The Winds of Hastinapur

About the booka classic oeuvre retold mellifluously, the winds of hastinapur presents the mahabharata as a fast-paced female-centric opus, more plausible for the modern day. The tome has two segments to it-one expounding the tale of the river maiden and the other about the fisher girl. The mahabharata, as we have known it, is a story that celebrates the glory of men in a dynastic tussle over the throne of hastinapur. The winds of hastinapur is a story about well-matched women of action, their appraisal of men and their deeds that prove zest, fortitude and mettle on par with men. In the book, ganga is ousted from heaven and sent to live with the mortals due to an unfortunate curse. Shantanu, the king of hastina solicitously offers to take care of her needs and protect her on the condition that she gives him a son. Ganga accedes to his request and slays her first seven sons. She takes away devavrata, the eighth son, to be raised in the midst of the celestials. When the opportune moment arrives, he will return to hastinapur, where he belongs. Satyavati, the fisher girl, manages to emancipate herself from the clutches of her clan and becomes shantanu's second wife. The second half of the book outlines satyavati's ruthless schemes to destroy devavrata and the sagacity she develops over the years. The author has made a genuine effort to encrust all the focal values, bringing forth a phenomenal book. The winds of hastinapur was published in 2013 by harpercollins and is available in paperback. Key features the story gives a lucid account on the birth of pandu and dhritarashtra. The book gives you an interesting take on telling the tale of the age-old indian legend.