Ajaya is a book, which shows Suyodhana (popularly known as Duryodhana) as a compassionate and righteous hero and Pandavas and Lord Krishna in a negative shade. According to this book what Krishna and Hindu Scriptures called 'Dharma' is nothing but upholding the caste system ruthlessly and the meaning to "Karma" is to stick to the rules of Dharma without application of mind. If you believe in Mahabharatha as commonly known and understood, you may be shocked to read this book, which reverses the roles of Pandavas and Kauravas.However, if you don't 'believe' in the Mythologies and consider those as stories, you would know the other side to the story as well and perhaps stop thinking Krishna as God. A long book of 430 pages. Read this book, if you have time and patience to learn the counter-intuitive and perhaps the full truth of Mahabharatha. Every coin has two sides. Like that there's good and there's bad. Mahabharata was also a rendition of the good prevailing over bad while the good always got a better footage the bad were sidelined because of their heinous nature. The author through this book tries to put forth the story of Kauravas whose tactics were as questionable as Pandavas. The two sides of the same coin. The story unfolding the facts hidden behind plain sight. Mahabharata has been narrated numerous times through various perspectives but never through the eyes of the opposition i.e the Kauravas. The author scores some brownie points for lending a different perspective to the entire epic. The vivid narration and the crystal clear explanations playing a huge part in refreshing the memory of the readers. Some added new characters which have been lost in the sands of time also finding place in the book. The highs and lows of the great Pandavas & Kauravas unfurling in front of the eyes in a majestic manner. The role reversal with Kauravas at helm is a refreshing change. The book lacks a lot in giving a fresh feel to the entire story as the overstretched parts take over the entire melodrama. The new characters getting space but not justifying their existence completely. The feel good factor with the similar events being narrated vanishing gradually and making the book go in circles. Cutting down the content and giving to the point action more space would have done a world of good to the book. The Kauravas perspective doesn't justifies the role reversal in the book. The charm of it vanishes after some time. In the entire book the character's name has been spelt as "Vidhura" which should be "Vidura". All in all it's a mixed attempt in recreating the legendary Mahabharata. While one gets to refresh their souls and minds with the story on the other hand it lacks a definite purpose because of familiarity with the entire chain of events. It provides meaty inclusions but doesn't gives them a stable ground to score over and conquer the eager minds. The book cannot be rubbed off completely with it's sequel in progress but this one's doesn't lives up to the entire hoopla rather succumbing to exaggerated extensions in the story. It's defiant in the making but tries to stand firm on a wobbly ground of familiarity of events. A nice refreshing experience but not up to the mark.
What do You think about Ajaya: Roll Of The Dice (2013)?
First Asura and now Ajaya, Mr Neelkanthan has too much negativity.
—Dylan
Interesting take. Writing was strictly okay.
—navin
