Krishna Udayasankar's Blog
December 11, 2014
The epic Finale is here!!
‘No one person is the cause for or consequence of all that happens. I am just the tenth man, the threshold, the turn in the tide. I stand here on the shoulders of humanity, a mere instrument of time.’ - Govinda
August 24, 2013
The Aryavarta Chronicles Book 2: Kaurava
Watch out for The Aryavarta Chronicles Book 2: Kaurava
Coming your way very soon!
Coming your way very soon!
August 10, 2012
Magical Madness!
Magical Madness - that's the only way to describe these past some days. After launching Govinda: Book 1 of the Aryavarta Chronicles in both Delhi and Bangalore (and feasting on some great food in the process - details of the road trip to follow) its back to reality, the computer, and Book 2 - though an air of excitement still remains.
For one, Govinda has made it to the Asian Age's top ten bestsellers lists (and I'm personally uber-kicked to be in the company of Jeet Thayil and "Narcopolis")
The Asian Age has also carried an interview, in which I manage to sound (IMHO) not very dorky, so that went well.
More stuff is sent to happen over the next couple of weeks - am doing my first Singapore reading tomorrow (the 11th of August) at Select Books on Armenian Street. I will be part on an exciting line-up that includes Vincent Clay, Stephanie Ye, and Heng Siok Tan.
Also, The Aryavarta Chronicles now has its own Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thearyavartac...
Note also the new website: www.aryavartachronicles.com
No wonder I'm still reeling :-)
For one, Govinda has made it to the Asian Age's top ten bestsellers lists (and I'm personally uber-kicked to be in the company of Jeet Thayil and "Narcopolis")
The Asian Age has also carried an interview, in which I manage to sound (IMHO) not very dorky, so that went well.
More stuff is sent to happen over the next couple of weeks - am doing my first Singapore reading tomorrow (the 11th of August) at Select Books on Armenian Street. I will be part on an exciting line-up that includes Vincent Clay, Stephanie Ye, and Heng Siok Tan.
Also, The Aryavarta Chronicles now has its own Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thearyavartac...
Note also the new website: www.aryavartachronicles.com
No wonder I'm still reeling :-)
August 2, 2012
The Aryavarta Chronicles Book 1: Govinda now available in bookstores
Govinda: Book 1 of The Aryavarta Chronicles now available in stores
Its here! Copies of Govinda are available in leading bookstores across India and Singapore. Crossword has also designated it their "Book of the Month". For those of you who prefer to shop online, IndiaPlaza, Flipkart, Sapna Book House and other merchants let you buy it online.
Here's hoping you enjoy reading it!
Its here! Copies of Govinda are available in leading bookstores across India and Singapore. Crossword has also designated it their "Book of the Month". For those of you who prefer to shop online, IndiaPlaza, Flipkart, Sapna Book House and other merchants let you buy it online.
Here's hoping you enjoy reading it!
June 27, 2012
Govinda - Book Cover
And here it is: The final cover... Also watch out for the poster in bookstores soon!
May 30, 2012
Straits Times Article - and a sneak peek at the cover of "Govinda"
Things reach a feverish high with endless proofreading, tweaking and edits, amidst that ever-present sense of irrevocability that is publication. To press, very soon, and then... In the meantime, The Straits Times, Singapore's leading national paper features the Aryavarta Chronicles (and me). Also part of the article is a pic of the final cover of "Govinda" - showing the city on sea in the background and Govinda's sword in the foreground. 'Nuff said - The article follows
March 6, 2012
And the countdown begins....
It hits me with a slight, somewhat-pleasant jolt that after all the hard work (a reason why things have been quiet on this blog for a while now) and anticipation, 'Govinda' is now in the last stages of editing - and of course to be published within a matter of months!
As work continues on full throttle, the past few months have also seen the Chronicles receive mention in the press. Most notably, the Aryavarta Chronicles made it to the much-followed Hindustan Times list of trends to watch out for in 2012!
Hindustan Times - 2012: What's trending now
The Aryavarta Chronicles were also picked up by the Times of India and mentioned in its national pages as part of an article on trilogies.
So, here's to all the excitement 2012 promises! Look out for sneak peeks of the book cover of Govinda, soon!
As work continues on full throttle, the past few months have also seen the Chronicles receive mention in the press. Most notably, the Aryavarta Chronicles made it to the much-followed Hindustan Times list of trends to watch out for in 2012!
Hindustan Times - 2012: What's trending now
The Aryavarta Chronicles were also picked up by the Times of India and mentioned in its national pages as part of an article on trilogies. So, here's to all the excitement 2012 promises! Look out for sneak peeks of the book cover of Govinda, soon!
