From man to Mahadeva

Debutant novelist Amish Tripathi’s Shiva trilogy is an adventurous tale of an extra ordinary journey of a tribal chief whom the legend turns into a ‘Mahadev’.  Shiva leaves for Meluha as he doesn’t wish to be part of routine inter-tribe tussle. He is the saviour and a ‘hero’ for Meluhans according to their legend of ‘Neelkanth’ who has come to save them from the evil. The trilogy is an account of his journey in search of the real meaning of evil.

Strategically, the author has divided Shiva’s journey into 3 books- The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas and The Oath of the Vayuputras. In the first book, he introduces Meluha which once a proud empire is facing severe perils .They are in search of the legendary hero who would save them. Shiva appears on the scene to be their hero since he has the distinctive blue throat and falls in love with Sati.

 The second book unravels the mystery behind the Nagas and Vasudevas. He hunts for the killer of his beloved friend. The description of numerous battles that are fought and the romantic relation that develops has been given. In the third book, Shiva manages to comprehend the real evil. The Neelkanth wages war against the fiercest of warriors leading the people away from the good, which has become the greatest enemy.

With a simple yet compelling narrative style, the author has been able to connect with the readers. He has contemporised the mythical story in an outstanding manner. The mythological characters have been personified which has made it easier to accept and relish the trilogy more. The characters of an independent and brave Sati, a hooded figure Naga,an intelligent scientist Brahaspati, main puppeteer Maharishi Bhrigu have been framed in a fine manner. The storyline is refreshing .It has drama, mystery, love, adventure and philosophy. Furious action jumps off on one side and soft romantic relation develops on the other. Such is the power of his narration that one finds it difficult to put down the book as it forces you to find out ‘what next’.

Along with an excellent description of the story, the author has been able to send meaningful message across.  Almost every passage holds an enigmatic message which not only unravels the secrets of the soul but also stirs our inner consciousness and initiates the thinking process.

Throughout the journey divided into three books, Amish Tripathi has been able to maintain consistency, good standard and his Midas touch. He has virtually forced us to ponder over the issue of the difference between good and  bad in this materialistic world. He has explained through his work, the difference our decisions make in our lives. Overall, it’s a pleasure to bask in the glory of the great warrior and be part of a magnificent expedition of a person who though initially doubts his ability finally goes on to become the ‘Mahadev’.