things. So they come as a surprise for the readers. Now some may find it a pleasant surprise and some may not like it.
To conclude, this book didn’t turn out to be what I expected of it, nevertheless the story is one that most readers will enjoy reading. I just expected some intense action filled story which is wasn’t. Those having an interest in Bharatanatyam will cherish this book.
My Rating: ***(3.25/5)
April 30, 2018
A fascinating work of fiction set in the world of Bharatanatyam
A fabulous work of fiction set in the background on the field of Bharatanatyam. The author conveys the story of setting up a Dance Academy in India and extending it to New York, the exploration of human relationships & desires and the subtle profound philosophies of life through 5 characters parallelly. Some of the noteworthy distinctiveness which one can notice are : (1) The exploration of the wonderful world Bharatanatyam so beautifully & (2) Narration of the story through 5 characters seamlessly in a first person narration which is done parallelly. The story is set in a slow pace as it suits the narration for the genre of art and it keeps you glued till the end which is the key strength which the Author displayed in this book.. Kudos & thanks Koral Dasgupta.. Pleasure reading "Rasia: The Dance of Desire"
A fabulous work of fiction set in the background on the field of Bharatanatyam. The author conveys the story of setting up a Dance Academy in India and extending it to New York, the exploration of human relationships & desires and the subtle profound philosophies of life through 5 characters parallelly. Some of the noteworthy distinctiveness which one can notice are : (1) The exploration of the wonderful world Bharatanatyam so beautifully & (2) Narration of the story through 5 characters seamlessly in a first person narration which is done parallelly. The story is set in a slow pace as it suits the narration for the genre of art and it keeps you glued till the end which is the key strength which the Author displayed in this book.. Kudos & thanks Koral Dasgupta.. Pleasure reading "Rasia: The Dance of Desire"
January 14, 2018
When a book has a literary puff /blurb by the wordsmith Gulzar himself then it ought not to be a simple read. I knew I was reading an enticing novel when I was only 20% into the book. Koral Dasgupta's Rasia, published by Rupa Publications, is one splendidly spun tale of love, hatred and self-realization.
The novel follows the story of Shekhar, ace Bharatnatyam dancer of India whose ambitions take him far and wide in the world of art. His biggest support system is his wife, Manasi. But their happily married life is met with an obsessed fan, Vatsala. Her obsession with Shekhar is such that she leaves no stone unturned to bring Shekhar's dance school to New York. However, Manasi calls the obessed fan to perform along with Shekhar on their inaugural night. What is Manasi's motive behind this act?
The novel is in first person but every character has a say. The major characters that bring forth the story are Shekhar, Manasi, Brian (the journalist), Vatsala and the voice which is Manasi's father. Every character's perspective gets justified leaving no space for prejudice in the minds of the readers.
I am bubbling with varied emotions as I write this review. There are very few books that give you immense pleasure and enchant you with their story.
If Shekhar is disciplinarian, Manasi is maternal and Vatsala is like a free flowing river. The characteristics of the three main characters kept reminding me of Shiv, Parvati and Ganga. It is a conventional resemblance you see but what you read is unusual, exceptional. Using these deities, the dance form and even the characters as the medium, the author weaves the emotions of love, hatred and arrives at self realization in an uncanny way of storytelling. Vatsala's presence reminds Shekhar of his past and his mistakes. Shekhar's absence helps Manasi to understand her abilities. The coming together of Manasi, Shekhar and the dance form Bharatnatyam helps Vatsala understand how wrong she had always been.
Shekhar, Manasi and Vatsala's tale or rather a slice of their life is a beautiful journey every connoisseur of art will enjoy. Not only is the language packed with literary punches but it exudes a sensual and alluring aura.
I was completely in trance as I was reading it. It thrilled me towards the end. I was pulled into the performance, I lost the track of time and I felt like I was in a vacuum. As the performance ended I was brought back to reality, the vacuum released. I had perhaps held my breath all along I was reading the dramatic performance, Rasia. I have never read a book which could infuse mythology with fiction this magnificently.
For an art lover, it was unraveling of a magnum opus. I could see it unfold like I would a cinema. For me it was cinematic /literary brilliance. All I can say further is that I would like to see it turned into a motion picture and I am sure that it is likely to take the world cinema by storm.
