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Chandragupta - Path of a Fallen Demigod
(A NATIONAL BESTSELLER - 2012, Flipkart.com Pre-order bestseller)
THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL (June 2012) - "Chandragupta -Path of a Fallen Demigod" is lucidly written, the book very interestingly captures the entire life of Chandragupta. A fast paced thriller throughout
THE AFTERNOON VOICE (May 2012) - "Chandragupta -Path of a Fallen Demigod" is a fast paced thriller especially the battle sequences...Meticulously researched...above all, radically thought provoking
THE FARMER BOY WHO BECAME KING....THE KING WHO BECAME A MONK....THE MONK WHO SACRIFICED HIS LIFE....CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA
His life and events have been a subject of controversy creating debates among historians for years.Chandragupta Maurya came from humble beginnings plagued by poverty. However, this man's journey through life was going to be anything but ordinary. From being a farmer boy in an unknown village to being a palace attendant in the capital city of Patliputra. The narrative moves on to the untold story of what happened after Chandragupta became the king. From the battlefields of Kalinga to the wars fought in the plains east of River Indus. The book traces the life of a man whose life took sharp ups and downturns till he ventured into the path of spirituality. Spanning 36 years and events in 6 countries of today, this book seeks to tell the story which exists in bit-n-pieces in annals of history.
THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL (June 2012) - "Chandragupta -Path of a Fallen Demigod" is lucidly written, the book very interestingly captures the entire life of Chandragupta. A fast paced thriller throughout
THE AFTERNOON VOICE (May 2012) - "Chandragupta -Path of a Fallen Demigod" is a fast paced thriller especially the battle sequences...Meticulously researched...above all, radically thought provoking
THE FARMER BOY WHO BECAME KING....THE KING WHO BECAME A MONK....THE MONK WHO SACRIFICED HIS LIFE....CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA
His life and events have been a subject of controversy creating debates among historians for years.Chandragupta Maurya came from humble beginnings plagued by poverty. However, this man's journey through life was going to be anything but ordinary. From being a farmer boy in an unknown village to being a palace attendant in the capital city of Patliputra. The narrative moves on to the untold story of what happened after Chandragupta became the king. From the battlefields of Kalinga to the wars fought in the plains east of River Indus. The book traces the life of a man whose life took sharp ups and downturns till he ventured into the path of spirituality. Spanning 36 years and events in 6 countries of today, this book seeks to tell the story which exists in bit-n-pieces in annals of history.
- GenresHistory
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 11, 2012
26 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 43 reviews
July 16, 2012
This genre has seen an unexpected rise within the past year n a half. History becomes much more interesting once v get to know the characters individually.the more books i read in this genre, more sense history makes n inspires me to read more history which i actually avoided as compared to other subjects.the story is good.the start is a bit different than one normally gets in this genre.read Arpita's review n agree that there r lot of mistakes in sentence formation,however that is a mistake in drafting for which i don't blame Rajat, who has done a good job.the story is not sequential as one expects in novels.sometimes Rajat moves ahead in time,sometimes backwards.i found this interesting,however one needs to read the the complete book to grasp the complete story. Arpita, i assure u that its an amazing insight in Chandragupta's personal life n is worth the time spent.don't give up after a few pages.i was about to do that but after reading it, now i know that giving up would've been a bad decision. Rajat takes the story from nowhere to the peak of Chandra's empire within a few chapters.writing this story in so few words is an achievement in itself. I congratulate Rajat Pillai for producing a good piece of Historical Fiction in so few words. Some work is definitely required on sentence formation and spelling mistakes. Seems Pustak Mahal hasn't got the book edited or drafted n has gone to printing directly.it seems like a rough draft, however Rajat's dedication to the story is what takes this book to one of my favourites in this genre. Rajat, it seems that all the work on this book has been done only by u. I suggest that you get it edited before getting the 2nd edition printed.it'll make loads of difference. All the best.
February 15, 2016
Introduction:
I've always heard about Chandragupta Maurya was a successful emperor, and was searching for a good book to know more about him. One day while coming from a train I saw a lady reading this book. I borrow a book from her, had a glance and decide to buy it asap. Another reason to read this book is I've the same surname as Chandragupta. :)
Plot summary:
Magadh is now ruled by Dhannanada, a man who want to accumulate much and much money according to his name. Chandra, who is a palace attendant fight furiously to the prince on the day of their graduation. In revert, the fingers of his left hand are chopped off.
Vishugupta (Chanakya), who questioned the bad ruling of Dhannanada was dismissed from the palace. To take the revenge or to establish a good governance in Magadh, Vishugupta forms an alliance of youth group named as 'Karma sena' including Chandra. After numbers of fail attempt they finally takeover Patliputra and crown Chandragupta and finally becomes 'Chandragupta Maurya'. He has very good tactics of governance under the guidance of Vishugupta. He able to earn the largest empire in the Indian History. He also defeat Macedonian Seleucus and govern in the best way.
In spite of earning largest empire in the history, why the writer has called 'path of fallen demigod'? What is the reason of his fall? You can get the other side of Samrat Chandragupta in this book.
