THE IMMORTALS OF MELUHA

When I picked up this book,I was very hesitant.In fact,when I was browsing for books in the book store the owner waved it in my face and said it was a new arrival and selling fast. It was fresh in the store at that time.I looked at it skeptically.I'm always wary when someone tries to sell me something and according to principle never buy it.So I went home with something else that day.



A few months later a friend told me that she loved this book and I was somehow compelled to give it another look.This time I picked it up and bought it home.However I didn't read it instantly.After all it was mythology and I did not anticipate it would go down that well with me.The only reason apart from the friend luring me to pick up the book was that I had liked Chitra Divakaruni's 'The palace of illusions' which was the story of Mahabharata retold from Draupadi's viewpoint.That had changed my perception of mythological books a little so I went ahead with this one.



So after lying on my shelf for a couple of months I picked it up ,read a few pages and put it down.Then time went by and one day It caught my eye again gathering dust on my bedside and this time I decided to give it another shot and was I surprised to find myself engrossed in it after the initial chapters?!



I liked this book because it is very simple in its content.It kind of simplifies everything we had read about Lord Shiva and accepted unquestioningly.The premise is based on the simple point that Shiva is a tibetan ,a mortal like everyone else and achieves God like status because of his extraordinary qualities.He is immortalized because he shows us how good can triumph over evil.There is a host of wonderful characters as the story builds its pace.It takes us back to the era of the Indus Valley Civilization and the reading is totally believable.At one point you begin to think that this might actually be true.It subtly tells us that good and evil are present in everyone and its just a matter of perception.It speaks from the point of both the Suryavanshis, supposedly people from Meluha and the Chandravanshis.It tells us about how Shiva is invited to the land of Meluha by Daksha the king who has deep faith that he will save them from all that is evil.It tells us about Sati,a strong charactered woman who is the kings daughter and later as we all know Shiva's consort.It tells us about Shivas predicament after the great war is over.It is a well weaved story and I was glad I had finally read it.It wasn't one of those I was going to forget.A good read.



This book is the first in a trilogy.The sequel is out already and is called The Secret of the Nagas!

NOTE:This book was read and reviewed just after its release and posted on this blog on a later date.