YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS! BE PREPARED TO HAVE YOUR MIND BLOWN TO ITTY BITTY BITS!

You are not going to believe this but it is time to share a few more reviews with you, dear long suffering reader of mine! And if you feel a tad ill -used and cheated because of the somewhat misleading title which promised something unbelievably exciting but may not have exactly delivered don't blame me. Hyper - enthusiastic facebook users who insist on bombarding me with links that supposedly hold the key to a newly
discovered cornucopia brimming over with amazing adventure, poignant sentiment and cloying cuteness which I am apparently bound by the code of social networking to share (or else...) only to leave me stupefied by the sight of a cute baby having its bum washed and powdered by the daddy (gasp!)  are responsible for the inspiration behind that blinder of a header!

Anyways here are the reviews I mentioned. Some are kind and some less so but I love all my reviewers equally. If the above declaration brought out your inner sceptic, I welcome you to examine my nose it
remains the cute button it always was and has not shot out like Pinocchio's extremely revealing one :)

Without further ado (drum roll please!) I present the most recent reviews for Kamadeva: The God of Desire:

Uma Meenakshi on Flipkart: (She has given it 4 stars)

What I liked about the book is that characters are realistically portrayed in different shades of grey, which makes them easier to connect with. They’re also relevant to the present, even though they are mythological characters - Rati reborn as Maya had me nodding in agreement with her thought provoking feminist dialogues, the Rukmini-Maya mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship had me smiling and was something I could relate to, and the portrayal of Shambara the Asura was such that I ended up liking him more than Kama/Pradyumna. Beats me why Maya left him for Pradyumna!

Anuja has grown a lot as a writer. If Arjuna, her first book was a commendable effort, her modern day portrayal of Kamadeva is an excellent read that puts her right up there with the most promising of upcoming writers. 

You can read the rest of it here.
Balaji Sundarrajan on Goodreads (4 stars :) ):
i think the author has done a magnificent job in making this a gripping tale. anuja's command over the language helps her in maintaining the pace of the book and she manages to make even routine things sound extraordinarily interesting. the opening chapter involving the creation of kamadeva and the consequent events, is a masterpiece in my opinion. i also admired and enjoyed the chapter where the discussion about the battle of sexes & sharing of power, takes place between indra & rati. on the whole a bold & brilliant initiative. 

You can read the rest of the review here.

Blogger Itisha Niranjan Baxi of Bookish gives it 3 stars:

This book by Anuja Chandramouli (click here for a review of this author’sArjuna) is an interesting read, as it flows through time and events in the Hindu mythology with immense ease.

The book starts with the birth of Kamadeva by the sweat of Bhramha, induced by the overwhelming seduction he feels by an extraordinarily beautiful woman of his own creation – Rati. Rati is sensuous, fierce and of indomitable spirit, whereas Kama has a mellow demeanor, an incomparable charm and a calm and composed mind. A lot of other popular Devas make their appearance throughout the book, but the limelight never shifts from the protagonist duo.

For a novice in Hindu mythology, this book is a good read as it puts forth the story in a mellifluous manner.

You can read the rest here

FEMINA and I!!!!

It was quite exciting to see myself as one of the Faces of the Femina, October 13th issue, it must be admitted! They are carrying one of my short stories which has quite a long story behind it with a little author bio at the end. It has been quite the heart-warming experience with friends and relatives messaging congrats and liking it on Facebook etc.

As for the long story, my short story was originally entered in a national level short story writing competition. The top three would be given cash prizes and a few more stories deemed meritorious by the judges would be included in an anthology with the winners. There would be an event to release the book and you would get to bask in the unalloyed joy of being a published writer. I wanted the win, so bad, it made me positively reek of desperation which stinks far worse than particularly rank BO.

Unfortunately, my little minnow of a short story did not make the cut, and the loss was hard to bear especially since treacherous hope had ballooned out of all proportion to reason, after it was announced that the first round had been successfully cleared. As a consolation prize, I was told my story would be included in the anthology.

In the meantime, I had defiantly entered it in another competition which would see behemoths from a few more continents. Sometimes faith is even more foolish than hope and using the unassailable logic that my minnow had what it took to swim with the sharks, this struggling writer whose career had few things brag worthy and a whole lot, cringe worthy, made the choice to turn down the chance to have her story included in the anthology and opted instead to go for the win on an even bigger arena. Needless to say my minnow was swallowed up whole leaving me feel like a gambler who had lost way more than could be afforded.