Although Chandragupta was a magnificent king in front of the country but he is a lonely person in reality and has much hidden pain.
The writer has given equal weight to both the side of Chandragupta's life i.e. his success and how he falls. He is a person who loses his love of life, betrayed by his best friend and lose his loving mother.
At the end, you will definitely sympathize with the first king of India who is disturbed by his life. Ultimately he found his inner peace to become a Jain monk.
Writing Style:
The flow of writing is simply superb, different phases of the life of Chandra and Murra is just amazing. How he earn the largest empire in the world and how he lose his faith in himself is beautifully put in this book.
My perception:
As it is fiction novel so the writer has taken the freedom to describe the whole event of Chandra's life excellently. After reading the last page, my eyes filled with tear. This book is simply a replica of Chandragupta's life. Recommended reading to all those reader who are keen to know more about history.
I've always heard about Chandragupta Maurya was a successful emperor, and was searching for a good book to know more about him. One day while coming from a train I saw a lady reading this book. I borrow a book from her, had a glance and decide to buy it asap. Another reason to read this book is I've the same surname as Chandragupta. :)
Plot summary:
Magadh is now ruled by Dhannanada, a man who want to accumulate much and much money according to his name. Chandra, who is a palace attendant fight furiously to the prince on the day of their graduation. In revert, the fingers of his left hand are chopped off.
Vishugupta (Chanakya), who questioned the bad ruling of Dhannanada was dismissed from the palace. To take the revenge or to establish a good governance in Magadh, Vishugupta forms an alliance of youth group named as 'Karma sena' including Chandra. After numbers of fail attempt they finally takeover Patliputra and crown Chandragupta and finally becomes 'Chandragupta Maurya'. He has very good tactics of governance under the guidance of Vishugupta. He able to earn the largest empire in the Indian History. He also defeat Macedonian Seleucus and govern in the best way.
In spite of earning largest empire in the history, why the writer has called 'path of fallen demigod'? What is the reason of his fall? You can get the other side of Samrat Chandragupta in this book.
Although Chandragupta was a magnificent king in front of the country but he is a lonely person in reality and has much hidden pain.
The writer has given equal weight to both the side of Chandragupta's life i.e. his success and how he falls. He is a person who loses his love of life, betrayed by his best friend and lose his loving mother.
At the end, you will definitely sympathize with the first king of India who is disturbed by his life. Ultimately he found his inner peace to become a Jain monk.
Writing Style:
The flow of writing is simply superb, different phases of the life of Chandra and Murra is just amazing. How he earn the largest empire in the world and how he lose his faith in himself is beautifully put in this book.
My perception:
As it is fiction novel so the writer has taken the freedom to describe the whole event of Chandra's life excellently. After reading the last page, my eyes filled with tear. This book is simply a replica of Chandragupta's life. Recommended reading to all those reader who are keen to know more about history.
July 10, 2012
The idea of writing something like this was so good .. but the book just doesn't carry! There are so many errors in the sentence construction in the first few pages itself - additionally, bringing the place to the person doesn't quite happen either, so its difficult to ignore the errors.
Really wanted to read about Chandragupta and the fall of the empire that he brought about - and was so disappointed that this book didn't even seem readable at all.
Very rarely do I abandon a book - but after repeatedly giving it chances, it was a huge FAIL! sigh..
Really wanted to read about Chandragupta and the fall of the empire that he brought about - and was so disappointed that this book didn't even seem readable at all.
Very rarely do I abandon a book - but after repeatedly giving it chances, it was a huge FAIL! sigh..
March 28, 2022
Chandragupta Maurya was an important figure in the history of India, laying the foundations of the first state to unite most of India. Chandragupta, under the tutelage of Chanakya, created a new empire based on the principles of statecraft, built a large army, and continued expanding the boundaries of his empire until ultimately renouncing it for an ascetic life in his final years. This novel revolves all around him and gives a sneak peak into his life.
He was the founder of the Maurya Empire in ancient India. He built one of the largest empires on the Indian subcontinent. His life and accomplishments are described in ancient Hindu, Buddhist Jain and Greek texts. This work beautifully shows his rise from humble beginnings as he belonged to the lower strata of the society to the highest office with the help of Brahmins.
The novel shows most of the things and many instances were heart wrenching. The story moves back and forth frequently which can confuse a beginner. The cover is fascinating and I would like to congratulate the author for being brave enough to introduce us to the real history which is not taught in our academic books
Overall a work that can and should be tried.
He was the founder of the Maurya Empire in ancient India. He built one of the largest empires on the Indian subcontinent. His life and accomplishments are described in ancient Hindu, Buddhist Jain and Greek texts. This work beautifully shows his rise from humble beginnings as he belonged to the lower strata of the society to the highest office with the help of Brahmins.
The novel shows most of the things and many instances were heart wrenching. The story moves back and forth frequently which can confuse a beginner. The cover is fascinating and I would like to congratulate the author for being brave enough to introduce us to the real history which is not taught in our academic books
Overall a work that can and should be tried.