Rating: 5 stars
Publisher: Rupa publication
The novel follows the story of Shekhar, ace Bharatnatyam dancer of India whose ambitions take him far and wide in the world of art. His biggest support system is his wife, Manasi. But their happily married life is met with an obsessed fan, Vatsala. Her obsession with Shekhar is such that she leaves no stone unturned to bring Shekhar's dance school to New York. However, Manasi calls the obessed fan to perform along with Shekhar on their inaugural night. What is Manasi's motive behind this act?
The novel is in first person but every character has a say. The major characters that bring forth the story are Shekhar, Manasi, Brian (the journalist), Vatsala and the voice which is Manasi's father. Every character's perspective gets justified leaving no space for prejudice in the minds of the readers.
I am bubbling with varied emotions as I write this review. There are very few books that give you immense pleasure and enchant you with their story.
If Shekhar is disciplinarian, Manasi is maternal and Vatsala is like a free flowing river. The characteristics of the three main characters kept reminding me of Shiv, Parvati and Ganga. It is a conventional resemblance you see but what you read is unusual, exceptional. Using these deities, the dance form and even the characters as the medium, the author weaves the emotions of love, hatred and arrives at self realization in an uncanny way of storytelling. Vatsala's presence reminds Shekhar of his past and his mistakes. Shekhar's absence helps Manasi to understand her abilities. The coming together of Manasi, Shekhar and the dance form Bharatnatyam helps Vatsala understand how wrong she had always been.
Shekhar, Manasi and Vatsala's tale or rather a slice of their life is a beautiful journey every connoisseur of art will enjoy. Not only is the language packed with literary punches but it exudes a sensual and alluring aura.
I was completely in trance as I was reading it. It thrilled me towards the end. I was pulled into the performance, I lost the track of time and I felt like I was in a vacuum. As the performance ended I was brought back to reality, the vacuum released. I had perhaps held my breath all along I was reading the dramatic performance, Rasia. I have never read a book which could infuse mythology with fiction this magnificently.
For an art lover, it was unraveling of a magnum opus. I could see it unfold like I would a cinema. For me it was cinematic /literary brilliance. All I can say further is that I would like to see it turned into a motion picture and I am sure that it is likely to take the world cinema by storm.
Rating: 5 stars
Publisher: Rupa publication
May 21, 2018
The Plot:
Raj Shekhar Subramanian and Manasi are the perfect couple, in tandem with each other in all areas of life. Raj Shekar has big dreams and Manasi works towards making them come true. Dance is what brought them together and their passion for it is the glue that keeps them united.
One of Raj Shekhar’s wishes is to open a Dance Academy in New York. It seems to be finally coming true, thanks to Vatsala Pandit who decides to help him make this dream come true and sets the wheels in motion.
There is a catch though.
Vatsala dreams of learning dance from Raj Shekhar. She also wants Raj Shekhar as badly as he wants this Academy.
One man. Two women. One dream.
What will Raj Shekhar, Manasi and Vatsala do? Will this be the dance of new passion for one and a swansong for another?
My Thoughts:
A man and two women. Passion, desire and longing. You’d think these would make for a clichéd love story, right? Wrong.
A refreshing storyline, with dance making a strong base for it. Well etched characters that you could find yourself resonating with. Varied shades of human behaviour, and love, that set you thinking and questioning. This book will surprise you at every level. As just when you think things are going to go a certain way Koral will assure they won’t.
Rasia – The Dance of Desire by Koral Dasgupta is one of the finest books I have read in recent times. Koral’s writing is confident, intelligent and exquisite. The imagery her words create in the parts about dance made me imagine how it would be.
****4 stars to Calling Rasia – The Dance of Desire by Koral Dasgupta
My rating chart;
*Use it as a doorstop. **Read it if you have nothing better to do. ***You may like it if you like this particular genre. ****Must read! *****What! You haven’t read it YET?!
Raj Shekhar Subramanian and Manasi are the perfect couple, in tandem with each other in all areas of life. Raj Shekar has big dreams and Manasi works towards making them come true. Dance is what brought them together and their passion for it is the glue that keeps them united.
One of Raj Shekhar’s wishes is to open a Dance Academy in New York. It seems to be finally coming true, thanks to Vatsala Pandit who decides to help him make this dream come true and sets the wheels in motion.
