The Immortals Of Meluha: Book Review

The Immortals Of Meluha Book Review

The Immortals of Meluha begins in 1900 B.C. In what modern Indians mistakenly call the Indus Valley Civilisation. The inhabitants of that period called it the land of Meluha a near perfect empire created many centuries earlier by Lord Ram, one of the greatest monarchs that ever lived…Is the rough-hewn Tibetan immigrant Shiva, really that hero? And does he want to be that hero at all? Drawn suddenly to his destiny, by duty as well as by love, will Shiva lead the Suryavanshi vengeance and destroy evil?”

Introduction:

The Immortals Of Meluha is one of the first successful attempts in Indian Mythology. It is the first book of the famous Shiva Trilogy. The Trilogy is Amish Tripathi’s attempt on describing the making of Lord Shiva. However, what makes the series a success is the narrating style. It is easy to read and continuous. The story starts in a country which is yet not called India.

Shiva

The Immortals of Meluha ignites your imagination, with Shiva. A tribal leader arriving in the most civilized society of that time. But what guarantees a roller coaster ride is Shiva’s throat turning blue, on the very first day, that too under dramatic circumstances. Amish Tripathi has captured the essence of what an Indian reader would like pretty well.

As Shiva’s throat turned blue, soon he became the ‘Great Neelkanth’ who according to a legend is a reincarnation of ‘Lord Rudra’ the ‘Mahadeva’ – their idol. But Amish Tripathi does not forget to keep his character grounded. Shiva from within, never forgets his real identity, a tribal leader. Although The Immortals of Meluha shows how the Suryavanshis want the Mahadev to help them defeat the Chandravanshis. But the Chandravanshis want Shiva to join their side against the Suryavanshis. However, the Mahadev has to look beyond the fights of the two clans and instead tackle a larger evil among them – all that threatens the very existence of humanity. Amish Tripathi leaves us wondering and interpreting about the good and evil. As the Mahadev learns, ‘the difference between two dissimilar ways of life gets portrayed as a fight between good and evil; just because someone is different doesn’t make them evil.”

Sati

Although, Shiva Trilogy is an enthralling tale of a common man turning into a living god. But what adds the cherry on the cake is the love story of Shiva and Sati. The Immortals of Meluha humanizes the love story of Lord Shiva in such a realistic way that you can build an instant connect. The way Sati-Shiva compliments each other is beautiful yet simple. Sati’s character is a warrior, independent, responsible and sometimes way too serious. Sati – the name which reflects divinity in its female form. Sati is the daughter of king Daksha which truly has a mythical base. She is the god-daughter of lieutenant Parvatraj and legend says that Sati is often called Parvati as she is a descendant of Parvatraaj Himalaya.

Review

The revelations and suspense of The Immortals of Meluha leave you amazed when they unfold in layers revealing new mysteries and adding to your shock every now and then. The terrorist strikes by the ferocious Nagas also add a new dimension to the buildup suspense. The Shiva Trilogy speaks to us in a relatable tone and yet brings with it an underlying message from the beginning of time – the message of karma and dharma, tolerance for all forms of life. But the last few chapters are very hastily written. Also, the language of Shiva sometimes disappoints in the context of the story. If you are looking for something supernatural, think twice before you go for the first one in the Shiva Trilogy. There is nothing much supernatural about it.

Overall Amish Tripathi has managed to pull off an engrossing storyline. The fact that a trilogy exists is enough to give the book a try. You can buy the book online or from book stores, however, various websites also provide the Immortals of Meluha pdf. Although some people would prefer kindle editions as an alternative to both the Immortals of Meluha pdf and book.