July 11, 2012
I read this book and got fascinated by the genre of historical fiction. The book was so inspiring that now I started reading other books in the same genre.This book was recommended by a friend since it was making waves on the social networking websites.It has everything from well-developed characters, historical authenticity, battle strategy, philosophy, unlimited thrill and above all a message of patriotism. The last battle sequence especially blew my mind.
October 12, 2014
I really enjoyed reading this book. The author did a good research and made history more interesting by representing it as a story. I had some good insights on the societal values at that time, the staple food items, the art of war and the great Chandragupta himself. I am really liking this genre - Indian mythology based novels. Would be great if I get some more book recommendations from fellow good readers.
December 7, 2014
I just could not put down this book . Fast paced and incredible story.
You are bound to fall in love with the story of Chandragupta Maurya. A truly rags to riches story and very very inspiring. The grandfather of Emperor Ashoka was indeed a great man.
The only regret I had was the book was not edited properly. A little attention to detail with regards to spelling mistakes and I have would have given it a 5 star.
A must read if you are a history lover. Will definitely read it again.
You are bound to fall in love with the story of Chandragupta Maurya. A truly rags to riches story and very very inspiring. The grandfather of Emperor Ashoka was indeed a great man.
The only regret I had was the book was not edited properly. A little attention to detail with regards to spelling mistakes and I have would have given it a 5 star.
A must read if you are a history lover. Will definitely read it again.
December 8, 2012
Poor writing skills, way too many grammatical errors, large number of unnecessary descriptions interlaced with a few good facts. skip it and you wont miss anything.
October 26, 2020
This book is dam special to me, for first reason, I really admire Chandragupta Maurya and second one, I started my reading journey with this book.
What’s in the book?
It is a fictional tale, as author states it. But, being a history student and some one who understands history well, I can tell you. This is true in all its sense. Whatever has been written in this book, is true about the Chandragupta Maurya. (CGM)
For the people who do not know, who is CGM?
He was the first ruler who consolidated a pan India empire which ran almost from Afghanistan to India. He ruled, 324 BCE which means he ruled around (2020+ 324=2344) Years ago.
So why is he so imp?
He was son of peacock tamer who rose to become an emperor or Samrat. Even now, these stories of underdogs are unbelievable, we are talking about 2344 years back.
So, who and all are there?
The old ruler, Dhanananda. Chandragupta’s teacher Chanakya and other associated characters.
So, what is the take away?
Rising from dust to the summit, is not an easy task. We have to forsake, our comforts and even risk our lives at times. So, reaching at the summit, is the final achievement. No, we soon realize that no goal is the end. Human beings, whether rulers, billionaires, celebrities or commoners, all look for peace and self-actualization, once their basic needs are taken care off. At the dusk of our lives, all that matters is peace and reflection on the pathway we took to reach our goals. Was it all worth or not?
CGM, wins the kingdom, runs it and makes it to an empire. He forsakes, his sleep, love and his own ambitions. He gets cheated by people around him, including his wife. He defeats everyone yet the he could not win over himself. Finally, he becomes a monk & abdicates his throne. After few years, he takes away his own life or does salekhana.
Win, lose, win again. The only mastery, is self-mastery.
Do you know?
Indian Parliament has a bust styled statue of CGM in bronze. It reads the following,
"Shepherd boy-Chandragupta Maurya dreaming of India he was to create".
Please do read if you found my review interesting. I can go on & on about CGM. But I got to stop somewhere!!!
What’s in the book?
It is a fictional tale, as author states it. But, being a history student and some one who understands history well, I can tell you. This is true in all its sense. Whatever has been written in this book, is true about the Chandragupta Maurya. (CGM)
For the people who do not know, who is CGM?
He was the first ruler who consolidated a pan India empire which ran almost from Afghanistan to India. He ruled, 324 BCE which means he ruled around (2020+ 324=2344) Years ago.
So why is he so imp?
He was son of peacock tamer who rose to become an emperor or Samrat. Even now, these stories of underdogs are unbelievable, we are talking about 2344 years back.
So, who and all are there?
The old ruler, Dhanananda. Chandragupta’s teacher Chanakya and other associated characters.
So, what is the take away?
Rising from dust to the summit, is not an easy task. We have to forsake, our comforts and even risk our lives at times. So, reaching at the summit, is the final achievement. No, we soon realize that no goal is the end. Human beings, whether rulers, billionaires, celebrities or commoners, all look for peace and self-actualization, once their basic needs are taken care off. At the dusk of our lives, all that matters is peace and reflection on the pathway we took to reach our goals. Was it all worth or not?
CGM, wins the kingdom, runs it and makes it to an empire. He forsakes, his sleep, love and his own ambitions. He gets cheated by people around him, including his wife. He defeats everyone yet the he could not win over himself. Finally, he becomes a monk & abdicates his throne. After few years, he takes away his own life or does salekhana.
Win, lose, win again. The only mastery, is self-mastery.
Do you know?
