An Indo-Canadian author has penned a unique tale that tells the story of the epic tale Mahabharata from a common man’s perspective. Cloverdale-based author Manu Nellutla’s new book, Janya Bharata: The War, is historical fiction and tells a story related to the Kurukshetra War from the point of view of common people.
By DESIBUZZCanada Staff With News Files
SURREY – An Indo-Canadian author has penned a unique tale that tells the story of the epic tale Mahabharata from a common man’s perspective.
Cloverdale-based author Manu Nellutla’s new book, Janya Bharata: The War, is historical fiction and tells a story related to the Kurukshetra War from the point of view of common people.
The Mahabharata is a famous Sanskrit epic detailing the battle between two sets of cousins in the Kurukshetra War, a war in northern India thousands of years ago.
“The Mahabharata is written from the royals’ perspective, kings and queens and what happens between them,” Nellutla told Surrey Now-Leader newspaper. “And I was thinking, ‘What was happening in the rest of India at the time?’ We always looks at war form the point of view of royalty, or generals, or leading politicians—the major players, if you will—but what about the commoners? What about that other side?”
Nellutla said he searched but couldn’t find any stories related to any other tribes or people at that time in other parts of India. That’s when he got the idea to write a story about what could have been happening elsewhere. He imagined a tribe that was called upon to fight in the battle of Kurukshetra.
“The story is told from the commoners’ perspective,” Nellutla said. “Janya means common, or war, and Maha means great or epic. So it’s not ‘Maha’ Bharata, it’s ‘Janya’ Bharata. It’s very common bharata. It’s what was happening in the commoners’ lives in India at that time.”
The story revolves around a tribe that gets pulled into the Kurukshetra War. Nellutla explores the thoughts, feelings, discussions, and debates amongst the tribe members about why they are being pulled into this war. Through the journey, the reader finds out what happens to the men on the frontlines and those who remain at home and what they struggle with, both mentally and physically.
“There are also philosophical questions about war and the very real implications of what that means for the people,” explained Nellutla. “It looks at how the war affects common people, but keeping the Mahabharata in mind. So it’s a very different take.”
Janya Bharata: The War is for sale on Amazon and Nellutla said it’s still atop the “Hot New Releases and Best Sellers” for Indian Mythology books on Amazon after a few weeks.
Courtesy Surrey Now-Leader
