 |
| Asura – Tale of the Vanquished by Anand Neelakantan #BookReview |
Asura – Tale of the Vanquished by Anand Neelakantan is a very different book on the Indian mythological epic, Ramayana. To put in simple words, it is a radical take on our conventional Ramayana. Read it with an open mind and you will be able to appreciate the author’s view.
We have all heard the epic tale of Ramayana. My earliest memories of it are of the Ramayana serial by Ramananda Sagar, which was telecast on Doordarshan. I was a kid then but even then, I knew that Rama was the hero and Ravana was evil personified. This belief is deeply rooted in us Indians. That is why when I read this book Asura by Anand Neelakantan; it took me a while to absorb what I read.
The blurb of the book best describes what the book is all about.
The blurb of the book best describes what the book is all about.
The epic tale of victory and defeat...
The story of the Ramayana had been told innumerable times. The enthralling story of Rama, the incarnation of God, who slew Ravana, the evil demon of darkness, is known to every Indian. And in the pages of history, as always, it is the version told by the victor that lives on. The voice of the vanquished remains lost in silence.
But what if Ravana and his people had a different story to tell? The story of the Ravanayana has never been told. Asura is the epic tale of the vanquished Asura people, a story that has been cherished by the oppressed castes of India for 3000 years. Until now, no Asura has dared to tell the tale. But perhaps the time has come for the dead and the defeated to speak.