October 30, 2011
A New Book Project
As the first three books of the Aryavarta chronicles move into the publication process (Watch out for Govinda early next year), I've begun work on a new book, which is not part of the Chronicles. Of course, my love for mytho-history won't let me wander too far from my favourite characters and stories, but this time, am trying something that blends mytho-history with a contemporary setting. In terms of style too, am trying a first-person narrative - A lot of fun to write, considering my protagonist is a rather snide, sarcastic kind of guy. He's a dash complex too, which makes it interesting to be inside his head, and tell a story from his point of view.
And what is this book all about? Well, here goes: the blurb is below:
Immortal
“Some say immortality is a curse, that when you’ve been alive long enough, you’ll begin to long for death. The loneliness gets to you. Death becomes the only hope, and the only purpose in life is to find a way to die. And so begins the saga of lonely vampires, and werewolves mourning their lost humanity, tales of undead creatures grieving over lost human virtue and human need. But, there’s a problem with those stories. They’re told by mortals. I am not like them. I don’t believe in magic. And of course, I am immortal.”
Professor Bharadvaj is more than just another whisky-loving, gun-toting historian for hire. Behind the cynical academic hides a man from another age, a man who is neither accursed, nor has super-powers. But a man who cannot die. He is Asvatthama, scholar, warrior and King; a man who has endured in common lore as a myth, a faraway, magical notion. Born in the Epic Ages of India, the time of the Vedas, of mystic seers and ancient Empires, Asvatthama lived amongst those whom the present reveres as Gods. He fought in a great war and survived - Immortal.
Now, millennia later, as he stands poised to follow his centuries-old routine of casting aside one mortal personality for another, Asvatthama – or his alter identity, Professor Bharadvaj, is dragged into a search for a historical artifact unlike any other. Together with his young assistant Manohar, and the beguiling but tough client, Maya Jervois, he sets out to look for the Keystone – an ancient power hidden in the mysteries of alchemy that are far, far older than he is. Chased by dangerous mercenaries and unknown assassins, the trio travel the length and breadth of India in what becomes more than just a search for the Stone. It is a puzzle left by the ancients, along with horrible traps. Traps that even immortals must fear, for ironically, the puzzle is one that only the fearless can solve.
As the Professor and his colleagues race from New Delhi to the western coast; from the old city of Kashi, to the mysterious hills of the South, the legendary home of the Siddhas – ancient alchemists, and finally into the heart of the Himalayas in Tibet, Asvatthama must make another kind of journey – into his own mind, his fears, and his unquenchable love of life itself, to discover the true meaning of immortality.
And what is this book all about? Well, here goes: the blurb is below:
Immortal
“Some say immortality is a curse, that when you’ve been alive long enough, you’ll begin to long for death. The loneliness gets to you. Death becomes the only hope, and the only purpose in life is to find a way to die. And so begins the saga of lonely vampires, and werewolves mourning their lost humanity, tales of undead creatures grieving over lost human virtue and human need. But, there’s a problem with those stories. They’re told by mortals. I am not like them. I don’t believe in magic. And of course, I am immortal.”
Professor Bharadvaj is more than just another whisky-loving, gun-toting historian for hire. Behind the cynical academic hides a man from another age, a man who is neither accursed, nor has super-powers. But a man who cannot die. He is Asvatthama, scholar, warrior and King; a man who has endured in common lore as a myth, a faraway, magical notion. Born in the Epic Ages of India, the time of the Vedas, of mystic seers and ancient Empires, Asvatthama lived amongst those whom the present reveres as Gods. He fought in a great war and survived - Immortal.
Now, millennia later, as he stands poised to follow his centuries-old routine of casting aside one mortal personality for another, Asvatthama – or his alter identity, Professor Bharadvaj, is dragged into a search for a historical artifact unlike any other. Together with his young assistant Manohar, and the beguiling but tough client, Maya Jervois, he sets out to look for the Keystone – an ancient power hidden in the mysteries of alchemy that are far, far older than he is. Chased by dangerous mercenaries and unknown assassins, the trio travel the length and breadth of India in what becomes more than just a search for the Stone. It is a puzzle left by the ancients, along with horrible traps. Traps that even immortals must fear, for ironically, the puzzle is one that only the fearless can solve.
As the Professor and his colleagues race from New Delhi to the western coast; from the old city of Kashi, to the mysterious hills of the South, the legendary home of the Siddhas – ancient alchemists, and finally into the heart of the Himalayas in Tibet, Asvatthama must make another kind of journey – into his own mind, his fears, and his unquenchable love of life itself, to discover the true meaning of immortality.
August 16, 2011
My First Writing Grant!
Yet another announcement – with some musings on the side.
