For one, ‘Kartikeya, the Destroyer’s son’ by Anuja Chandramouli is an incredibly engaging book, it took me under two days to finish it. The mystique of the eponymous character played its part in keeping me hooked as well as the fluid writing style that is so characteristic of Anuja. Sometimes she reminds me of C. Rajgopalachari, in as much as her renditions of Indian mythological stories are delightful as well as informative. But more than that, her books are self-aware and conscious in the role that they are playing – C. Rajgopalachari was more objective in his approach towards the mythological stories (and tried to be as factual as it is possible while writing about myths). Anuja Chandramouli takes a stand – her repugnance for Indra (well-deserved), strong female characters unafraid to speak their minds, a more balanced approach towards the good and evil of Devas and Asuras. The vastness of Indian mythology, its multiple take on the genesis of characters, different and varied interpretation of good and evil, the folklores and stories, songs and literature, the parallels and multitudes – out of all that it possible, she chose this singular narrative, she wins my admiration for that.
For a long time, I wished to read about Kartikeya. His life is not as well-documented as that of his more famous brother, and I knew next to nothing about him except for the fact that he is the elder son of Shiva and Parvati (in some narratives, he is even thought to be the younger son!). So, when I was approached to do a review for this book, I grabbed the opportunity with both my hands. I was treading on unchartered territory, and that was a new experience for me (as I had read multiple renditions of Mahabharata and Ramayana, and its various characters). So, I was mentally storing all the factoids in my mind as I went along reading this book, for future reference when I come across a book with quite a different take on Kartikeya and gain perspective and depth about him.
And hence, I was a tad bit disappointed when it ended abruptly. How can it be, that one spectacular showdown between the God of War and the asuras that plagued the Earth was the only highlight of Kartikeya’s life? And even that highlight was rushed through. From the very start the book was preparing itself for that showdown, and when it finally arrived – it was anticlimactic. Even the end was far from a satisfying conclusion. I wanted more, and had to settle for less!
Maybe, there isn’t enough material in Indian folklore on Kartikeya to write about. But I doubt it. ‘Kartikeya, the Destroyer’s son’ is a remarkable book, that it whets your appetite for more!
Alienman 