The Oath of the Vayuputras by Amish Tripathi

This is the final book in the Shiva trilogy. A much awaited book I think and probably was having high expectation of the story as well. The last book ended with an apt cliff-hanger where Shiva comes face to face with someone he thought was dead in the blast which destroyed the somras factory.

The trek through the forest and up river in ships have brought the main characters to the land of the Nagas and meeting his old friend Shiva is wanting to know what had happened? He needs to know this before he can let the others in the accompanying entourage to know Brahaspati is alive and hear his story. Brahaspati explains that he was researching the impact of manufacturing the somras and if there were side effects from taking it. He had come to the conclusion that it was a dangerous medicine and being unable to convince King Daksh or the ministers he chose to sabotage the factory and disappear.

Shiva wants more proof of this than just the word of his friend and wants to see himself the evidence that exists. It appears we have come a full circle in the search for the enemy. For now it appears that the Mehluans are the common enemy of the Chandravanshis and the Nagas. The side effect of the somras has given rise to the Naga clan as they are the offspring of people who have been taking the somras. The waste from the manufacturing of the somras is found to be polluting the waters that flow into the land of the Brangas. The Chandravanshis were not all party to partaking the somras. The Maharishi Bhrigu, one of the most powerful sages, is convinced that somras is good and informs Daksh that there is a second secret factory that will keep the somras flowing.

In trying to stop Shiva and his allies from turning on the Melhuans he organises the attack we read about, in the last book. What comes across clearly is that humans fear what they do not know and so view the unknown as the enemy. Shiva goes to Kashi to meet the Vasudevs and find out what is the truth about the somras and all the information he has. There is also finds out about the clan of Vayuputras who have sworn to bring forth Neelkanth when times need him, just as Vasudevs are bound to support the Neelkanth in his fight against evil. For this Shiva has to undertake the long journey to the land of Vayuputras and find out the truth about himself and about the somras. He needs the weapons that will allow him the lever to stop the production of somras and save the people from all-out war.

The story does give some wonderful descriptions and explanations of the strategies and counter strategies of the different factions and alliances. The imagination has been let loose when it comes to the achievements of each clan. The small battles are fought while setting up to win the final war. These are bloody and shows lose on all sides. It is a story that follows my own thinking (for I can always see the other person’s point of view) in that it forces you to see both sides of the coin. It forces you to face both sides of the issue of somras and the positions taken by people. What is to be held in esteem by people, their country, the truth or their God? Therefore, you are forced to acknowledge that nothing is purely good or purely evil. Also that nothing can always be only good or only evil. Both evil and good are necessary to have a balance in nature.

The ending was unexpected but seemed to come too quickly. However, it was a good point to end as it leaves you in a thoughtful mood and anything further would just belabour the point.

The Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi

This is the second book in the trilogy and meets the expectations set up by the first book. The characters are developed further making us empathise with their thinking. The war against the Chandravanshis was won and triumphant Suryavanshis with Shiva entered the city of Ayodhya at the end of the first book. The city is so very different from the Meluha cities. There is colour everywhere and people are all loud and noisy. There is no subdued behaviour like those of the Meluhans. There is poverty and wealth spread among the people.

However, while they are different from the people of Meluha they are not evil as Shiva had been led to believe. He finds this very disturbing and feels regret at the killings caused by the war. There is more intrigue as there is internal squabble for the throne of Ayodhya. Shiva is sent on a tour of the Chandravanshi kingdom to gather people together, which would make reforms easier. There are a couple of attacks by Nagas. Shiva sees firsthand what the raiding party has done and vows to find and punish these people.

Meanwhile, a son is born to Shiva and Sati in Kashi. Sait’s father brings for the grandson a year’s worth of somras and reveals that there is another secret factory for manufacturing somras. Shiva is told that the small kingdom of Brangas may hold the secret to finding the Nagas. So will Shiva find them? This common need to find the Nagas has the soldiers from both sides working together. Sati is left behind as their son is very young still. She has her own set of adventures in trying to find out what the King of Kashi is hiding. When a nearby village is attacked by lions, Sati offers to save the village but will she succeed? What are the Nagas doing in this village?

Will Shiva and Sati find the Naga city and uncover the big secret there? It is a fantasy tale and one should not look to equate it with the religious myths. The tale of old days, when the civilisations were flourishing in different parts of India with different cultures and beliefs, hold the reader’s attention throughout. It shows clearly our fear of the unknown and believing different is evil. Something which is even true today! The things we do not understand we equate them with magic and of course it must be bad! The thought provoking that started in the first book Immortals of Meluha is continued in this book. Now to wait for the last of the trilogy in a couple of months.

Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi

The other day my nephew Rohan told me to check out this book which is the first of a trilogy. It is a work of fiction where the author proposes that there could have been a great human being who lived an extraordinary life and was passed into the realms of legends and myths and down into history as a God.

The story in this first book begins with a small tribe in the Himalayas on Mount Kailash and the leader of this tribe Shiva. There is a lot of unrest and constant battling with neighbouring tribes and when a foreign delegation came bearing invitation to live in their kingdom it seems a good opportunity to escape. The new life in the kingdom of Meluha, the home of Suryavanshis, should surely be much better. The descriptions of the places and the culture of the people are well written. The people live long lives and are honest and productive. All very constrained and behaviour restrained as per the years old traditions and principle of life handed down from Lord Ram who was a principled king and set up this ideal society. They were waiting for a saviour who was supposed to come from a foreign land who would help them to overcome the evil people, the Chandravanshis, of the neighbouring kingdom.

Is Shiva the man they are looking for? If he accepts this challenge, is he going to be able to fulfil the prophecy? What can he do about his attraction to the princess? He can see how the culture and society it helps create is near perfect. However, the flaws he can see are things he feels should change to improve the lives of the people. The king and his ministers persuade Shiva to accept his destiny and help to destroy the evil that is the neighbouring kingdom. During this time there are a few terrorist attacks made in Meluha which are attributed to the enemies who it appears have been allying themselves with yet another clan of evil beings, the Nagas.

There is also a love story woven in here as eventually Shiva manages to win the princess and marry her. The final straw that decides Shiva to follow his destiny is the battle with a small group of terrorists who destroy a temple and kill all the priests there. Then we get a look at the modest Shiva’s intellect as he plans the battle strategy in detail. So will this planning help in winning the battle with the Chandravanshis? What will the people and their culture be like as they are thought to be evil? How will Shiva handle this huge challenge and will he be able to fulfil the prophecy?

It is a good piece of fiction and written in a fairly fluid manner. There are hooks in the story that keep you gripped. It is fascinating to see the use of today’s language in a story set in many thousands of years ago. Is it too fantastic? If so why? Just because we think that those times were backward? It also compels you to think about the fundamental issues of good, evil, freedom, interdependence in society, honest, trust and so on. I am eager to read the continuation in the next part of the trilogy.