It is 1900 BC. In the land starting with heavenly Kashmir, a land we modern people "mistakenly" call the Indus Valley, a land called Meluha. It is a perfect empire created more than a thousand years earlier by the great emperor Lord Ram. But all is not well. Meluha and its proud Suryavanshi rulers are fighting on various fronts - the drying up of its primary river Saraswati, terrorist attacks from the Chandravanshis and the Nagas. But when a tribal leader from the shores of Lake Manasarovar, Shiva, appears, with a throat that's turned blue, the Suryavanshis see hope in an ancient legend - the legend of Neelkanth. Is this Shiva really that saviour, and will he be able to save them from disaster?
The book is a fast paced read, written in an easy-going flowing manner. The ancient and the revered mixes nicely and effortlessly with modern concepts, and makes you smile. Shiva's portrayal as a strong and mighty fighter at times conflicts with his easy banter and almost juvenile interactions with his friend, but in some sense, that's partly where the fun is. Descriptions of government, registration desk, soap, toilets, and yes, the "maika", lend an interesting angle to the modern-meets-ancient thread throughout the book.
Shiva's love affair with Sati, also known as Parvati, their furtive flirting against the law of the land, is also very interestingly presented!
Overall, a good start to the trilogy, one of the few English novels written by Indian authors that I have enjoyed reading!
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