Confessions of an Epic Indian

“Your version of the Ramayan”

My name is Punit Gandhi. I am 20 yrs old and a voracious reader. i must say that i had never heard of you uptil jus over a month ago. I happened to be at Crossword Kemps Corner, searchin for a few Asimov novels and came across the first 3 novels in the Ramayana, namely Prince of Ayodhya, Seige of Mithila & Demons of Chitrakut.

I was a bit sceptical at first, having never heard of you and fearing that the books might be a misguided attempt to promote hindu extremism or something of the sort. But those doubts were laid to rest as soon as i read the Authors Note in the Prince of Ayodhya

I bought only the first installment in the series wanting to test out the waters before jumping completely in. And as you would know it, i was back within a day to get the next 2 (i simply could not put down the first one and finished it within a day )

I even placed an advance order for the Armies of Hanuman when it cam out and i believe was the first one in Bombay, or maube India perhaps to get a copy from Crossword. I got the book on the 14th and have finished it yesterday

Hence i am writing to you. To tell you how amazing i found your books. I cannot wait for the next one to come out

I love the way you show the change in the charachters of all the protoganists. The slow change of Ram from a kid to a young adult to the Champion of Dharma. The way Lakshman and Ram behave with each other is so real (unlike any portrayal of their relationship i have ever seen) I relate with that relationship completely, having a younger brother myself who i love to bits, though he is not that good with the bow and arrow, but nor am i with the sword for tht matter

I love everything about your book. From the way you portray the war scenes to the way you describe the mental conflicts that the characters go through. I Love the way Supanakha and Ravana banter when she is supposed to give him her life blood to revive him. There is something so real and amusing about that dialogue, to see Ravana the great held hostage by a wily woman.

Truly you have written some of the best books i have ever read. I shall start looking for your other works now that i have finally discovered an Indian writer whom i like so much.

I was hopin to attend the book launch today at Crossword but wont be able to unfortunately. but i do hope to meet you in person one day and tell you in person all the things i said in this mail.

Till then keep writing, for that is what i writer must always do isnt it

Yours Truly

Punit Gandhi, Mumbai

“Excellent work”

Hi Ashok,

Thank you so much for writing the Ramayana series. Thank you for infusing a new life into these characters that are so much a part of my childhood.

When I started reading Book 1, I didnt like it (although it was abosrbing) - because it\’s so different from the Ramayana I have heard and the characters as I have imagined them. My sources of truth for the Ramayan have been my grandparents and my father.

When I read your retelling, frankly, I was shocked! I didnt know what to make of it. I didnt find your book controversial/blasphemous but so different from what I had in mind. I have always loved (my King Lear-ish vision of) Dasharatha and it moves me when he HAS to give into Kaikeyi. However, I didn’t feel much sympathy for your (slightly lecherous) Dasharatha. And your Manthara was WAY too evil.

And there is so much gore. Yet, this is what makes your book special. You have written boldly and with so much passion. Imagination, originality and wonderful writing from you. And the courage to write your own version. The series is amazing and it’s impossible not to like it. I liked your picturization of Sita.

I can’t wait for your Mahabharata series. Do you plan to include the Uttar Ramayan(the Luva-Kusha story) in your Ramayan series? That would be interesting.

My husband, my dad - they all loved your books. Please keep writing. Please don\’t stop with the Mahabharat. There are so many other stories from our myths that you can retell/reinvent for us.

Regards,

Chinmayee, Bangalore, India

“India’s original answer to LoTR - a humble review attempt

Firstly let me be honest i was a skeptic when i first heard about it. I mean come on its Ramayan we are talking about…..who does not know about it. So why should i read it again. I had already seen the Ramanand Sagars over the top histronics on the small screen and the almost or actually very childish rendering in the Amar Chitra Katha. Not to say it was not fun reading it as a kid but honestly a novel about it at almost 10 dollars…you must be kidding.

But i would be eating humble pie very soon as a friend of mine from bangalore put it up as a must read….so i read it, and read it in one sitting.