As it turned out soul - crushing disappointment functioned as a great motivator having quashed my earlier dream of being the O Henry of my generation but not my tendency to gamble when it makes very little sense to do so. Deciding to go for broke, I started on my first novel and long story short,  now my official bio says that I am the author of Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior - Prince and Kamadeva: The God of Desire. (By the way, I am aware that it is hugely annoying to get into self - laudatory mode but at some point I'll get into self - bashing mode and then you will be hard - pressed to say which me is more annoying :) )

So much is owed to the humble little story that none of the judges liked as much as I did. Be that as it may, I am delighted to share my tale of marital discord with the readers of Femina, thanks to the discerning editors of this esteemed publication. (For the record, I did not threaten to kill myself if they refused to publish my beloved creation) Hope they love it more than those darned judges :) 

An Interview for New Asian Writing (Online Asian Literary Community) plus an Exciting Bonus!

Anuja Chandramouli is the author of Kamadeva: The God of Desire. Her first book Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava was named by Amazon India as one of the top 5 books in Indian writing for the year 2013. Contact her here.

NAW- Tell us about your book, Kamadeva. How did you get the idea for it? What is it about?

Kamadeva: The God of Desire is about one of the most enigmatic and misunderstood characters in Hindu mythology. I have lost track of the number of ribald jokes that people have taken to regaling me with, having been told that my second book is based on Kama. Many assume that I have done my take on the Kamasutra and wish to know if there are illustrations. Seriously though, my book seeks to take the reader on a ride that begins with Kama’s origins and follows the intimate contours of the tumultuous journeys he was destined to undertake – the tremendous bond of love he shared with his consort (Rati), his love affairs, the dangerous missions he performed for the Gods, his invaluable contributions to the amorous arts, the premature death that was his fate, his rebirth and what happens after.

You can read the rest right here.

And now for the best part, the icing on the cake, the fantabulous bonus you have been dreaming about etc. etc.. Find an excerpt of Kamadeva: The God of Desire right here.

This reviewer has some lovely words for Kama and moi!

Flipkart has a 4, 8 rating for Kamadeva: The God of Desire. Blogger Purnendu Chatterjee gives it 4.5! How awesome is that!

This book tells the story of Kama and about all those incidents and characters which we have never heard of. The readers will fall in love with the witty and compelling narrating style. A perfect blend of history and imagination.

You can read the rest of the review right here

Anuradha Goyal gives Kama a Wonderful Review!

Life is beautiful when the universe lets you know in its inimitably subtle manner that balance is the real God and the mystical rhythms that govern all in existence work tirelessly to even things out. This morning Kamadeva: The God of Desire received its first unabashed bashing on Goodreads. What was worse was that this particular critic added that he hardly ever gives negative reviews.I considered dissolving in tears but decided to be a man in the manner indicated by Rudyard Kipling - "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster/ and treat those two imposters just the same", suck it up and take it on the chin. (If you are feeling perverse do check out the review right here.
Aside from stress eating and stuffing my face with biriyani and ice cream cake, I thought this particular author had behaved with suitable maturity. Almost as if the higher powers that be wished to reward my behaviour  for refraining from hunting down the critic and forcing him to love my book at gunpoint (Don't worry, I was planning to use my nephew's realistic toy gun), a Twitter search coughed up a wonderful review for Kamadeva: The God of Desire by Anuradha Goyal, author of The Mouse Charmers, blogger and travel writer. Now, I am all smiles and wondering if there is any ice cream cake left to celebrate the balance that has been returned to my world :) Yay!


Here are some of the finer points of her review: "Anuja has picked all the episodes in Puranas and Itinhaas where Kamadeva made an appearance and weaved it into a lovely story. 
I have read author’s earlier book Arjuna as well, and I think she has grown as a writer manifold. The language is smooth and it flows through the narrative – especially when there are long dialogues and never ending debates between various characters.
I enjoyed reading the book. If you like Indian mythology and the God of Desire tickles your curiosity – read it." 

You can read the entire review here.

THE ONE THING YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT contest!

Hey ppl! Do check out THE ONE THING YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT contest and win a signed copy of Kamadeva: The God of Desire!
There must be something in your life without which you absolutely cannot live. What is it? Send us a photo of that special something you simply cannot do without with a brief description of why you feel that way in the comments section. CHeck out this link on Facebook and be sure to participate and share with your friends: THE ONE THING YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT contest

Blogger Sruti Nayani's interview avec moi!

‘Kamadeva - The God of Desire’ was an excellent read, partly due to the fact that I had not read enough of Kama and Rati. Anuja Chandrmouli seemed to come along and pick out my favourite comic books (as in ACK) and just make it her job to write them into a proper story.

There is nothing more I could ask for than this. So, you could read My Review of it and also read Anuja Chandramouli's take on the whys and hows of it...

 

Could you describe the journey of ‘Kamadeva - The God of Desire’? How did it begin? What kind of research was put into it?