Indian Parliament has a bust styled statue of CGM in bronze. It reads the following,
"Shepherd boy-Chandragupta Maurya dreaming of India he was to create".
Please do read if you found my review interesting. I can go on & on about CGM. But I got to stop somewhere!!!
July 11, 2012
I can think of only Alexander Dumas who had so many sub-plots and managed to blend them together for an explosive thriller like this one. Looking at the of the book, I thought it would be a historical treatise for scholars than for casual readers. I am glad that I was proven wrong. The only reason I picked up to read it was because of the cover looked mystical. It is as unputdownable a book as I have ever read by an Indian writer. The way the author builds the aura around Chandragupta, his might, his sense of propriety and cunning is mindblowing. Thrilling is a word one would not often associate with historical biographies. But this is not a history book; its an outcome of putting little pieces of known facts together, sewn with imagination. I wonder if Mr. Pillai has ever visited any of the places refered in the book; because the journey seems to be real.
August 13, 2012
Seems to be a good book. author's narration is simple, but story isnt very captivating. Its from the history and i did discover a few facts I didnt know before. Still reading and enjoying.
I completed the book. As i like History i did read through it fully. Lot of unknown facts I learnt. The narration could have been better. The story is about the small boy called Chandragupta, who becomes a emperor from no-man. His teacher Chanakya is the real power behind this. The story tells us very little about chanakya though. It revolves around chandragupta and his struggle to reach to a position that he never thought of.
At places the narration doesnt capture attention like 'Magadha is now prosperous', but how this was achieved is very briefed but probably could have been explained in more details.
on the whole its a good book and i liked the story.
I completed the book. As i like History i did read through it fully. Lot of unknown facts I learnt. The narration could have been better. The story is about the small boy called Chandragupta, who becomes a emperor from no-man. His teacher Chanakya is the real power behind this. The story tells us very little about chanakya though. It revolves around chandragupta and his struggle to reach to a position that he never thought of.
At places the narration doesnt capture attention like 'Magadha is now prosperous', but how this was achieved is very briefed but probably could have been explained in more details.
on the whole its a good book and i liked the story.
August 14, 2012
I personally love history, so this book was a must read and I am glad it did not disappoint me. I just loved the narration, so gripping and you absolutely cannot stay away from the book until you finish reading. I loved the manner in which each character is described, the book takes us back to the era of Nanda dynasty, their fall and rise of Chandragupta.
I was looking forward to read a little bit more about influence of Vishnugupta (Chanakya)during the Mauryan dynasty. The emotions of a King is brought out very well in this book.
JUST LOVED IT! Thanks for taking me back in time :)
I was looking forward to read a little bit more about influence of Vishnugupta (Chanakya)during the Mauryan dynasty. The emotions of a King is brought out very well in this book.
JUST LOVED IT! Thanks for taking me back in time :)
November 1, 2015
The content of this book is pretty decent. The English though, is pathetic. A lot of grammatical errors, which any serious author should have caught while proofreading. However, the story talks of how a farmer boy develops into a great emperor. The story itself is quite interesting.
July 11, 2012
Unputdownable ! I was amazed with the research that has gone into this book. Very thrilling , very fast paced. Must read .
January 27, 2013
Had a wonderful time reading this book. Check out more on this book in my review
http://aniruuud.blogspot.in/2013/01/c...
http://aniruuud.blogspot.in/2013/01/c...
August 11, 2013
A decent reading following the rise and fall of the Legendary Indian emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
July 10, 2020
"Sometimes it is important to fail. It show you what not to do."
BOOK - Chandragupta: Path Of A Fallen Demigod
AUTHOR - Rajat Pillai
PUBLISHER - Cedar Books
GENRE - Historical Fiction
PAGES - 303
REVIEW -Chandragupta was a poor farmer boy who lived in Gaval village of Magadha kingdom along with her mother Murra. But after his conflict with tax officials, the mother and the son duo fled to Patliputra, the then capital of Magadha.
At that time Magadha was under the rule of Dhanananda who was the grandson of Mahapadma Nanda.
Due to her past, Murra personally knew the brother of the king and because of which Chandragupta got the job of the Palace attendant but soon was thrown out of the palace on the order of the king.
And this particular incident veered his life upside down.
He met Vishnugupta at her mother's childhood friend under whose guidance Chandragupta formed a rebellion army 'Karma Sena' to out throw Dhanananda and after two failed attempts the Guru and his disciple succeeded in their mission.
And from there begins the journey of Samrat Chandragupta who become the unconquerable king of that era.
He married the daughter of a blacksmith from his village and later on married to Princess Lavanya of Ashmeka.
This book delineates the life of Chandragupta from being a farmer boy to his path of spirituality.
The cover of the book is inviting and goes with the plot, even the title is apt as Chandragupta, due to various incidents in his life, was considered as an avatar of Lord Krishna.
I love to read Indian history and that too in fiction form. I like to know about our great rulers and 'Chandragupta' is one such book that gave me the opportunity to learn about Samrat Chandragupta and his lifestyle.
I would also like to mention here that this book is no doubt a proof of the intense research done by the author.
