Enchanted by Chanakya’s Chant!

Book details:

Title: Chanakya’s Chant

Author: Ashwin Sanghi

ISBN: 978-93-80658-67-4

Genre: Historical Fiction/ Thriller

Price: Rs. 195

Publishers: Westland Ltd.

Plot:

There are two parallel plots running throughout the novel separated by more than two millennia of history. The first (chronologically speaking) plot is that of the Indian Machiavelli Chanakya’s struggle to revenge himself on the tyrant Dhanananda, the king of Bharat’s richest kingdom Magadha who commits a fatal folly by executing Chanakya’s father on one of his whims. Chanakya uses all his craftiness to play the major/minor kings of ancient Bharat against each other and in the process manages to unite Bharat under his pupil Chandragupta Maurya establishing the Mauryan dynasty even as the country had been left shattered after Alexander the Great’s invasion. Fast forward some 2300 years and we have Gangasagar Mishra, a scheming Brahmin who decides to play a modern Chanakya by using his wile to establish his student Chandini on the top most position in the country – The PM’s chair. During his travails, Gangasagar manages to apply principles from Chanakya’s masterpiece on politics and wealth - the Arthashastra to modern Indian politics.

What I liked about the book :-)

1. Like the author has stated in his interview here, this novel has been written mainly as an entertainer as opposed to a profound literary read. And in this, Ashwin Sanghi has succeeded substantially! The pace of the novel does force you to keep turning the pages. I would rate it a full 10 for its entertainment value. If you aren’t too familiar with Indian history then, chances are you will love this book.
2. The depth of research done by the author is praiseworthy. From using vishakanyas to manipulating electronic voting machines, the ways in which the author has implemented Chanakya’s political shenanigans is commendable and it ensures that when you turn over the last page, you would have gained a lot of information about political manipulations and strategy as well as a host of historical anecdotes.
3. It is one of the few books with a video trailer (check it on YouTube here) and a musical track (based on a mantra that keeps recurring throughout the novel)
4. It is an excellent addition to Indian historical fiction and along with other recent works like Immortals of Meluha is hopefully a precursor to a renaissance in this genre which has been neglected for way too long.

What I didn’t like about it :-(

1. If you are an avid reader, than you will experience a feeling of déjà vu when you come across many of the anecdotes/dialogues littered throughout the story. To his credit, the author has mentioned these sources in his acknowledgements and reference section. However I cannot help thinking that the book might have been an even better read, if the author has used the same talent with which he has plotted such an amazing storyline to better craft some of the dialogues. The frequent occurrence of trite speeches by powerful characters spoilt the mood of the plot.
2. The story does become predictable as you reach further into the novel. This is mainly because both Chanakya and Gangasagar are shown to be omniscient. I believe that the addition of some equally smart opponents would have lent the plot more character and unpredictability.
3. Apart from sharing the similarity in their names, the mighty emperor Chandragupta Maurya and the Indian Prime Minister Chandini Gupta also seem to share blind, unquestioning obedience to their respective gurus Chanakya and Gangasagar Mishra. While not a problem in itself, there are places in the plot where you wonder about how these protégés can retain such faith in their mentors who have shown a complete lack of ethics and morals. Ashwin Sanghi has tried to solve this problem by reducing them to dumb characters capable of only following their guru’s order but hasn’t succeeded in some places.

Overall Rating: 7/10

Misc.

1. You can buy it here. for a Rs. 50 discount!

2. I got a complimentary copy of this best seller thanks to a giveaway contest organized by http://bookreviews.bookrack.in/

3. Check out the video trailer below.