There is a catch though.
Vatsala dreams of learning dance from Raj Shekhar. She also wants Raj Shekhar as badly as he wants this Academy.
One man. Two women. One dream.
What will Raj Shekhar, Manasi and Vatsala do? Will this be the dance of new passion for one and a swansong for another?
My Thoughts:
A man and two women. Passion, desire and longing. You’d think these would make for a clichéd love story, right? Wrong.
A refreshing storyline, with dance making a strong base for it. Well etched characters that you could find yourself resonating with. Varied shades of human behaviour, and love, that set you thinking and questioning. This book will surprise you at every level. As just when you think things are going to go a certain way Koral will assure they won’t.
Rasia – The Dance of Desire by Koral Dasgupta is one of the finest books I have read in recent times. Koral’s writing is confident, intelligent and exquisite. The imagery her words create in the parts about dance made me imagine how it would be.
****4 stars to Calling Rasia – The Dance of Desire by Koral Dasgupta
My rating chart;
*Use it as a doorstop. **Read it if you have nothing better to do. ***You may like it if you like this particular genre. ****Must read! *****What! You haven’t read it YET?!
January 20, 2026
Rasia: The Dance of Desire is a beautiful book by Ms Koral DasGupta. Bharatnatyam being the heart of the story, it deals with various delicate relationships.
Shekhar,the man, brought up in an orphanage, has been very well portrayed as the man who has mastered the art of dancing and is only eager to spread it through his Kala Mandir. The author has beautifully brought out his character with words that make it easy for readers to form an image.
Same about his wife Manasi, soft spoken, childish at times, yet matured and the back bone of her husband. She doesn't however takes any credit for it.
Vatsala Pandit, the girl from NY who desperately wants, not to to groom herself under the auspices of Shekhar, but also has her heart set on him.
The story progresses piquing the curiosity of the readers.
Vatsala goes ahead with liberal campaigning to get Kala Mandir to Manhattan - A dream that Shekhar had cherished since years!
Shekhar 's aloofness towards Vatsala have been brought out in strong words and fluid narration.
The concluding act Rasia, wherein Manasi and Shekhar as Kali and Shiva, has been portrayed exquisitely. While Vatsala as Gauri performs well only to retreat to the green room with tears in her eyes, realising how far she is from Shekhar even though he stands near physically.
The other characters of Kala Mandir have all got their unique roles to play in this book.
BRIAN HERRETT- the narrator of the story, completing the biography of a great dancer - Shekhar!
Very engaging read.
Shekhar,the man, brought up in an orphanage, has been very well portrayed as the man who has mastered the art of dancing and is only eager to spread it through his Kala Mandir. The author has beautifully brought out his character with words that make it easy for readers to form an image.
Same about his wife Manasi, soft spoken, childish at times, yet matured and the back bone of her husband. She doesn't however takes any credit for it.
Vatsala Pandit, the girl from NY who desperately wants, not to to groom herself under the auspices of Shekhar, but also has her heart set on him.
The story progresses piquing the curiosity of the readers.
Vatsala goes ahead with liberal campaigning to get Kala Mandir to Manhattan - A dream that Shekhar had cherished since years!
Shekhar 's aloofness towards Vatsala have been brought out in strong words and fluid narration.
The concluding act Rasia, wherein Manasi and Shekhar as Kali and Shiva, has been portrayed exquisitely. While Vatsala as Gauri performs well only to retreat to the green room with tears in her eyes, realising how far she is from Shekhar even though he stands near physically.
The other characters of Kala Mandir have all got their unique roles to play in this book.
BRIAN HERRETT- the narrator of the story, completing the biography of a great dancer - Shekhar!
Very engaging read.
April 28, 2018
What I liked:
1. Just like a classic dance drama, where the characters slowly unfold, reach their crescendo and eventually find their individual closures, drawing in the emotions of the audience, Dasgupta builds her three main characters around the artistic world of Bharatanatyam and takes her readers through this dance-infused emotional journey.
The excellent juxtaposition of mythology (the author seems to have quite a command there) and Bharat Natyam its consequent re-interpretation by the characters takes the book a few notches higher.