I cannot put down in words as to how captivating the storytelling is. It has to be cause every young Indian growing up in the 90 knows the story watching the television every Sunday. Its almost like Star Wars 3 revenge of the Sith where every one knows that Anakin goin to the darkside but still its among the top grossing movies of 2005 simply because of its visulisation and presentation. And this is where Ashok Manker hits the homer. From the very chapter of POA he takes us on a surreal journey. He presents a visual picture of Ayodhya which is only limited by the readers imagination.
Now this is one field I surely dont lack in. I began to immagine Ayodhya with its 7 wall defense and in all its glory. Infact so strong were they in my mind that all I wanted to do was to be in Peter Jacksons shoes for i would want to make this into a movie which would put LOTR to shame.

Now that mentioned the Lord of the Rings it is only fair that i do mention that the writing and the story does resemble it in more than one way. The influence of Tolkein is understandable but the shocking or surprising thing is the story line. The dark lord Sauron and Ravan are pretty similar. Their defeat and exile is similar and so is the quest…two mortal trying to achieve the imposible…defeating the immortal. The evil Mordor is also similar to Lanka and so are their beast. The only catch here is that LOTR was written in the 1800 whi;le Ramayan is almost 3500 years old.

Kudos to the author for bringing this ancient myth our very own heritage within reach of individuals not familiar with the hindu concept. I am sure if dealt with correctly it will take our culture and its values to the far reaches of this world and would make every Indian to be proud of being associated with it.

Coming back to the book itself….i am not going to even going to make an attemp at how much more one is able to understand the turmoil or Ram and how he achieved what he did. I am sure other more capable writers then me have already bought this to attention.

I would like to finish by saying that if ever by gods grace i am in a position to make this epic into a movie i would love to do it in the way Ashoks written this book. I hope you continue writing and I shall continue reading and loosing myself in the world come alive by his writing. merci Viveak

Viveak Mathija, Borrego, California

it is a true pleasure to see how a blog can turn into a real communication channel as yours is! I just accidently picked up a copy of your book, longing for “something Asian” to read. I’ve never heard the original story, and never heard of you as well up front, so it was just a wild guess when I picked your book at Periplus in Jakarta. I did not regret the guess! Without the indian background, and not seeing your glossary untill I finished the book, I did what I usually do with books I get hooked on: just keep on reading and reading and don’t stop to wonder what the exact meaning of the next word I don’t understand is. It makes the reading more enjoyable and it makes it easier to read again, and more thoroughly, a while later.

I just hope I can find your second, and third, and fourth book somewhere in Singapore.

Regards,

Martijn and Indri Doekes, Singapore

“Your version of the Ramayana”

I have read the first three books of the Ramayana and have just purchased the 4th book. I am a 35 year old businesswoman and mother of 2 and for a long time been starved of \”good reading\” - quality novels with a good story is very hard to find.

I found the Prince of Ayodhya at the science fiction section of our book store - an area where I really never look for a good read!

I was pregnant at the time with my second daughter. Needless to say, highly dissappointed when our book store did not have the second novel in stock.

Your version has made the Ramayana all come alive and I feel as though I am reading it for the first time. The Ramayana as I have read it (and as was read to me by my grandmother)while growing up has been a little far fetched and I really read it only for the spiritual lessons one must search for…I mean, flying monkeys was a little hard to believe.

The Ramayana is a tale of good over evil - but more so, it is an indication of being in control of our destinies by the choices we make - evil influences are the endless desires we have in a world where having it all is not enough. Sita’s desire for the golden deer is indicative of this “want”…..

Having had a rudimentary understanding of the lessons one should learn from the Ramayana, I now read your book with glee and a new found understanding. You have made the characters in this novel, real; for as I understand them, they were in human form and while they were supreme beings; they must have been faced with the same challenges that other human beings face. This is what is so exciting for me. I still look for the lessons but enjoy getting caught up in the world as you describe it in Sath Yug.

I thank you for writing these novels and for re-inspiring me. Never before have I waited in such anticipation for the next novel. I hope that you have started the next novel already and that once this is completed the Mahabarata is next on your list of books to write - this epic; I have no doubt will keep you thoroughly busy for a long time. I will certainly be one of your fans and eternally grateful for this.

God Bless!!

Urvashi Maganlal, Johannesberg, South Africa