The language used by the author is eloquent and easy to understand and all the characters are well evolved.
I recommend this book to those who love reading Indian history.
#qotd - Please recommend me some historical fictions.
For more such reviews follow @thebookcritiques and use #thebookcritiques to get featured.
BOOK - Chandragupta: Path Of A Fallen Demigod
AUTHOR - Rajat Pillai
PUBLISHER - Cedar Books
GENRE - Historical Fiction
PAGES - 303
REVIEW -Chandragupta was a poor farmer boy who lived in Gaval village of Magadha kingdom along with her mother Murra. But after his conflict with tax officials, the mother and the son duo fled to Patliputra, the then capital of Magadha.
At that time Magadha was under the rule of Dhanananda who was the grandson of Mahapadma Nanda.
Due to her past, Murra personally knew the brother of the king and because of which Chandragupta got the job of the Palace attendant but soon was thrown out of the palace on the order of the king.
And this particular incident veered his life upside down.
He met Vishnugupta at her mother's childhood friend under whose guidance Chandragupta formed a rebellion army 'Karma Sena' to out throw Dhanananda and after two failed attempts the Guru and his disciple succeeded in their mission.
And from there begins the journey of Samrat Chandragupta who become the unconquerable king of that era.
He married the daughter of a blacksmith from his village and later on married to Princess Lavanya of Ashmeka.
This book delineates the life of Chandragupta from being a farmer boy to his path of spirituality.
The cover of the book is inviting and goes with the plot, even the title is apt as Chandragupta, due to various incidents in his life, was considered as an avatar of Lord Krishna.
I love to read Indian history and that too in fiction form. I like to know about our great rulers and 'Chandragupta' is one such book that gave me the opportunity to learn about Samrat Chandragupta and his lifestyle.
I would also like to mention here that this book is no doubt a proof of the intense research done by the author.
The language used by the author is eloquent and easy to understand and all the characters are well evolved.
I recommend this book to those who love reading Indian history.
#qotd - Please recommend me some historical fictions.
For more such reviews follow @thebookcritiques and use #thebookcritiques to get featured.
October 6, 2018
Historical fiction done trite! 😁
I like books which hold true historics and imitate as far as possible, a world which was not far from the truth. This book by @pillairajat is well researched, poignant and very lively! 🏁
Each chapter convinces you to read more. The Mauryan empire is presented with research and respect. The mystery sorting itself gently. @pustak_mahal has done a wonderful job with the quality and the cover. 🌼
The blurb says _ From the battlefields of Kalinga to the wars fought in the plains east of River Indus - The book traces the life of a man whose life took sharp ups and downturns till he ventured into the path of spirituality. And indeed justice seems to be meted out to bring out pieces of history as we know it, through 36 years and events in 6 countries, to a concisely done account. Even though, I think better editing could have made this highly likable, still, the presentation and hardwork of the author is palpable. Quite a read! 📖📕 @pillairajat followed up the success of Chandragupta with THE DEAD WOMAN WRITING(2014) and YODDHA: THE DYNASTY OF SAMUDRAGUPTA (2018).
📖
📖
📖
I can't wait to read the succession and interpret the mind of writing a historical fiction! With 300 pages, this needs to be read in few sittings due to the largish storytelling and the bathroom characters which charge up from behind in the most nostalgic-NOT manner! ✨✨ I rate this book ✨✨✨✨/5 #Qotd___ What are you reading this week?
Are you a fan of historical fiction? Have you read @pillairajat ? 📘📘📖🎆😁
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#rajatpillai #chandragupta #easyread #review #history #bookstagramindia #bookstagram #unitedbookstagram #dinner #readinglife #reading #timesofourlives #pustakmahal #historical #me #shalinisingh #belladonnaoflavender #iread #Indian #instagram #author #reviewgirl #bookreviews #bookstagramcommunity #thriller #writer
I like books which hold true historics and imitate as far as possible, a world which was not far from the truth. This book by @pillairajat is well researched, poignant and very lively! 🏁
Each chapter convinces you to read more. The Mauryan empire is presented with research and respect. The mystery sorting itself gently. @pustak_mahal has done a wonderful job with the quality and the cover. 🌼
The blurb says _ From the battlefields of Kalinga to the wars fought in the plains east of River Indus - The book traces the life of a man whose life took sharp ups and downturns till he ventured into the path of spirituality. And indeed justice seems to be meted out to bring out pieces of history as we know it, through 36 years and events in 6 countries, to a concisely done account. Even though, I think better editing could have made this highly likable, still, the presentation and hardwork of the author is palpable. Quite a read! 📖📕 @pillairajat followed up the success of Chandragupta with THE DEAD WOMAN WRITING(2014) and YODDHA: THE DYNASTY OF SAMUDRAGUPTA (2018).
📖
📖
📖
I can't wait to read the succession and interpret the mind of writing a historical fiction! With 300 pages, this needs to be read in few sittings due to the largish storytelling and the bathroom characters which charge up from behind in the most nostalgic-NOT manner! ✨✨ I rate this book ✨✨✨✨/5 #Qotd___ What are you reading this week?