Am delighted to share that I have been awarded a grant by the National Arts Council, Singapore, to work on a new manuscript - a collection of interlinked short stories that come together to form an eclectic novel of sorts. The collection is an attempt to go into the hearts and minds of a city’s diverse (read: multi-national) migrant population, in a search for the meaning of socio-cultural identity.
What does this have to do with the Chronicles? Can I even write contemporary fiction after having drowned (and left still floundering) in the amazingly vast and complex historical past? The kind of things I learnt from shaking myself out of the comfort zone with just thinking about this new endeavour, have been huge.
My first response was, and is, that the Chronicles are as contemporary as it gets. They are stories of human nature and human action – based on a modern understanding of human beings. The story is set in an ancient time and context yes, but its characters are ascribed personality, elements of rationality and decisions-making processes that we of today’s world can totally relate to.
Somehow, I find that thought both illuminating and humbling at once – Humbling especially since it fills me with renewed respect for many of the men and women in the Chronicles, and illuminating because it brought me to understand one of the key things I love about writing.
Which brings me to my second response: Over these months, I’ve realised that my passion lies in searching for the alternative perspective that inevitably underlies every narrative. Just as the Aryavarta Chronicles draw strongly on the subaltern explanations behind what we consider established ancient lore, my new foray into contemporary fiction is an attempt to explore the psychological intricacies that underlie routines of modern life.
And on that note, I’ve just had yet another realisation. Perhaps, no matter what I write, my fascination with humanity, my faith that borders on reverence shall always remain.
Am delighted to share that I have been awarded a grant by the National Arts Council, Singapore, to work on a new manuscript - a collection of interlinked short stories that come together to form an eclectic novel of sorts. The collection is an attempt to go into the hearts and minds of a city’s diverse (read: multi-national) migrant population, in a search for the meaning of socio-cultural identity.
What does this have to do with the Chronicles? Can I even write contemporary fiction after having drowned (and left still floundering) in the amazingly vast and complex historical past? The kind of things I learnt from shaking myself out of the comfort zone with just thinking about this new endeavour, have been huge.
My first response was, and is, that the Chronicles are as contemporary as it gets. They are stories of human nature and human action – based on a modern understanding of human beings. The story is set in an ancient time and context yes, but its characters are ascribed personality, elements of rationality and decisions-making processes that we of today’s world can totally relate to.
Somehow, I find that thought both illuminating and humbling at once – Humbling especially since it fills me with renewed respect for many of the men and women in the Chronicles, and illuminating because it brought me to understand one of the key things I love about writing.
Which brings me to my second response: Over these months, I’ve realised that my passion lies in searching for the alternative perspective that inevitably underlies every narrative. Just as the Aryavarta Chronicles draw strongly on the subaltern explanations behind what we consider established ancient lore, my new foray into contemporary fiction is an attempt to explore the psychological intricacies that underlie routines of modern life.
And on that note, I’ve just had yet another realisation. Perhaps, no matter what I write, my fascination with humanity, my faith that borders on reverence shall always remain.
June 18, 2011
The Aryavarta Chronicles - Soon to be published by Hachette India!
So here it is, finally - Am happy to share with everyone that Hachette India will be publishing 'Govinda' - book 1 of The Aryavarta Chronicles in early 2012! Books 2 and 3 - 'Firewright' and 'The Cowherd Prince' will follow later the same year.
Hachette, as many readers are no doubt familiar, is one of the world largest publishers of books - Needless to say, I'm terribly excited at the prospect of having my books under their banner. All thanks and credit to Jayapriya Vasudevan and Priya Doraswamy of Jacaranda - my literary agents, and dear friends! Incessant thanks also to my family, and to the dear friends and mentors who've stood by me from crazy idea to incomprehensible draft, and of course, the final books.
I hope to share more on the progress of the book, as it goes through the editing, publishing and marketing process, and of course, as I continue to work on Book 3 and beyond. For now though, I invite you all to be a part of my excitement at beginning the next stage of this journey... into Aryavarta.
Hachette, as many readers are no doubt familiar, is one of the world largest publishers of books - Needless to say, I'm terribly excited at the prospect of having my books under their banner. All thanks and credit to Jayapriya Vasudevan and Priya Doraswamy of Jacaranda - my literary agents, and dear friends! Incessant thanks also to my family, and to the dear friends and mentors who've stood by me from crazy idea to incomprehensible draft, and of course, the final books.
I hope to share more on the progress of the book, as it goes through the editing, publishing and marketing process, and of course, as I continue to work on Book 3 and beyond. For now though, I invite you all to be a part of my excitement at beginning the next stage of this journey... into Aryavarta.
