Chanakyas Chant

"History repeats itself,

in search of a cure, 

for the curse laid upon the king of games... 

The soul is in search of the person,

who can survive the dirty games of statecraft...

In this search of curse and cure history unveils the games of destiny..."

 

Ashwin Saghai, the entrepreneur cum writer has been well into the history, mythology and politics. Historical fiction being his passion and hobby, he has written the national best seller  "The Rozabal Line".   Chankyas chant is his second installment  in the genre.  The recent trends of mixing mythology/history with the modern-day concepts have become  viral among the authors  and Chanakyas Chant belongs to this category.

 

 

As the name suggests this fiction refreshes the story of the greatest game changer in the history of India - Chanakya. So whats so refreshing about this fiction ? Is it just the story of Chanakya and his tactics ?  I would say a big NO. The story line interweaves the life of Chanakya and his modern avatar- Pandit Gangasagar Mishra.

 

 

Chanakya was one shrewd  philosopher, economist and adviser, whose words of wisdom are relevant even today. Chankyas chant tries to explore its relevance in  modern-day politics via Chanakyas modern day representative - Pandit Gangasagar Mishra. This book is an answer to how  Chanakya will fight in the dirty political arena if set in the modern times. The portrayal of Pandit Gangasagar Mishra as the modern day avatar of Chankya enthrall the reader with current issues. It's questionable how much justice was given to his character.

 

 

It also depicts the growth of both Chanakya and Pandit Gangasagar Mishra. Whenever the cry of ordinal is ignored by the government there shall arise the person who feels the need for change and will strive hard to revenge back.

 

 

Ashwin have used the usual allegations and pathetic conditions of the country and questions its citizen :

 

 

‘Citizens of Magadha, this tyranny has continued far too long. The imperial thug, Dhanananda, has imprisoned the only minister capable of standing up to him. Are we going to stand here helplessly while we see a guardian of the kingdom—the wise and illustrious prime minister Shaktar—be treated in this shameful manner? How many more farmers have to commit suicide because the tax inspectors of Dhanananda loot their grain? How many more soldiers must die in battle because their armor has been compromised to make wine goblets for the king's pleasure? How many more mothers must cry over the corpses of their violated young daughters? How much longer are we going to tolerate this evil sovereign?

 

 

It also shows how the one who stand against the government with out power is oppressed.

 

His mouth was firmly clenched shut, a silent reminder of one of his favorite—and now unfortunately ironic—maxims: ‘A man who opens his mouth too often may end up meeting a tragic end, either from indigestion or execution!’

 

 

The realization sweeps in - one who tolerates the injustice will have to pay for it and the one who attacks without  defense will often be pulled out of the game.

 

 

The book also sheds light into the ugly side of politics. The government wishes to keep its people illiterate and uneducated. The more the people get educated there are chances they question the activites of the government. Nullyfying that and dividing them, not allowing to form a joint force, thats the perfect way to maintain a vote bank.

 

 

It also points out the mentality of Indian citizens, the way we are tolerant to all the things happening around as if it wont effect us. We Indians continue to adore renunciation. It's a tradition that has come down to us from the ancient yogis. Gandhiji was a modern yogi, in that sense.

 

 

The power of money is yet another factor.  Even when sayin money is the root of all evil, modern-day Chanakya states that sometimes a man needs roots.

Chanakya states : "The king, the minister, the country, the fortified city, the treasury, the army and the ally are the constituent elements of the state"

It also touches the sensitive issues like caste based reservation in our country .

 

 

 ‘Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution guarantee every Indian citizen freedom as well as equality before the laws of the land. Reservation for those who had been left behind by Indian society was indeed part of the Constitution when it was framed and adopted in 1950. Those who framed the Constitution themselves believed that it was a temporary measure and would last for ten years. But several decades later we still find reservation in place. Doesn't this tell us that India has made very little progress in bringing the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes into the mainstream of India? Is it time to take another look at the policy and decide whether it has actually worked? 

