Vanara: Anand Neelakantan

Let me tell you a bit about the backdrop of this story that it is woven upon.

Valmiki Ramayana tells the tale of how Sugreeva and his Vanara sena helped Rama fight Ravana and rescue Sita. This Sugreeva was an outcast of his brother Vaali or Baali's Kishkinda. He was evicted from the Kingdom of Kishkinda by his own brother who was very dear to him. This is since Sugreeva had married Tara and was ruling Kishkinda since he believed his brother was dead in battle with Mayavi. But the moment Baali comes back winning over the demon, he charges his brother with treachery and evicts him from Kishkinda. Sugreeva waits in vain being an outcast until he meets Rama. Then Sugreeva invites Baali for a duel and Rama killed Baali by standing behind a nearby tree. Sugreeva is crowned again and after him, Angada, son of Tara and Baali is made the Prince of Kishkinda.

Now this act of Rama is justified in various texts in different ways, backing him up that this was done to save Dharma ultimately. This event always leaves a hollow in the epic of Ramayana nevertheless. This novel Vaanara is an attempt at weaving the sequence of events.

Anand Neelakantan has a finesse story telling that captivates the reader. I must mention how he weaves in chapter after chapter. Every chapter ends as a prelude to the next chapter which keeps the reader on toes until the story is completed. One simply cannot put this book down and be at peace until the reading is done. 

Dilemma of Tara about the two brothers, though she heartily loves one and tries to despise the other, her thoughts are stuck not knowing which way to waiver. Baali is so lost in building an empire that though he loves Tara with all his heart, he is unable to spend enough time with her. Meanwhile encashing all this, Sugreeva lusts for his sister-in-law, unknowing of the consequences that it might pose; once Tara is married to Sugreeva as Baali does not return from fighting Mayavi and is thought to be dead, Sugreeva sees that the appeal of having Tara as his is vanished completely, and a constant hindrance towards the relationship sets in. 

Though Tara marries two brothers, she is still considered the virtuous wife and is given a worshipful place till today. Giving the benefit of doubt to the tale that she is considered a pious and virtuous wife, author gives it a justified ending that Tara after Angada and Sugreeva return victorious post battle with Ravana, stays in the sacred grove of seven palmyra trees that Baali had envisioned and nurtured; thinking every moment of Baali, she lives as a telltale to the whole of Kishkinda until her last breath, serving the city-dwellers with her wise deeds and words.

The loyalty of the abandoned wolf pup 'Chemba' raised by Baali is a part of the story that touches the most. The wolf's tried and true love towards its master is depicted well in parts of story where it stays near the cave till its master returns victorious from his struggle with the demon and its unfailing attempts at digging his grave though its claws are all worn out from the futile effort. Chemba still believes that somehow he can bring his master back from the dead if it digs enough to reach his body even after death of Baali.

The sublime character of Baali and Sugreeva's foster father Riksharajas, the valour of Ravana depicted in even his defeat against Baali in duel, the motherly turned pompous Ruma - the wife of Sugreeva, the demonity that is illustrated in weaving sequence about the humongous bull Dundubhi that is brought by Sugreeva, the plight of the outcast - Vana naras - called later as Vanaras, the love and understanding of the two brothers - Baali and Sugreeva and the intervention to their fraternal bonding with entry of Tara in their life, the only amazing city that they build deep in the woods with all amenities and aiming at no caste- colour discrimination is all that is part of reading hangover. 

Definitely a thumbs up for even those who despise heavy reading.