Are you a fan of historical fiction? Have you read @pillairajat ? 📘📘📖🎆😁
.
.
.
.
.
.
#rajatpillai #chandragupta #easyread #review #history #bookstagramindia #bookstagram #unitedbookstagram #dinner #readinglife #reading #timesofourlives #pustakmahal #historical #me #shalinisingh #belladonnaoflavender #iread #Indian #instagram #author #reviewgirl #bookreviews #bookstagramcommunity #thriller #writer
July 23, 2018
Engaging
I always wanted to read more about the Mauryan Empire, Chanakya, and what happened after Chandragupta Maurya left the kingdom and accepted Jainism and became a saint.
In this book, I got to read all of these things.
There are only a few detail accounts available on the life of Chandragupta Maurya, and it's itself a disrespecting thing for such a mighty emperor.
The book starts with the story of Chandragupta's childhood, then moving onto Nanda King, running the mighty Magadh Empire. The author has written a detailed account of the emperor Nanda and his 2 brothers, who are very much different from him.
The narration moves ahead with Chandragupta growing up, taking a part in the movement against Nanda and his army, run by no one else but Chanakya. The narration moves ahead with them killing all Nanda's people, taking over the entire empire. It also includes some instances of Alexander the Great and a king called Paurus.
And as you read, you get to read more about Chandragupta's rule, his personal life, his wives, family, his kingdom, his liking to Jainism, and finally, accepting sainthood.
There are so many heart-wrenching tales and it's not possible to include them all in this review.
However, a tale of a woman whose tongue was cut is a must-read.
And so is this book.
Don't miss this book.
Akshat Solanki
I always wanted to read more about the Mauryan Empire, Chanakya, and what happened after Chandragupta Maurya left the kingdom and accepted Jainism and became a saint.
In this book, I got to read all of these things.
There are only a few detail accounts available on the life of Chandragupta Maurya, and it's itself a disrespecting thing for such a mighty emperor.
The book starts with the story of Chandragupta's childhood, then moving onto Nanda King, running the mighty Magadh Empire. The author has written a detailed account of the emperor Nanda and his 2 brothers, who are very much different from him.
The narration moves ahead with Chandragupta growing up, taking a part in the movement against Nanda and his army, run by no one else but Chanakya. The narration moves ahead with them killing all Nanda's people, taking over the entire empire. It also includes some instances of Alexander the Great and a king called Paurus.
And as you read, you get to read more about Chandragupta's rule, his personal life, his wives, family, his kingdom, his liking to Jainism, and finally, accepting sainthood.
There are so many heart-wrenching tales and it's not possible to include them all in this review.
However, a tale of a woman whose tongue was cut is a must-read.
And so is this book.
Don't miss this book.
Akshat Solanki
March 24, 2022
"The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all directions," - Chanakya
Chandragupta Maurya, was the founder of the Maurya Empire, one of the largest empires on the Indian subcontinent. Chanakya groomed Chandragupta to conquer and rule in the place of the Nanda emperor by teaching him tactics through different Hindu sutras and helping him raise an army.
"Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth" - Chanakya
Rajat Pillai's first novel was a national bestseller. He loved history and literature as a teenager but was advised by everyone to make a more ‘practical’ choice for higher education. So he studied software and during his MBA days, he used to balance between investing time in his career and quenching his creative thirst. Finally, he figured out that he has some long but interesting stories to tell people and what would be a better medium than books.
Coming back to the book, it's an inspirational tale of about 300 pages based on a real-life character, it is written engagingly and interestingly to grab your attention till you touch the last page of the story!!
Go for it!!
Chandragupta Maurya, was the founder of the Maurya Empire, one of the largest empires on the Indian subcontinent. Chanakya groomed Chandragupta to conquer and rule in the place of the Nanda emperor by teaching him tactics through different Hindu sutras and helping him raise an army.
"Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth" - Chanakya
Rajat Pillai's first novel was a national bestseller. He loved history and literature as a teenager but was advised by everyone to make a more ‘practical’ choice for higher education. So he studied software and during his MBA days, he used to balance between investing time in his career and quenching his creative thirst. Finally, he figured out that he has some long but interesting stories to tell people and what would be a better medium than books.
Coming back to the book, it's an inspirational tale of about 300 pages based on a real-life character, it is written engagingly and interestingly to grab your attention till you touch the last page of the story!!
Go for it!!
December 14, 2018
Chandragupta is a book about a village boy turned king, Chandragupta Maurya, who has been blessed with a a lot of achievements due to his hard work but has to pay back a lot with his life, peace and happiness. His life has been traced from his childhood to his death with great twists and turns. The title clearly goes with the book. The language is very fluent and easy going. The writing style is o descriptive, your surrounding will not affect your reading because you get lost into the book. The structuring too, is great but could have been better if the dialogues were written in the format of dialogues in order to give it a more conversation like feel. There is no one character in the book that is useless. Every character has something to bring to the table and has its own importance. The author has given them all equal amount of description. My favourite part of he book is the weaving of the story. It leaves clues and hints in one chapter and elaborates it further in the next chapters and this brings the whole book together. So yes, I highly recommend this interesting historic fiction to everyone.
