The Krishna Key

You feel you've really enjoyed a book or a book has served its purpose when you can imagine and feel every word of it. A good book will actively engage and grip you as if you're one of the characters.

The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi did it for me!

Ashwin Sanghi is best known for his historical and mythological thrillers and I must congratulate him on producing yet another brilliant piece of work. I thoroughly enjoyed his narration which was full of twists and a random mix of the past and the present. Every chapter brings a new surprise making it almost impossible to put it down and leaves you wanting more. Sanghi has done his best to explore the life of Krishna and has valuable bits of historical, mythological and theological information to share.

There is so much that I want to say and write about the book but it's worth experiencing on your own. So, I'll not give away a lot over here.

The story revolves around the four ancient 3-headed seals and a base plate (with inscriptions in Sanskrit) which together form the Krishna Key. These have the ability to unlock the truth and secret of the historical and mysterious Krishna. The murders in the book are a re-enactment of Krishna's death as the person's left foot is stabbed with a scalpel instead of an arrow. Four famous scientists, linguists and reseachers are brutally killed by a young man who is made to believe that he is the Kalki avatar, 10^th avatar of Vishnu. The 10^th avatar of Vishnu is believed to be the destroyer of evil and purifier of earth. The kalki avatar alongwith his creator Mataji unlocks the ancient secret of the precious Syamantaka by executing their hideous schemes. The Syamantaka is something very precious to a Krishna devotee and can transform base metal into gold or vice versa.

Historian Ravi Mohan Saini who suffers the most because of their evil plans puts an end to all this. In the end, he reinforces the long-forgotten message of Mahabharata that the philosopher is more important than the stone, meaning that the stone being searched for by the killer may have magical properties but the real alchemy or transformation happens inside us. The power to transform and change our lives resides within us and no stone or magic can do it for us.

Also, different characters bring in perspectives and details from their vantage points and add layers to the already existing mystery. Gradually, you feel you are getting there but the end of every chapter leaves you more puzzled and curious. Sanghi has used symbols and illustrations to explain the puzzles/scenes better and to make it an interesting read. At the end of the book you feel that he was successful in maintaining the element of suspense throughout.

Each chapter begins with the narration of Krishna's life and the Mahabharata by Krishna himself. The interesting blend of the epic and the story not only keeps the excitement alive but also enlightens us with the ancient knowledge.

Some tidbits that fascinated me:

-The Taj Mahal was a palace before it became a tomb and has seven storeys not just three.

-Somnath temple was created and destroyed eight times.

-The ancient rishis' understanding of energy and science was much greater than ours.

-108 is a sacred number for Hindus. The distance between the earth and the sun is exactly 108 times the sun's diameter. The distance between the earth and the moon is 108 times the moon's diameter.

-Nine is a magical number, you multiply it by anything you always get nine when you add the result.

-The golden city of Dwarka was built by Vishwakarma, the famous architect, on being asked by Krishna.

-And the Sanskrit shlokas add to the fun and your confused state (for readers like me who are not well versed with them!).

Even though I'm not into mythological or historical fiction, I was completely hooked to the book which should say a lot about it. And I am thrilled to know so much more about my country's history and the greatest epic, Mahabharata.

My judgement:

The book is a lot of fun and full of information. It is well-researched and has a good plot that keeps you hooked. I would definitely recommend reading it! And I would like to conclude my review with a quote which I completely agree with.

"A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading."

William Styron

Happy Reading! :) 
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