Mythology – an unchartered history

Saikh Md Sabah Al-Ahmed

(sabahalahmed@gmail.com)

Perhaps one would agree that out of the many genres that contemporary authors dabble in to explore their literary creativity, mythology is the trickiest as well as the most challenging one, to say the least. Why? Other genres do not really pose a direct threat to the author per se as they have the liberty to 'swim' in their 'deep waters of creativity' without any fear of facts being distorted or misrepresented. Take for example a romantic fiction novel or a science fiction thriller; here the author can swerve and pirouette with his or her pen to delve to any limits of creativity. But with mythology, one has to tread the fine line very cautiously as mythology is often equated with our religious beliefs and sentiments. Moreover, the delicate fabric of mythology encompasses our venerated Gods and Goddesses. So, one can't throw caution to the wind and take a completely nonchalant approach while attempting to write anything or something on mythology.

The Rig Chronicles: The Secret of the Sudarshan is a coming of age novel by Siddhanta Bora, a young author who has set a benchmark among his peers with his debut book. The entire book is set at a brisk pace of narration, with perfect characters slotted for their apt roles to carry the story forward to its logical conclusion. Originally hailing from Golaghat, this budding Guwahati-based author has brilliantly penned his debut novel that speaks volumes of his maturity in handling the delicate narrative with dexterity. In his own words young Siddhanta pours his heart out, "After all, what is mythology, if not a fragment of history unexplored? Everything that has happened in our wonderful nation is right there in the pages of mythology. If one looks at these pages, one can get all the knowledge one wants. It's shrouded in the envelope of fantasy, but we need to extract the science behind it all. The Rig Chronicles: The Secret of the Sudarshan is one of those novels that explore the possibilities of what Indian mythology has in store for us." Siddhanta further adds, "It is one of those books that explore the connection between our rich Indian mythology and history. It is a thriller novel which is based on a weapon of the epic The Mahabharata – The Sudarshan Chakra."

The story of the novel is of six agents of an agency called IGS (Intelligence Group and Services), and their face-off with a deadly antagonist called Mrityunjay, who wants to unleash the 'Sudarshan' on the modern world. The six agents call themselves 'The Rig' and their leader Ravish is the protagonist of the story. Ravish has a tragic past which doesn't let him focus on his work. Events unfold when a mysterious caller disturbs Ravish one night and then the next day he receives the news of the shocking murder of their mentor Sanjay. Events force him to reassemble 'The Rig' which had been disbanded a few years ago and then starts an epic tale which takes the readers through endless twists and turns, keeping them guessing. Mrityunjay is one of those antagonists who has a fixed set of belief systems and he builds up the suspense to the story.

The Rig Chronicles: The Secret of the Sudarshan is one of those books that gives the readers two things simultaneously – entertainment and knowledge. The modern day story keeps the reader captivated and the monologues of Mrityunjay gives the readers plenty of food for thought. Not many books have come up with the idea of interlinking history and mythology, and therefore, the book is significant for all those readers who crave for things to learn while not missing out on the thrill factor.

Finally on being asked as to what inspired him to write the book, Siddhanta was honest enough to admit, "I have always been captivated by Indian Mythology. From my childhood, I have delved deep into The Ramayana and The Mahabharata. Their stories and endless legends have always made me curious. They have made me wonder about the possibility of their existence and if the stories could have metaphorical meanings underneath. The book was the product of these very thoughts and questions. I wanted to take my theories into a fictional format so that readers get a glimpse of the facts I believe in a way that entertains them."

Published by Notion Press, the book has 46 chapters spread over 188 pages. A perfect blend of a fictional narrative where a contemporary story brilliantly takes its readers into its rich and hallowed past steeped in mythology. The book keeps a modern tale going and at the same time takes us into the past to give us a glimpse of how history and mythology are intertwined. Readers will experience thrill while at the same time be aware of the strong cultural heritage of our nation.

About the reviewer:

A winner of the Reuel International Prize for Poetry (2019) for Best Upcoming Poet from North East India, Saikh Md Sabah Al-Ahmed is a Guwahati-based poet, lyricist and columnist from Assam. His debut poetry collection Tranquil Musings was reviewed by Jnanpith awardee Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami and released by legendary (former) BBC journalist Sir Mark Tully at the Asia International Literary Festival in 2010. His poems have been translated into Italian by Giorgio Moio in Frequenze Poetiche, an Italian magazine published from the city of Naples. Closer to home, his poems were translated into Manipuri by veteran Manipuri writer and critic Laishram Memo Singh. Keki Daruwala, one of India's legendary poets applauds him as "A young poet with promise."