#BookReview :: Kartikeya: The Destroyer's Son by Anuja Chandramouli

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Ganesha is, perhaps, the most venerated of the Gods around the world. Little idols make it into the living rooms of many in the faraway lands. Yet very few know of Kartikeya, Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva’s son. Anuja Chandramouli brings us the story of the overlooked son of the most powerful couple among the Gods. Born to vanquish the Asura King who had displaced Lord Indra from his throne, Kartikeya has a story that will tickle your imagination and definitely keep you entertained.

The circumstance of Kartikeya’s birth is relatively well-known. Soorapadma, Simhamukha and Taraka were the three sons of Maya who were wrecking havoc on heaven and earth. Shiva and Parvati had to come together at a tumultuous point of their lives to give birth to Kartikeya. He was then taken care of and nurtured to be able to fulfill his destiny. With his father’s power and temper, and Devasena by his side, Kartikeya led the army of Devas.

The thing that charms me the most about Anuja’s books is that she always manages to take our mythology and put them forward in a manner where Devas and Asuras both feel very human.  This book is no exception. While demystifying Kartikeya’s story for her readers, Anuja also manages to give an insight into other characters in the story. For instance, Indra – the lord of the Lords, can be blinded by power and Shiva can be confused or that Kartikeya could be a seasoned and a cunning soldier while being merciful towards mortals.

Drawing upon some familiar and some not so familiar mythological stories, Anuja has beautifully woven a story about a handsome and powerful God, whose personality has some very contradictory traits. Which of those traits are truly him and which of them have been fabricated just to tell tales? You have to read Kartikeya to discover Anuja’s version of it.

The grandiose language that the author uses to narrate her stories could easily be taken as pretentious. Yet with the scale of the world her stories her set in or the characters that she paints for us, it is only natural for the language to be of that scale. As such I always find it familiar when I get back to reading one of her books.

If you are a fan of Indian Mythology and happen to have an open and imaginative mind, do pick up any of Anuja’s books. She always delivers on hours of entertainment.

Review Copy received from the Author

This post is a part of A to Z Challenge and BlogchatterA2Z