March 21, 2022
Title: Chandragupta Maurya
Author: Rajat Pillai
Review:
“Chandragupta Maurya: Path of a Fallen Demigod” by Rajat Pillai is fascinating piece of work that chronicles the life and times the legendary warrior and founder of the great Maurya Empire; Chandra Gupta Maurya.
Sprawling over three hundred pages ,the book narrates the extraordinary rise of Chandragupta from a humble peasant family of a small village called Gaval in the Magadha kingdom to the seat of largest empires on the Indian subcontinent. It portrays how Chandragupta’s grit, guts and gumption led to the founding of Maurya Empire and how despite being a victim of cheating, hate and treachery Chandragupta never succumbed. It also captures how he bravely fought the battles of his life and kingdom and ultimately found solace in spirituality.
Overall, written in a simple and lucid language. “Chandragupta Maurya: Path of a Fallen Demigod” is a fast paced, inspiring and enriching read that keeps readers hooked till the end with its engaging content. Kudos to Rajat for writing this fascinating book gives readers a peep into their glorious past. Highly recommended for everyone.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Author: Rajat Pillai
Review:
“Chandragupta Maurya: Path of a Fallen Demigod” by Rajat Pillai is fascinating piece of work that chronicles the life and times the legendary warrior and founder of the great Maurya Empire; Chandra Gupta Maurya.
Sprawling over three hundred pages ,the book narrates the extraordinary rise of Chandragupta from a humble peasant family of a small village called Gaval in the Magadha kingdom to the seat of largest empires on the Indian subcontinent. It portrays how Chandragupta’s grit, guts and gumption led to the founding of Maurya Empire and how despite being a victim of cheating, hate and treachery Chandragupta never succumbed. It also captures how he bravely fought the battles of his life and kingdom and ultimately found solace in spirituality.
Overall, written in a simple and lucid language. “Chandragupta Maurya: Path of a Fallen Demigod” is a fast paced, inspiring and enriching read that keeps readers hooked till the end with its engaging content. Kudos to Rajat for writing this fascinating book gives readers a peep into their glorious past. Highly recommended for everyone.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
April 6, 2022
Who doesn't know about Chandragupta Maurya?
I was a person who was reading tales since childhood.I read Chandragupta along with Akbar and Birbal and I was amazed by his tales.
Chanakya is someone who is in our mind till today.Reading about him and Chandragupta is itself amusing.
I came across this book few days back,I am not that much fan of mythologies but still there are few exceptions.Chandragupta,Duryodhan,Draupadi these are the characters about whom I like to read.I find them interesting.So because of this,I picked this book.
When the book got delivered,I first saw the book length.It felt a long read.But I was wrong not in literal terms it was indeed a long read about 300 pages but the way in which the story is narrated is amazing.
The characters are very well developed and the language is also the basic one which anyone can understand who knows english.
The success story of the great Mauryan empire is intriguing to read.
Also,I loved the cover.It is dark and intense.Perfectly suited with respect to the storyline.
A very good read for everyone!
I was a person who was reading tales since childhood.I read Chandragupta along with Akbar and Birbal and I was amazed by his tales.
Chanakya is someone who is in our mind till today.Reading about him and Chandragupta is itself amusing.
I came across this book few days back,I am not that much fan of mythologies but still there are few exceptions.Chandragupta,Duryodhan,Draupadi these are the characters about whom I like to read.I find them interesting.So because of this,I picked this book.
When the book got delivered,I first saw the book length.It felt a long read.But I was wrong not in literal terms it was indeed a long read about 300 pages but the way in which the story is narrated is amazing.
The characters are very well developed and the language is also the basic one which anyone can understand who knows english.
The success story of the great Mauryan empire is intriguing to read.
Also,I loved the cover.It is dark and intense.Perfectly suited with respect to the storyline.
A very good read for everyone!
April 5, 2022
Chandragupta Maurya: Path of a Fallen Demigod by Rajat Pillai. Chandragupta Maurya was an Indian emperor who founded the Maurya Empire, which rapidly expanded across much of India into modern-day Pakistan.
We have learnt a lot in history during school days a lot about Chandragupta Maurya and Maurya Empire.
Chandragupta was brave and charismatic, a born leader. The young man came to the attention of a famous Brahmin scholar, Chanakya.
Chandragupta and Chanakya also came up with weapon manufacturing facilities which made them almost invincible in the eyes of their enemies.
Reminiscing the school days and again reading about history of Empire, kings, kingdom and much more. A well researched and inspiring read by the author.
We have learnt a lot in history during school days a lot about Chandragupta Maurya and Maurya Empire.
Chandragupta was brave and charismatic, a born leader. The young man came to the attention of a famous Brahmin scholar, Chanakya.
Chandragupta and Chanakya also came up with weapon manufacturing facilities which made them almost invincible in the eyes of their enemies.
