SHIVA TRILOGY PART 1

IMMORTALS OF MELUHA                                                                                                                                                              

Om Namah Shivayi.

The universe bows to Lord Shiva. I bow to Lord Shiva.

Amish, an IIM graduate created a gripping mythological plot by breaking the rooster coop of the traditional writing style. He combined the essence of mythology, philosophy and adventure in Shiva Trilogy. The author contemplates the readers to think about the possibility of Lord Shiva in blood and flesh, who was raised to be a god because of his karma. He urges us to think out of the realm of human imagination and learn the lessons of life with the humble Shiva. Thus the nomadic journey begins.

 

'The Immortals of Meluha' is the primary key that connects us to the world of Meluha.Amish introduces Shiva as a village head who was forced to take a shelter in the metro politician city of Meluha far away from his Himalayan roots. When the author describes Meluha, we may find him narrating the old tales of our land Bharath.The very old rich traditions, customs and the decline of the country and the rise after hitting the rock bottom will show the connections between meluha and Bharath.

The social norms, the culture, the sophisticated and modernized civilization of meluhians show one side of the coin. The well built laws and social systems of meluha are quiet interesting and teriffic.Those laws can be found as the exact replica of which existed in our olden systems.Maika system of meluha can be found as the fairest system that validates a person based on his talents and not on his ancestry.This can be an antidote to the old system of cast discrimination or to the existing reservation system.

You will come across the familiar characters like Nandi, ayurvathi, Brahaspathi and parvatehswar who will unleash the story which their land beholds. The arrival of the Neelakand, the title which Shiva couldn't accept just because his throat turned to be blue will lead him to the prophecy, untouched stories and the ugly face of Meluha.In the beginning we can find a Shiva who is an absolute slacker but as the story progress we can find him as a listener, a student, a rebel and a policy maker.

The most interesting part is, which is rich in philosophy and full of banters of the vasudev pandits.The way they make Shiva understand the real meaning of the title which he is bestowed and the way they generate a carving in Shiva and of course the readers for the lessons, make us think, are leaves really green in colour?

The precision of passing knowledge as if measured, only to quench the thirst and not more will leave us in search of more and more.The innocent and the impatient Shiva who tries to confirm if he is the real neelkand, and the answers of the vasudaves create a mysterious ambience to the whole story.

The simplicity of arguments is the strength of this story. All passages are eye opener and will make the reader ponder in wild thoughts.

His meeting with Lady Sati was not written in an extraordinary manner where the male shows the dominance but with the natural human emotions. There is surely a spark and it is kept in limit. There is a specific unwritten line which both keeps up.

"Sati had a calm confidence which had not covered the ugly distance towards arrogance" this was Shiva’s first impression about Sati. Sati is one such formidable character in this story who will make us awe in respect. Shiva's urge to impress his lady love and the mistakes he makes is an eye opener to the cruel Vikarma system.

Vikarma system is another representation of the untouchable culture prevailed in our society. Shiva took a stern stand against the law by taking the blessings of the impure .The teasing of pundits about his concern for all the vikarma or just the one, brings a small smile on the readers...

Sati’s challenge of agnipareekaha to save Shiva’s dignity was a thrilling experience enriched with Shiva’s planning and sati’s braveness in execution.When sati takes the Agni baan to protect her love, Shiva was tangled at the "sun and earth" poem.

Lord Daksha playing the cupid between Shiva and Sati and his efforts to withdraw the rules of vikarma all shows his immense love for his daughter.Daksha is shown as a character who spend his whole life trying to impress others. You can find him as a weak character who is a little selfish and a great manipulator.

It’s with great respect that one can view the character of Parvateshwar.His loyalty to Lord Rama and his nation are worth admirable. His reluctance to accept neelkand and the violations of Rama's laws proves his conventional mind set and tough exterior.

Never think that it’s just a Shiva tale, we can see lord Rama, the maryada purushotam who established order out of the chaos. We can also find the suryavanshis and chandravansis who are the arch nemesis. And their differences in approach reflect in their administration and socio-political life. If one is the sun other is the moon, without both existences are impossible. They are the two faces of the same coin.

Shiva’s journey from a nomad to a mahadev gives an insight into the role of a mahadev.A man become mahadev only when he fights for good. He is the one who absorbs the negatives. He is forged into the heat of battle when he wages a war to destroy the evil.

 Har har mahadev

This slogan resounds in our ears telling that each of us is Mahadev.Strive to be a mahadev and you will be one. Its ones karma that determines mahadev   no gender, no cast, no creed can block you from unleashing yourself.

The strength of this book is the wonderful meaning that each passage holds which make us to map them to the current socio-political ambience. A satire is created which criticizes the society and its deeds in a curt manner.

Another important characteristic of this book is its fast pace, it will attack you with the twists and turns that you will be forced to go along with the flow. The constant attacks on meluha by hooded figures will put the readers in a maze.as the story progress the mystery will entwine and will take the story to new levels.

The splendid adventure that Shiva provides and the innocence with which he tries to analyze the situation and read through the unread , seeking the help of Nandi to understand the unknown shows the true Mahadev.The pandemonium of Shiva while he understands the basis of his journey  will keep the readers at tangling points. His search to find what is evil will make the readers to interrogate the story to solve the puzzle. It’s truly a magical voyage.

This book is one such journey where we can expect anything. Expect the unexpected that’s what the story holds with it. Serendipity causes major twists and turns in the story. It will bombard with you in such a way that it will make you think what will happen next. Refrain yourself and enjoy the journey of the Shiva from a nomad to a neelakand.If you read the first book of this series then it’s sure that you won’t be able to hold yourself back from grabbing other two books. The sly voices of vasudev pandits will enchant our mind even after the story ends.

Unrevealing the original Shiva will surely engross the readers and make them forget that they have reached the end leaving a frown, why did it stop here??