This particular journey has been absolutely exhilarating to say the least! I was wrestling with a wicked bout of writer’s block after my first book, ‘Arjuna : Saga of a Pandava Warrior Prince’ and it was around that time, I succumbed to the charm and seductive lure of Kama. Before I knew it, a happy obsession with the enigmatic wielder of the Sugarcane bow and flower - tipped arrows took over my life.

Not that I am complaining. His is a fascinating story and it was a wonderful experience to gather together every precious nugget of information pertaining to him by scouring the familiar and happy hunting ground that is the wondrous world of Indian mythology.

It was even more fun to fill in the initially frustrating gaps in the narrative which no amount of research could plug with my imagination and educated guesses! So, in my book you will find that fact (if you can consider recorded myths as such!) and fiction blend harmoniously to create what one of my favourite writers – Kalki (of Ponniyin Selvan fame) referred to as faction!

You can read the rest of it here.

Blogger Sruti Nayani's Review of Kamadeva: The God of Desire

Anuja Chandramouli’s latest offering is quite different from the previous ‘Arjuna - Saga of a Pandava Warrior Prince’. I did think Arjuna reminded me of the Amar Chitra Katha version of the  ‘Mahabharata’, but that is where ‘Kamadeva - The God of Desire' is different. I remember reading enough Kamadeva in ACK but I do not think it ever carried a version, such as this.

Kudos to Chandramouli for the way, in which she describes the story, with an all new taste of wit and laughter.

You can read the rest of the review here.

Book Review: The Lives of Others by Neel Mukherjee

Neel Mukherjee’s Man Booker shortlisted, The Lives of Others is a study in skeletons. Those bony frameworks that support the human organism grinning all the while, irritatingly smug about the knowledge they have accreted about the terrifying things that lurk beyond the grave from rotting flesh and squirming maggots to the solitary journey of the soul along an unlit passage. Mukherjee concerns himself particularly with those skeletons that have been banished to the deep recesses of the closet by the Ghoshes, as bourgeois a family as they come, where the sceptre of the painful secrets they harbour need not pose a threat to the living who would rather concern themselves with the fripperies and fopperies of a superficial existence. If that were not ambitious in itself, he also ferrets out the bony remnants of the corpses that a nation released from the iron grip of the British Empire has made it a habit to relegate to the hidden chamber of wilful ignorance by slavishly catering to the demands of the very rich at the expense of those who languish below the poverty line.

            Three generations of Ghoshes live together in a four – storey house in South Calcutta feeding off the short – lived prosperity that was made possible by the patriarch, Prafullanath who built his business empire on the foundation of great personal loss, its subsequent pain and a ruthless desire to get ahead at all costs even if it meant hoodwinking a grieving widow or riding roughshod over those weaker than him. Evil omens stalk the family that is already splintering from within as the Ghosh siblings, daughters – in – law and children endlessly slug it out, incessantly jockeying for a bigger share of the family assets and increased leverage in their airless corner of the world, causing the old man to remark morosely, “I feel I have just been a conducting pipe between the bad in the past and the bad in the future.”

            Even as his family remains locked in their infernal squabbling, neck-deep in the juices of base inequities such as incestuous bonds, substance abuse, the relentless pursuit of taboo pleasure, furtive practices of forbidden sexual peccadilloes, and casual cruelty, Supratik, a young college student with his head well and truly turned by misguided idealism supplemented by his obstinate impracticality leaves home hoping to change the world by redressing the wrongs meted out to the have-nots using brute force and bloody insurrection if need be.

            Mukherjee strips his colourful array of diverse characters to the bare bones affording his readers a voyeuristic glimpse into the intimate secrets contained therein triggering shock, amazement and often, shame. For, he extends the same unflinching treatment to a country that has gone mad with greed, divesting it off the layers of hypocrisy and pretentiousness which continue to cloak it, long after the fictional events this novel chronicles from the 1960s, even as the rift widens increasingly between those who are insulated by extreme wealth and the rest who are left out in the cold. None can remain untouched by guilt for having contributed in infinitesimal ways to the class divide that has made victims out of too many to count, trapped in the knowledge “that the world is as it is, and knocking your head against its hard shell is only going to break you, not dent the world.”

            The narrative forges ahead into the thorny terrain that Supratik has chosen to traverse, to the assorted variables that led to the rise of the Maoist Naxalite guerrillas, taking the time to meander into the heart of the turmoil that is always rocking this particular household throwing into sharp focus, their petty foibles that mirrors the rot in the society that birthed them. As Supratik and his family hurtle towards their fate, melodrama rears its head and saturates the proceedings with a curious mixture of horror and disbelief, striking a few discordant notes regarding the logic underlying some of the pre - climactic events that see the inexplicable return of the prodigal son who is a wanted man bringing predictable disaster in his wake. This aside the intense action culminates in an explosive finale that will leave a chill in the heart which will not be easily dispelled.