Reminiscing the school days and again reading about history of Empire, kings, kingdom and much more. A well researched and inspiring read by the author.
March 6, 2019
Reviving kings and kingdoms
The author bring us before a Life and politics of those days, the latter has not much changed untill now, people are fooled for one man's greed, inheritance of profession and Post cointinues till date.
The frequent intrernal war's is absent.
Good to read once
English was average, often lost in track but returns later
The author bring us before a Life and politics of those days, the latter has not much changed untill now, people are fooled for one man's greed, inheritance of profession and Post cointinues till date.
The frequent intrernal war's is absent.
Good to read once
English was average, often lost in track but returns later
May 22, 2019
The struggle, the success, the peace.
And the strength throughout.
A great human. A wonderful story.
But if you're really interested in learning about him and all that he stands for. I suggest you read a lot more books.
And the strength throughout.
A great human. A wonderful story.
But if you're really interested in learning about him and all that he stands for. I suggest you read a lot more books.
June 21, 2014
Let me be done with the problematic bit first - language. Throughout the book, people 'laid down to sleep'. There were other editing mistakes that had slipped through, and being an editor myself, I can only wonder at what the original text looked like. Maybe the editor needs to be patted on the back for giving us a highly readable book despite these flaws.
The author has been involved with the theatre and maybe that's what gives him such a hold on the plot. His interest in history makes him scratch beneath the surface and present a highly plausible tale of one of the greatest kings in Indian history, despite which not much is known of his early days. So what Pillai writes of comes from his readings of the books mentioned in the Bibliography - most of which are about the agrarian economy in the times of the Nandas and the Mauryas.
My knowledge of the Maurya founder comes, like most other historical/mythological tales, from Amar Chitra Katha. I realise the lack in my education when I read authors who take this popular tales and dig deep.
For me, Chanakya was always the hero and Chandragupta Maurya, a beneficiary of his guru's infinite wisdom. Even in Ashwin Sanghi's Chanakya, this view was strengthened.
Pillai, on the other hand, shows Maurya in a different light, with much more personality, skills and foresight. Even without his guru, he has mettle. His life is not all that smooth and he not a playful man having fun in life. He is a king, a responsible one, and morose, toughened by life and bereavements, betrayed by near and dear ones.
The journey is fleshed out neatly, logically and without any rose-tinted glasses colouring the picture. WYSIWG - What you see is what you get. You need to act to achieve your goal, but that does not always give you joy though it may give you the desired result.
A must-read for those who like historical fiction, and even those who don't. But, read with a liberal mind to forgive those errors in language for the purpose sometimes is larger than technical details.
The author has been involved with the theatre and maybe that's what gives him such a hold on the plot. His interest in history makes him scratch beneath the surface and present a highly plausible tale of one of the greatest kings in Indian history, despite which not much is known of his early days. So what Pillai writes of comes from his readings of the books mentioned in the Bibliography - most of which are about the agrarian economy in the times of the Nandas and the Mauryas.
My knowledge of the Maurya founder comes, like most other historical/mythological tales, from Amar Chitra Katha. I realise the lack in my education when I read authors who take this popular tales and dig deep.
For me, Chanakya was always the hero and Chandragupta Maurya, a beneficiary of his guru's infinite wisdom. Even in Ashwin Sanghi's Chanakya, this view was strengthened.
Pillai, on the other hand, shows Maurya in a different light, with much more personality, skills and foresight. Even without his guru, he has mettle. His life is not all that smooth and he not a playful man having fun in life. He is a king, a responsible one, and morose, toughened by life and bereavements, betrayed by near and dear ones.
The journey is fleshed out neatly, logically and without any rose-tinted glasses colouring the picture. WYSIWG - What you see is what you get. You need to act to achieve your goal, but that does not always give you joy though it may give you the desired result.
A must-read for those who like historical fiction, and even those who don't. But, read with a liberal mind to forgive those errors in language for the purpose sometimes is larger than technical details.
December 26, 2020
I don't know why I bought this book half way through India to read. I feel sorry. I'm 1/3 into the book and its boring. The war sequences aren't 'showed'. They are simply plainly written in a lot of words.
I just don't wanna leave it like that because I have a 10% hope for good ending.
Half way, the book gets a tad bit ok.
So in the end the war between the two big clans of the time is worth reading. I think the story had interesting twists, just not well put together. So, I'll just rate it a 2.75.
I just don't wanna leave it like that because I have a 10% hope for good ending.
Half way, the book gets a tad bit ok.
So in the end the war between the two big clans of the time is worth reading. I think the story had interesting twists, just not well put together. So, I'll just rate it a 2.75.
February 8, 2013
The idea of writing such a book is great! It is just a fictional story with a known historical figure, though in the shadow of Chanakya, as the protagonist. What goes against it is the sheer number of spelling / grammatical / diction errors... The narrative does not hold the tempo. While I really appreciate Rajat Pillai to make such an effort, I would like him to pay more attention to the basics. Can we expect better works from you in the future, Mr. Pillai?
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