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, 10th avatar of Vishnu. The 10th
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:
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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Happy Reading! :)
This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at Blogadda.com. Participate now to get free books!
An enticing review of an enticing book by an enticing author who has managed to change Indian mythology from a humdrum subject to something, well, enticing.. Did I mention this review was written by an equally enticing person?
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Thanks, Gagan! You just mentioned it in your question :-)
ReplyDeleteLiked it very much.
ReplyDelete