An edited version of this review appeared in the New Indian Express, which you can check out here. 

My Interview!

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

Even as a little girl, I used to have a certain knack for storytelling. My grandmother would make me tell the tale of Krishna and his defeat of the evil Kamsa to every single one of her guests and I would always get a big round of applause and a whole lot of oohs and aahs. Later at school, my friends and classmates would beg me for stories. It gave me a kick to put up a big fuss but eventually I’d give in and secretly I’d be very flattered when a big group gathered around for my little tales. Around that time, I won prizes for essay writing and the teachers used to read out samples of my writing to my classmates as well as the seniors and for the first time, I realized that this was something I could actually do well without screwing up too badly. 

That was the beginning and I guess, it was in the cards that my life would be devoted to writing and telling stories. 

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

After the release of my first book Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior Prince, I went through a bit of a dry spell, creatively speaking. Was working on a horror story hoping to become India’s answer to Stephen King, but my efforts came to naught and I was going bonkers. My publishers approached me at the time and we tossed around a few ideas for my next book. We shortlisted Parashurama and Kama and for some strange reason, I was really drawn to the latter. Perhaps, he struck me with one of his arrows... all I know is that I became quite obsessed with Kama. It has been an amazing experience getting closer to him and writing down his story. 

You can read the rest here.

Great review on Kamadeva: The God of Desire in the New Indian Express!

Kama is deva, a god, but he hardly gets his due anymore. Agni, Vayu, Indra are all invoked with mantras on some earthly business or the other, but Kama’s name is uttered furtively and then greeted with titters. He is one half of a modern byword for pornography: Kamasutra. It is just as the god, in Anuja Chandramouli’s Kamadeva: The God of Desire, tells his stepmother, the goddess Saraswati: “It is highly unlikely that in future people will build temples in my honour or compose beautiful songs for me. I will be lucky if I am remembered enough to be featured prominently in pornographic material; worse still is the distinct possibility that the god, Kama, will be lampooned as the divine pimp!”

Anuja does not go into the ‘why’ of Kama’s fall. That is known to be an outcome of long colonial rule, for Khajuraho and countless other temples across the country testify that Kama’s business was sacred enough to grace their walls till a few hundred years ago. Victorian prudery knocked this minor god off his pedestal, but ironically, the influence he lost in India is now strongly visible in the West.

What The God of Desire does, without trying too hard, is it strips all the accumulated innuendo and salacity that have wrapped Kama over the past couple of hundred years, and shows him in many shades of grey (no pun intended). He is sensitive, sensuous, beautiful, thoughtful and even righteous.

There’s never a dull page in this history of Kamadeva...You can read the rest here.

Book Review: We are all Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler

Twists are a tricky business. They can make or break an artiste as Manoj Night Shyamlan will ruefully attest to. Fowler takes quite the risk with her shocler which is revealed 77 pages into her gripping tale, in the Man Booker shortlisted, We are all Completely Beside Ourselves. As far as these things go, hers is quite clever not to mention “irritatingly coy” and feels more than a little ludicrous. On the strength of it one tends to become a tad dismissive about the weighty themes the writer had hitherto been grappling with using a deceptively deft touch and surreptitiously clever writing that draws up dread – inducing visions of the smoking ruins of a family that once included loving parents and three siblings, two of whom are gone possibly never to return.

            Then a miracle occurs and ever so gently, Fowler weaves her intricate spell pulling the unsuspecting reader into the heart of her wondrous story, filling them with empathy and getting them invested emotionally with every one of her characters irrespective of whether they are human or not. Case in point is a marionette we get to know as Madame Defarge and whom Rosemary Cooke, the narrator/protagonist tries unsuccessfully to protect only to wind up losing her the way she has too many of her loved ones.

            Rosemary is reeling from a double blow - the loss of Fern, the twin sister who has been taken away from her and whose departure she might well have brought about in the extreme throes of sibling rivalry and Lowell, the runaway brother, she adores, now embarked on a self – destructive path of no return and who with the inexplicable cruelty of the very young may have held her responsible for the spectacular disintegration of their family. As always, Rosemary is inclined to agree with her beloved sibling and for the longest time she runs from her past as though it were a hound from hell out to get her, armouring herself in denial until the day she realizes that her very future is imperilled because of her inability to confront the ghosts from her unorthodox childhood that refuse to die.

In a bid to make amends and to absolve herself of the debilitating guilt that has long enslaved her, Rosemary begins a meandering journey through the dangerously slippery slope that is memory, piecing together pieces of her life that are too painful to be borne even as the phantasmagorical wisps of clues dredged up from her tormented psyche play hide and seek with her, concealing, misleading and tricking her outright into a false sense of security before pulling her down under and leaving her breathless with misery.