2. The beautiful language that fills the pages of this book. It is the tapestry of words that infuses artistic passion and pulls us into the ‘dance performance’ that’s being narrated, as if we are watching it before us, Live. Sample this:
“As Kali symbolically merges into Shiva, his body language undergoes a fierce transformation from majestic to exuberant. The auditorium is frozen watching Shekhar shake his body stretching his hands outward, opening himself for Shakti to reside within his body and manifest as a part of him. With unpredictable movements conceived in tender intimacy and robust devotion, he delightfully expresses the possession of power and wisdom that should alight with the unison of Shiva and Kali”
My full review is here : https://speakometer.wordpress.com/cat...
1. Just like a classic dance drama, where the characters slowly unfold, reach their crescendo and eventually find their individual closures, drawing in the emotions of the audience, Dasgupta builds her three main characters around the artistic world of Bharatanatyam and takes her readers through this dance-infused emotional journey.
The excellent juxtaposition of mythology (the author seems to have quite a command there) and Bharat Natyam its consequent re-interpretation by the characters takes the book a few notches higher.
2. The beautiful language that fills the pages of this book. It is the tapestry of words that infuses artistic passion and pulls us into the ‘dance performance’ that’s being narrated, as if we are watching it before us, Live. Sample this:
“As Kali symbolically merges into Shiva, his body language undergoes a fierce transformation from majestic to exuberant. The auditorium is frozen watching Shekhar shake his body stretching his hands outward, opening himself for Shakti to reside within his body and manifest as a part of him. With unpredictable movements conceived in tender intimacy and robust devotion, he delightfully expresses the possession of power and wisdom that should alight with the unison of Shiva and Kali”
My full review is here : https://speakometer.wordpress.com/cat...
March 26, 2020
Its a well written book that talks between four people : raj, manasi, her dad and vatsala. Simple and beautiful book that has a storyline like the modern Bollywood movies. Obsession, ego, passion, love, skills, and determination of one towards each other and to the art of bharatanatyam is talked about in this.
But I feel there is no dept to the character rather it only touches certain skinned emotions that adds more salt to the story. It is both an advantage as well as a big drawback to the story. To find out more you can read the book and its a good one time read.
I have to appreciate the cover of the book. Its design is really fantastic.
But I feel there is no dept to the character rather it only touches certain skinned emotions that adds more salt to the story. It is both an advantage as well as a big drawback to the story. To find out more you can read the book and its a good one time read.
I have to appreciate the cover of the book. Its design is really fantastic.
July 5, 2018
When someone is passionate about something and give 100% , result - explained in book.
2 women , 1 man though sounds like any other normal story, it is not just a normal story.
It depicts the ethics, culture, rituals, passion on art, love for wife, confidence on husband, need for teacher is all well captured.
True love wins and not the superficial desire is very well captured in this book.
2 women , 1 man though sounds like any other normal story, it is not just a normal story.
It depicts the ethics, culture, rituals, passion on art, love for wife, confidence on husband, need for teacher is all well captured.
True love wins and not the superficial desire is very well captured in this book.
April 22, 2019
I came across a book recently that I would not have picked up myself. Rasia: The Dance of Desire by Koral Dasgupta is a novel that seemingly depicts a love triangle between a man and two women. It may sound like a book on fidelity but there is more to it than meets the eye... Full review by Batool H. at https://thetempest.co/Rasiathedanceof...
June 16, 2018
Rasia. The Dance of Desire
Koral Dasgupta.
Rupa
INR 250/
One man and two women with a host of divisions and subdivisions. Sound like your usual love triangle? Not quite. Rasia the Dance of Desire is about a stern handsome Bharatnatyam dancer Raj Subramaniam of the sculpted muscles and the soul of an ascetic who gave up a corporate job to set up his own Bharatnatyam dance troupe. Along the way Raj acquired a Bengali wife whom he saw dancing to the beat of the dhaaks at a puja pandal. And then, after he and his wife Manasi had become headline news for their dance academy, he met Vatsala, the firebrand aggressive New Yorker who works in advertising, has mastered ballet and, after seeing a performance based on the story of Chitrangada, wants to master the dancer too.
He, however, ignores her completely barring an offhand comment that should he set up a dance academy in New York, she would be his first pupil. The feisty Vatsala doesn’t give up easily by sure force of letter writing and contacts, she achieves her goal. However when she and the dancer are face to face, she discovers that her dreams are not coming true. She has the lessons she covets, but not the guru’s heart. In between them is Manasi, the wife left at home to choreograph the academy’s first dance performance in New York.
