Sunday, June 9, 2013

Book Review - Chankya's Chant


The book which i hadn't finished at one go. Even had left reading at one point of time but you know what this one is the one of the best book i had read till date.

I heard about this book long ago but i had no interest in reading history so just avoiding it. 

Then one day one of my friend had discussed it. Actually she was my colleague and also cousin of my best friend. We were discussing novel Life of Pi and suddenly she told me about this novel and i felt like i should read it. Someone has said it right
"You should not judge a book by it's cover"
There is lot more there inside than it's cover. But i must admit that i hadn't read even summary of the novel before that discussion just avoided by hearing name of the book.

I have searched on the internet for the summary and before reading the book i was not knowing much about Chanakya and why only Chanakya ... I hardly know or remember anything about Indian history. Yeah i had read Ramayana, Gita and Mahabharata but that's all. Chandragupt Morya and Chanakya's are just name i have heard in some library books. Indian History and that too, of 2300 years ago, when India was called Bharat. Come on yaar who wants to know how was life back then?

But then i also had read something about parallel story of teacher turned into political master mind and that has exited me. That is my genre and i like to read on it. So I have asked my best buddy to give me that novel and there comes my journey starts with the novel...




This one is the most intuitive and awe-inspiring novel I have read so far. It takes readers in two plots one is of 2300 years ago, the story of the Chanakya who is also known as Kautilya and his king Chandragupta; and the other one is of the modern india, the story of teacher turned into politician Gangasagar Mishra and Chandni Gupta. 

Similarity in both story is that the first story is a fiction revolving around an actual person, Chanakya, who manipulates people with his ruthless strategies; But you know what it is the story of Gangasagar Mishra what makes the book, that it is. And i like it ....It is how, the author has weaved the story of Gangasagar Mishra in the modern day India ...this will make you fall in love with the book even more, and rightfully so, because we relate to the circumstances and the characters better. I mean it's about me i believe that though Gangasagar Mishra did the same thing as Chanakya, which was manipulating people to reach his ultimate goal, there was a huge difference in the way he did it. I can think about the tactics used by Gangasagar Mishra and relate with the story because the circumstances were different, so were their ways to tackle the obstacles and get things done their way. Now how exactly the Chanakya’s strategy is differ from Gangasagar Mishra is for you to find out.I think it's based on perspective of readers I am not giving away any spoilers. Just admitting that Author has given his best to the novel.

That was all about novel now let's talk about style of the author. I must say unique style of the author. I haven't read such kind of novel earlier and after reading other two novel of Amit Sanghi "The Krishna Key" and "Rozaballine" i became fan of the author. I remember that after completing first 150 page of novel at one go i have to take one week break before completing it due to hectic office schedule. And generally i am not big fan of weekend but i was dying to complete week to have the book in my hand one more time to finish it.

One more unique thing about book is the music track the sanskrit Chant. I liked it for Chankya's chant and Loved it for the Krishna key. For all those who are still not sure about giving this book a try or not, watch this YouTube video which would give a clear view of the book’s theme.
 
I have initially thought of giving 4.5 out of 5 but now giving 4 out of 5 cause the next novel of the author The Krishna Key is even better than this one.