            Funny in parts but mostly heart – rending, Fowler draws attention to the ethical obligation that science and scientists owe species ranked lower on the food chain than the homo sapiens, in their often ruthless quest to alleviate the suffering of the latter be it from illness or their frustrated attempts to zero in on the perfect moisturizer or lipstick. Sterile labs that carry out their secret experiments have seldom taken on a more sinister cast. Needless to say the author is far more effective than animal rights activists with their penchant for featuring topless celebrities in order to induce people to curb cruelty towards our four – legged and feathered brethren. In fact, readers will undoubtedly experience an unexpected pang of guilt, the next time a filthy rodent crosses their path and be warned that a fun - filled trip to the zoo, especially the monkey enclosure is likely to bring on a fit of hysterics.

            Rosemary Cooke is a wonderful narrator with a disconcerting but delightful habit of engaging her audience directly - “My father made a crude joke... If the joke were witty, I’d include it, but it wasn’t. You’d think less of him and thinking less of him is my job not yours.” as she bares her soul with exhibitionist and gay abandon provoking laughter and tears in equal measure. With her intimate reveal of fractured relationships and scientific experiments gone hopelessly haywire, this moral comedy is a harrowing hoot and a half. 

An edited version of this originally appeared in the New Indian Express. You can read it here.

Finding the Love in an Arranged Marriage

It is anathema to many that arranged marriages continue to prevail and even flourish in these increasingly progressive times. Somehow it comes across as anachronistic and unromantic at exactly the same time. Parents playing matchmaker and selecting a spouse for their son or daughter harkens back to an era which those living in this age would envision as  something out of a period film where people swath themselves in yards of unnecessary fabric most unfashionably and with the docility of doormats allow themselves to be married to someone they had never even met let alone spoken to and probably made love in the dark at the auspicious hour appointed by their elders as per the tenets of the draconian laws framed by those from an even more remote timeframe.

            The marriage websites that have mushroomed across the murky wetland of the internet provide a lot of fodder for derisive laughter on account of the fact that a vast majority of the users whose predominant criteria  regarding the hunt for their better half appears to be to find themselves someone who is either fairer than the moon or wealthier than an oil sheik which of course lends support to the argument that an arranged marriage is a superficial, cold and business like arrangement bereft of the tender emotions that are needed to make a marriage really sing.

            Naysayers would also scoff at the findings showing that the divorce rates are less among those who have opted for an arranged marriage compared to the many love marriages that crash and burn on account of waning passions, insisting that the statistics are misleading because the doormats and coldly calculative types in such marriages will carry on with the arrangement irrespective of whether they are happy or unhappy simply because they do not have the guts to walk out or because the reason they walked into this unsatisfactory partnership in the first place still holds.

            However, there is the possibility however farfetched and ludicrous it may sound in this day and age that the foundation on which this creaking dinosaur of an institution was built may not be entirely unsound. Aside from the fact that it remains standing despite repeated condemnation, recent studies have led to experts concluding that lasting affection is more likely to be found in arranged matches than marriage bonds forged in the heat of passion.

This is mostly because those in arranged marriages tend to work harder on nurturing what they feel for each other till it blossoms into love over a period of time. Having made a commitment after careful consideration of compatibility either of their own accord or owing to the efforts of their family members, these couples are more willing to wade together past the rocky patches till they reach the Elysian fields of nuptial bliss.

On the other hand, those who marry for love tend to be so caught up in the heat of their romance that they forget that flames no matter how fiercely they burn eventually dissipate leaving nothing but cold disappointment behind. Unable to recapture the addictive highs of the heady romance that marked their early days together, the couple feel there is no reason to hang on to a relationship where the glowing embers are dying past the hope of rekindling. Consequently, rigid conservatives are quick to pounce on this unsavoury little aspect of romantic love and have pronounced it the predominant cause of promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases, burgeoning divorce rates and the spike in sex – related crimes.

Those inclined to sit on the fence regarding this question which is almost as ancient as the venerable institution of marriage depending on the natural bent of their minds will say that a marriage is a marriage irrespective of the reasons involved and there is always romance when two souls are joined together in holy matrimony or alternatively, that marriage irrespective of the causative factors is availed off solely by those with dangerously low IQ levels.

Both viewpoints make sense. Who amongst us can listen to charming tales from elders in the family about the first time they met their spouse even if it was in a room full of stiff – backed relatives and not feel warm and fuzzy seeing the gentle glow on their features? Of course, barring serial killers and rabid members of the moral police squad none can remain untouched by lovers, lost to all but each other and refrain from rooting for a fairy tale finish to their romance.