 

 

The take on these untouchable topics make the story unique and more appealing to the reader. The story is predictable if you have little knowledge of Chanakyas life and his tactics.

The satire is webbed such that the reader falls into the enchanting political games.

If you are not a big fan of political fictions where the background is laid out by the historical element, it may not be able to please you. Also the continues flips may chock the course of the story. Overall its a good book for casual reading, with less enchanting moments.

 

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WOMEN AND TECH-WORLD

 

"Day and night woman must be kept in dependence by the males (of) their (families).Her father protects (her) in childhood, her husband protects (her) in youth, and her sons protect (her) in old age; a woman is never fit for independence."     The Laws of Manu, c. 1500 BCE CHAPTER IX

This was the old convention that considered women to be a symbol of softness, an enigma of emotions and a dependent of man. Today such a thought is irrelevant, but still there are many who think that women can never reach the constraints of a successful man. A successful man defines himself with the qualities like power, influence and independence, and these are considered to be the traits of a successful person.  We can find only a fewer number of women who strive to reach such peak positions. So what are the traits of a successful woman? Don't these women have the same traits as that of the men or do they have something else that triggers them but in a different manner?

Women are like the hidden unpolished diamonds; their character can come to the limelight only if they are smoothed and sharpened where ever necessary. She has the sense of empathy, influence and can manage the conflicts efficiently.

Some traits of women are usually assessed to be non-profitable in a money oriented environment. She empathise and makes the decision-making procedure a really tiring one. But don't these people understand that empathy is such a feeling that can make the relations stronger, it’s the same feeling that decreases the distance between an employer and employees. A sense of dedication and gratefulness to the company and for the employer can be ignited with the same feeling. Empathy when used in a different angle can be utilized to influence people and make the execution procedure a really simple and organized. The power of empathy can be handled well by women.

Conflict management is yet another area where women seemed to be experts. The daily challenges and adjustments that they make in their personal life aids a woman to take the right actions for her firm. The constant exposure to conflicts helps women to adapt to the new ambience without many tantrums.

“In politics, If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.” -Margaret Thatcher

Men usually consider women to be insecure. They think that women spent too much time in thinking about what others may think about them. Men usually  think that decision-making is the primary goal and that the impact it will have on others is secondary. That's why when men take an anti-family policy they are less criticized than a women who takes such decisions. Critics expect women to understand the impact of these and at the same time expect women to be strict in taking such a step. If she contemplates with those decisions she is considered to be weak and if she makes stern decisions she is given a negative image. So what should she do?
The mind-set to think what others may think about them leads gives them a sense of self-awareness which is essential for the growth of an individual.

Women are aware about the competition that they have to face in this technical world. They try to adapt themselves to such competitions by enhancing their capabilities. They are constant learners even in the  They try to develop their skills and excel in them to prove their worth they always undergo through many tests and surely the test of iron makes the finest steel. Soft skills of women often excel than that of men. There are many problems faced by women when she needs to make a decision as a leader. She is expected to emphasis with others and if not she will have to face the warth.negative if she found to be too soft she is considered to be granted. And her efforts are not valid. If she becomes bold she is commented to be bold and too masculine in stereotype.Whether or not gender characteristics are inherited or socially constructed no longer matters as much as our ability to use what we’ve got to our own advantage.

As per the studies we can see the ruling of women in internet. Making use of social networks to interact and influence the people has now become more advantageous for the women community. Women leaders mostly utilize these to make sure that they have got a network that can accommodate them with he .These have transcended he physical cultural and national boundaries. Women often showcase their talents through their blogs and websites. In this case they have overpowered men population. They popularize their creative side and make the best out of it. Homemakers are now not just a kitchen holder but a master in networking. She gathers the people around her with the skills,  it may be through her stories, ornament, craft, cooking classes. Whatever it is, women have become the queen of internet. Market place has now found the new faces...tech industry will surely welcome the innovations and experiments with the mentality change. Men conquer women collaborate...

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