#52BookClub
Prompt: Title starts with letter M
Serial: 01/52
Book: Mahajaya
Author: Alpna Das Sharma
Pages: 244
Publication: Vishwakarma Publications
Genre: Mythology retelling
When Alpna revealed the name of her debut book, a sense of déjà vu hit me. Mahajaya! The name sounded uncannily similar to a three thousand-word story that the author had penned on a writing platform during the lockdown. To my utter delight, it was the same tale expanded to a novel.
I couldn’t refuse when Alpna politely requested that I review her novel.
However, as a reviewer, I’ll try to be neutral and not overtly gush just because the author happens to be a good friend.
Plot
Draupadi was wronged in the Mahabharata. None of her five husbands attempted to rescue her when the Kaurava brothers disrobed her in the court.
Centuries later, Yaj Thakur gets his chance to choose compassion over Dharma and stand by Dwija.
But there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Review
Mahajaya is set in 21st-century Delhi. The protagonists, hailing from varied backgrounds, come together for a kabaddi challenge. It’s not difficult to guess who Yaj, Bhav, Aryan, Neil, Sehjaveer, Dwija, Kaizad, Daman, and Dvit are. The author introduces every character, their origin, and their initial challenges, thereby setting the tone of the novel. They fight not only their inner battles but also sinister external ones and emerge unscathed. The pace of the plot is just right to keep the readers glued to the pages.
I have an axe to grind with modern retellings, where writers thrust modern concepts like feminism and casteism on ancient epics. But Alpna retains her respect for the original and weaves the concepts into the modern era without putting any character down.
The protagonists have been etched well. Yaj’s character arc and growth are convincing. The others support the narrative brilliantly. However, I wish that the author had also thrown light on the lives of Daman and Dvit. In the Mahabharata, the antagonists were not secondary characters. Dwija is the bold heroine the retelling needed. If I were to name a favourite, Kannan would win hands down. Here is a guy who didn’t even have a chapter to his credit, yet he stole the show. I need not tell you who he is in the book.
The defining challenge where Yaj redeems himself is vivid in its description. It was as if a kabaddi match were in progress. If the author had taken time to infuse more conflicts in the protagonists’ lives, it would have made for a thrilling read. A few incidents get resolved a bit too quickly and conveniently.
Having said that, I am aware of the predicament debut authors face. It’s a tussle between creativity and finances, wherein a certain number of pages are a prerequisite to afford a decent price for the book. Keeping these factors in mind, Alpna’s efforts are truly commendable.
I’m sharing a few noteworthy lines from the book.
They accepted the lifeless Alexa with the staccato speech in their bedrooms but cleansed the threshold again and again with Ganga jal after the walking-talking human who came to deliver it told them his ‘objectionable’ surname.
Visuals of crowned heads hanging in shame and yards of silk falling in heaps on the floor encompassed me.
I was not the seventh player; I was the secret player, within each one of them.
Overall, Mahajaya made for an interesting and enjoyable read. I wish Alpna the very best for her future endeavours.