That being said though, it is hard not to feel cynical about love and marriage, when the papers are full of horror stories about women being tortured and killed over dowry – related issues, honour killings that see lovers ruthlessly hunted down and butchered or entire communities burnt down because two youngsters dared to fall in love ignoring traditional dictates favouring same – caste unions, one wonders if love and marriage both ought not to be relegated to the trash heap and left there to fester and rot.

However since that is neither here nor there, we may sum up the issue by acknowledging that true love is rare and Kama’s arrows bearing the gift of love at their tip strike only a chosen few. It is foolhardy to chase after it hoping to be taken soaring across the heavens for a gentle landing on the summit of happiness when in reality such a quest is far more likely to see the reckless voyager plummet into the depths of tragedy. That does not mean the vast majority has to settle for a loveless existence, especially since there is always arranged marriage with its promise of the ecstasies contained within - love, sex, passion, desire, romance and companionship, all dealt out in limited doses of course as a reward to those who persevere, steadfast in their belief that love triumphs over all, even the limitations of an arbitrary God of Desire and outdated institutions. 

An edited version of this article is available at Indiabookstore.net which you can access here. 

Book Review: The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

World War II may just be the most unsightly stain on the dark and messy tapestry that is the history of this world, but it has since then sought to redeem itself by serving as a redoubtable muse and consistently yielding works of art that vary in quality, ranging from literature and movies of the highest grade to the occasional dud which can only be described as torture porn.

Given the voluminous tomes and the many films that most have already waded through, horrified and shocked senseless by the atrocities documented of a time when mankind seemed hell bent on plumbing the furthest depths of evil, it is safe to say that the majority have grown benumbed to the terrible tragedy of that awful war. Richard Flanagan comes along with his sixth novel and suddenly the horror is real all over again. The bone-jarring visceral imagery he conjures up of the immense suffering endured by too-many-to-count will be burnt into the brain forevermore where the memory of lost souls who died senselessly for no discernible cause will haunt the living in the futile hope that all will learn the lessons offered by a tragic and too easily forgotten past.

Flanagan’s epic is about Dorrigo Evans, an Australian doctor, who is not only doomed to suffer an unlucky romance but also finds himself in charge of a group of POWs who have been condemned to serve on the ‘Line’—the construction of the Thailand-Burma Death Railway dreamed up by a desperate Japanese Empire and given its impetus by the infallible logic of war. The 77-year-old Dr Evans is haunted in equal measure by his ‘cobbers’ who he “held, nursed, cajoled, begged, hoodwinked and organised into surviving” but who insisted on dying anyway and the memory of his overwrought love affair with his uncle’s young wife which nudges him along a tortuous path of private emptiness which he seeks to plug with a string of meaningless affairs and public honours that he grows to loathe.

You can read the rest here.

THE WOMEN IN KAMADEVA's LIFE!

The general assumption about Kamadeva, the God of Desire would be that given his extraordinary good looks and remarkable powers he would be an Eastern Lothario or Casonova with the well - deserved reputation for going through women like they were potato chips. Kama was far too sensitive to be a heart breaker though. The women in his life, barring one noteworthy exception were truly fortunate for he really was the perfect man, who was the best of lovers and friends.

Rati was the great love of his life and beloved consort.The two of them had what most people can only fantasize about or experience vicariously through the overwrought prose of romance novels. He did not bind her to his will and she did not try to keep him chained to her affection. They knew how to give each other space even if they were never in each other’s face. In short they were the perfect couple and while they had each other neither wanted for anything. In fact, though I find most so - called cute couples nauseating, I adore these two and they are my favourites by far. 

However, a strange combination of events led to his marrying the Princess Karnotpala who found a way to do the impossible and regain her lost youth in order to be worthy of him! Isn't that interesting ladies? For those out there who don't fancy plastic surgery, a brutal diet and workout regime, the twin evils of botox and liposuction, or spending their life's saving in overpriced salons who would give an arm and leg to know her secret, all I can say is you need to pre - order the book pronto. Although be warned, Karnotpala's journey to regain her looks was quite the ordeal, requiring oodles of hard work, patience, fortitude, discipline and even more hard work, hardly suited to those of us who want everything instantly if not sooner. 


Wondrous though the tale of Karnotpala and Kama, the factors that led to him coveting Purnakala, the wife of a curmudgeonly sage, were even more bizarre. It sparked off a tragedy of such epic proportions that even his wives were too sad to be mad at him for his philandering. 

There is more of course, but you'll have to wait for Kamadeva: The God of Desire out in stores this month. I can hardly wait. In the meantime, do check out the awesome new book trailer for Kama right here.

A GIFT FROM MY FAIRY GODMOTHER!

Ok get this... It all started with Ashwin Sanghi whom I admire something fierce. Not only is he super smart and talented but he is a wonderful human being with a big heart. How can you not adore someone who has this to say about your book?

I am digressing, so as his follower on twitter, I came to know about the kickass trailers he puts up on Youtube for all his books. Now for publishers, Sanghi is the holy grail because his genius for writing is matched by an equivalent brilliance in marketing. Compare this with yours truly. I am what you call a hopeless introvert of the wallflower variety. My biggest regret is that I am not half - chameleon with the superhuman ability to merge into my surroundings. In fact, one of the reasons this profession endeared itself to me, was the fact that it allows me to work in the privacy of my room with my oldest and most comfy pjs, without having to interact with the rest of the homo sapien species. 

However, as a writer, I want to be read. Desperately so. In fact you won't hear me complain about the screaming fans who mob me when I step out of the house to do something normal like scarf down a samosa mix or an ice cream, to get my autograph on their copy of Kama or Arjuna or both, when that daydream becomes a reality (Cross my heart!) But this need to be the rock star of the literary world seems to be at odds with the aforementioned introverted personality I wrote about. I become afflicted with a case of acute embarrassment when called upon to aggressively promote my book by inundating friends and followers on Twitter, FB and my blog with whom I barely interact otherwise, barring the times I raise my overused index finger to like their latest photos. Now Dhanush did not knock on doors begging people to listen to Kolaveri Di, but that did not stop the track from going viral right? That is exactly what I want for my Kama. Where is a fairy Godmother when you need her to come up with a spiffy promo campaign for your book?
These are the things, I keep harping about with the lovely folks who constitute my inner circle, till I suspect they want to gag me. Anyway, one among them who wishes to remain unnamed not only listened patiently while I bitched endlessly about how unreasonably expensive it is to put up a book trailer like Ashwin Sanghi but came up with this awesome book preview for my Kama which you can watch here and share with your friends to help my book shatter records! Enjoy!
As for my fairy Godmother and guardian angel (who might prefer knight in shining armour), a million thanks for the incredible labour of love. Steven Spielberg and James Cameron could not have done better :)

New Banner for Kama Courtesy of Hubby :)

Be the first to read it!!!

Hi guys! Come fall in love with Kamadeva this month! Super excited  
Available for preorder at:

Flipkart: 
http://www.flipkart.com/kamadeva-god-desire-english/p/itmdxt226ju9dbgu?pid=9788129134592&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=Kamadeva+The+God+Of+Desire&ref=a42cc9be-15cc-4a45-b34a-7b3d01da8079

HomeShop18:
http://www.homeshop18.com/kamadeva-god-desire/author:anuja-chandramouli/isbn:9788129134592/books/fiction/product:32363201/cid:11446/?pos=1

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.in/Kamadeva-God-Desire-Anuja-Chandramouli/dp/8129134594/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406885611&sr=8-2&keywords=Kamadeva+The+God+Of+Desire

The BLURB!

Available for pre-order on Flipkart, Homeshop18 and IndiaBookStore.

Best Selling Authors - Ashwin Sanghi and Anand Neelakantan on my Kamadeva!

I am so grateful to Ashwin and Anand - Giants in the Indian Literary space who have been so wonderfully kind and encouraging ! Both of them are so large - hearted and an inspiration to me. Wish them even more success in the years to come and here's hoping that someday, I am mentioned in the same breath as either of them!

For all those lovely readers out there who would like to get their hands on a copy of Kamadeva: The God of Desire (Ahem... I am told it is the most exciting book of the year :) ), it is available here. at a special early bird price! Place your orders now! Whoo hoo!

FIRST LOOK: KAMADEVA, THE GOD OF DESIRE

Finally! It is that time of the year when 'my book' (you never get tired of saying it!!) is gearing up for release! Kamadeva: The God of Desire will be hitting the stands soon, and it will be available for pre - order later this month. I am so giddy with excitement that I am confusing myself with a ball bouncing off the walls in a pinball machine.
It has been a fun ride and I simply cannot wait for all of you to read it. Initially, I knew little about the God of Desire beyond the fact that he was incinerated by Shiva and later reborn as Krishna's son, Pradyumna. This book was a great opportunity to get to know him better. Kama is an awesome fella and he is funny, sweet, sexy and kind. There is so much more to him than the obvious. Hope you guys also come to love him as much as I do.
The cover has come out great! Big thanks to my publishers, Rupa Publications.

HUGE THANKS TO ALL MY READERS!

My first book, Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior Prince was released in January, 2013. Currently, I am working hard with the editorial team at Rupa Publications and we are gearing up for the release of my second book which is about Kama, the God of Desire (Forgive me for the shameless plug :) ). It has been almost a year and a half since Arjuna hit the stands and I still get the occasional email from readers with glowing feedback or constructive criticism and suggestions for my next book. Being an introvert, who is yet to outgrow the stranger anxiety first evinced as a toddler, I am not all that great at getting along with people and my best friend remains unchanged - a good book. And yet, as a writer there is nothing I love more than a response from rank strangers who took the time out from their busy lives to drop a line to share their thoughts on my offering. Heck, even those who put up posts or reviews on their blogs or flipkart to opine that I sucked leave me strangely moved!

This post, as you may have surmised from the title is to thank every single one of my readers, whether they loved or hated Arjuna, mailed me their feelings about it or not, posted reviews raving about it or ripping it to itty bitty shreds. You guys are responsible for the warm, tingly feeling I get every time, you have reached out to me. A MILLION THANKS!

Unforunately, I cannot put up all the wonderful emails I have received here, so thought I'll share the last two emails I got:

Hi Ma'm,

I just finished your book Arjuna just now... and I thought it to be an absolutely necessity on my part to congratulate you on the so very vividly detailed book that you have conjured.

I work in a software giant and despite all the work pressure, this book was finished in two days flat. 

To follow up on the basic purpose of this email (apart from being just a congratulatory one), do you plan to write a similar book on Karna as well? 

I mean in page 236, you described him as a lynchpin, I would absolutely love to read something from your side which raises Karna to proportions as epic as Arjuna.

Regards,

Soham Chaudhuri

Madam,

I have just finished reading your book "Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior Prince". Well, i just could not resist the opportunity to say Thanks to you!! I found the book very entertaining till the end and your way of story telling was wonderful, especially the way you have highlighted the obscure parts of the life of Arjuna. your research in this field is truly commendable.

I have always been a fan of the Mahabharata and whenever time permits, I try to read stories related to this great epic. One thing that amazes me is that, if the events of this great epic were true, then our society in those days was so technically advanced (keeping aside all the divine interventions and just focusing on the science and technology part)!! Also, it is very amazing on the other hand that all these technological advances and wisdom of knowledge has been lost in the following 3000 years (if I am right about the time period of the great epic)!!

It is my request to you that may you please shed highlight on two characters, if possible, in your upcoming books. One is that of Karna, the tragic hero and other of Lord Hanuman (though not related to Mahabharata but I have always found his character very interesting).

I would be looking forward for your upcoming novels.

Thanking you,

Saptarshi

Once again, thanks so much dear readers, YOU ROCK MY WORLD!!

Arjuna voted one of the winners in a poll conducted by Amazon.in!

YAY!! As a fledgling author, you live for moments like this... Check out this press release from Amazon.in! It says that Arjuna Saga of a Pandava Warrior Prince by Anuja Chandramouli is one of the winners (Indian writing category) in a poll where book lovers across the the country voted for their favourite books in five different genres.
"Sudeep Nagarakar’s It Started with a Friend Request that triumphed with over 17% votes also topped the Indian writing category. The Oath of the Vayuputras by Amish Tripathi, the final in the Shiva trilogy came in a close second with 13% votes. Other winners in Indian writing included Sudha Murthy’s House of Cards, Accidental Apprentice by renowned Indian author Vikas Swarup and Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior-Prince by Anuja Chandramouli. The Amazon.in Reader’s Choice Polls also showed that in 2013, Indian Authors were the most popular amongst Indian book lovers."
Sooo happy!! You can read the full article here

The Resurgent Lure of Mythology, Odisha Lit Fest 2013

Awesome Arjuna!

These reviewers had awesome stuff to say about Arjuna! 
And now we have Arjuna – the saga of a Pandava Warrior-Prince, by Anuja Chandramouli. This is her first book, and what a read! The book is so well-researched that it can put even ardent historians to shame. While the line diagrams of Devdutt’s books – Jaya, to be specific – are missing, the play of words and the story-telling that is Anuja’s forte more than make up for it. You can read the rest of it here.

Anuja Chandramouli does a good job with the book. True to its name, the book focuses more on the third Pandava prince and narrates the epic through his experiences and to a certain extent, through his voice. Anuja also mentions some incidents that I haven’t come across... Read the rest of the review here.

Colors Of My Life: Book Review: Arjuna – Saga of the Pandava Warrior ...

 The highlight of the book is the fact that the author has done her fair share of research which you see in small stories and details that have never been highlighted in the various version of Mahabharata that get included in school curriculum or the ones that get telecasted on the television. These details and stories push you to keep turning the pages and keep discovering new things about the great warrior who was part of the great war of Kurukshetra. Also the fact that the author included stories that highlight the fact that characters of Mahabharata  were flawed like any other human being was quite interesting.

READ THE REST HERE

Fun interview with Sruti Nayani!

Interview with Anuja Chandramouli, the author and spinner of yarns

This had to be an interview, which had me smiling throughout. Just as Anuja Chandramouli says that her book, ‘Arjuna’ is humorous, she herself is one for a sense of humour. 

Check it out here