Blurb:
Arjun was one of the five Pandava brothers of the Mahabharat epic. He was born to Kunti and King Pandu with the energy of Indra, the leader of the gods. At a very young age he got acclaim for the sincerity and skill in archery. He was known for his steadfastness and single mindedness in pursuing his goals. He was instrumental in winning Draupadi in a contest for himself and his brothers as their joint wife. He also married Subadhra the sister of Krishna and Balaram and kept his friendship with them forever. Lord Krishna became his mentor and guide for the rest of his life.
He was known by different names or rather titles such as Phaalgun, Keerti, Paartha, Dhanajaya and so on.
Arjun serves as an example of a great human being, a dutiful householder, a loyal brother, a great warrior, a devout husband and a sincere devotee of God.
My Impression: India's most epic tale retold in a beautiful and simple manner.
Interview:
Q. How did rewriting Mahabharata happen?
A. Actually, I have been the kind of girl who never believed in God, religion and stuff. One day it so happened that I watched a television show relating to Mahabharata. Since that day I started going mad about this epic and eventually I felt like expressing the story which grew out of my thoughts...so that people may change the way I did
Q. Obviously lot of research has gone into it? How did you pick out the best ones you thought would go into your book?
A. Yes, of course a lot of research and reading has been done before I started writing on it...as the contents and information should be as accurate as possible.
And it's not really that I picked the best ones...out of the whole epic...each character have their own role and even if one would have been missing, the epic would have had a different story. But I chose the character as I liked it more than other characters.
Q. What are main differences you find in Foreign and Indian epics?
A. I'm sorry, actually I don't read foreign epics. I prefer to read Indian mythology over foreign epics. I'm more interested in Indian mythology and most of my researches and writings are on it itself.
Q. Did writing Mahabharata impact you in anyway?
A. Obviously it has done a strange magic on me. I have learned a lot about Indian culture and traditions. I have learned so much about history. And now I feel like doing research on them. I always wish to meet the characters of Mahabharata and I'm sure some day I will ;)
Q. Who is you biggest inspiration? and why?
A. I wouldn't give much importance to my character of the book, but my inspiration is Karna of the epic itself, not everyone knows about him. They think he is the villain of the epic. He teaches his followers how to keep secrets, trust, friendship and promises. He is the most tragic "hero" of the epic. I like him more than any body else in Mahabharata. Hats off to him.
Q. Is there any mythological author in today's list that you like? If so why?
A. Yes. I like Amish Tripathi. He brings the characters to life. I mean that's what almost every author does. But I have a very strange attraction towards his work. I recommend all the Indian mythology lovers to read his books. They are really worth reading.
Q. What was toughest part in writing this book?
A. For me writing the story was really easy and interesting. I actually felt sad when I ended this book. But the toughest part for me was actually writing bad and against Karna, knowing his ill fate and flawless actions, I had to write against him. As for my book, Arjun is the hero, and his only strong enemy is Karna.
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(Closed To Catch Up) Interviews With Undiscovered Authors
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