Dasgupta writes her story from several viewpoints, from that of a journalist who is writing the story of the triangle, from that of the dancer, Manasi, Vatsala and the ghost presence of Manasi’s wise priest father, another corporate who retired to follow a different calling. In the story the men are believers in discipline and tradition.
She builds up the tension between Vatsala and Raj breaking it with her voices and Manasi’s choreography planning in India in her husband’s absence. Bharatnatyam’s dances are based on mythology and quite obviously the first dance performed by Raj’s academy in New York must be mythological, not to mention spectacular. Through her choreography Manasi unconsciously manages to find a mythological parallel that mirrors the situation unfolding in New York. And quite obviously she and the other dominant woman in the story have to come face to face.
It could have been the tale of a groupie who seduces an implacable dancer and proves that everyone has their weaknesses. However Dasgupta takes it beyond that while keeping the framework. What she builds is a tale of loyalty and discipline, contrasting the confident, aggressive single woman who is typical of the 21st century world with the obedient, supposedly submissive wife who is, nonetheless an artist in her own right. The question is who will win and will it come down to a matter of choosing one over the other for Raj?
Though it could have been just another story of the ins and outs of falling in love in a world of high voltage superstars, Rasia comes across as slightly more complex. At the heart of the story is the conviction that the artist must worship his or her chosen form completely to achieve perfection and that art should not be compromised by rivalry or passion or individual egos. A tough lesson for many artists to learn – because egoism, rivalry and passion have been associated with the arts since time immemorial.
Koral Dasgupta.
Rupa
INR 250/
One man and two women with a host of divisions and subdivisions. Sound like your usual love triangle? Not quite. Rasia the Dance of Desire is about a stern handsome Bharatnatyam dancer Raj Subramaniam of the sculpted muscles and the soul of an ascetic who gave up a corporate job to set up his own Bharatnatyam dance troupe. Along the way Raj acquired a Bengali wife whom he saw dancing to the beat of the dhaaks at a puja pandal. And then, after he and his wife Manasi had become headline news for their dance academy, he met Vatsala, the firebrand aggressive New Yorker who works in advertising, has mastered ballet and, after seeing a performance based on the story of Chitrangada, wants to master the dancer too.
He, however, ignores her completely barring an offhand comment that should he set up a dance academy in New York, she would be his first pupil. The feisty Vatsala doesn’t give up easily by sure force of letter writing and contacts, she achieves her goal. However when she and the dancer are face to face, she discovers that her dreams are not coming true. She has the lessons she covets, but not the guru’s heart. In between them is Manasi, the wife left at home to choreograph the academy’s first dance performance in New York.
Dasgupta writes her story from several viewpoints, from that of a journalist who is writing the story of the triangle, from that of the dancer, Manasi, Vatsala and the ghost presence of Manasi’s wise priest father, another corporate who retired to follow a different calling. In the story the men are believers in discipline and tradition.
She builds up the tension between Vatsala and Raj breaking it with her voices and Manasi’s choreography planning in India in her husband’s absence. Bharatnatyam’s dances are based on mythology and quite obviously the first dance performed by Raj’s academy in New York must be mythological, not to mention spectacular. Through her choreography Manasi unconsciously manages to find a mythological parallel that mirrors the situation unfolding in New York. And quite obviously she and the other dominant woman in the story have to come face to face.
It could have been the tale of a groupie who seduces an implacable dancer and proves that everyone has their weaknesses. However Dasgupta takes it beyond that while keeping the framework. What she builds is a tale of loyalty and discipline, contrasting the confident, aggressive single woman who is typical of the 21st century world with the obedient, supposedly submissive wife who is, nonetheless an artist in her own right. The question is who will win and will it come down to a matter of choosing one over the other for Raj?
Though it could have been just another story of the ins and outs of falling in love in a world of high voltage superstars, Rasia comes across as slightly more complex. At the heart of the story is the conviction that the artist must worship his or her chosen form completely to achieve perfection and that art should not be compromised by rivalry or passion or individual egos. A tough lesson for many artists to learn – because egoism, rivalry and passion have been associated with the arts since time immemorial.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews