Anand Neelakantan - Ajaya: Roll of the Dice

ISBN978-93-81576-03-8 AnandNeelakantan,2013 CoverUrviDuttVashistha,LeadstartDesignLayoutsAjayShahPrintingManipalInternationalPrinting PressLtdFirstpublishedinIndia,December2013by PLATINUMPRESSAnimprintofLEADSTARTPUBLISHINGPVTLTD TradeCentre,Level1,BandraKurlaComplexBandra(E),Mumbai400051,INDIAT+912240700804F +912240700800 Einfo@leadstartcorp.comWwww.leadstartcorp.comUSOfficeAxisCorp,7845EOakbrookCircle, Madison,WI53717,USAAllrightsreservedworldwideNopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced, storedinorintroducedintoaretrievalsystem,ortransmitted,inanyform,orbyanymeans(electronic, mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise),withoutthepriorpermissionofthePublisher.Any personwhocommitsanunauthorisedactinrelationtothispublicationcanbeliabletocriminalprosecution andcivilclaimsfordamages. DisclaimerThisisaworkoffiction.Thecontentsofthisbookaretheexpressionsandopinionsofitsauthorand a work of imagination. It does not claim scriptural or historical authenticity. This work does notrepresenttheviewsofthePublishernorendorsestheminanyway.ThePublishermakesnorepresentationsorwarrantiesastothecompletenessoraccuracyoftheinformationused. TomyAparna, andourAnanya&Abhinav ABOUTTHEAUTHOR I WAS BORN IN A QUAINT little village called Thripoonithura,ontheoutskirtsofCochin,Kerala. Located east of mainland Ernakulam, across VembanadLake,thisvillagehadthedistinctionof being the seat of the Cochin royal family. However, it was more famous for its 100-odd temples, the various classical artists it produced, and its school of music.

I remember many an eveninglisteningtothefaintrhythmofthechendascomingfromthe temples,andthenotesofthefluteescapingovertheruggedwallsof the music school. However, Gulf money and the rapidly expanding city of Cochin, have wiped away all remaining vestiges of that old world charm. The village has evolved into the usual, unremarkable, suburbanhellholeclonesofwhichdotIndia. Growingupinavillagewithmoretemplesthanwasnecessary,itwas littlewonderthatmythologyfascinatedme.Ironically,Iwasdrawnto theanti-heroes.MyownlifewentonIbecameanengineer,joined theIndianOilCorporation,movedtoBangalore,marriedAparna,and welcomed my daughter Ananya, and son, Abhinav. However, the voices of yore refused to be silenced in my mind. This is Anands second book and follows the outstanding success ofhisnational#1bestseller, ASURATaleOfTheVanquished (PlatinumPress2012). AJAYABookII,RiseOfKali ,isdueforreleaselaterin2014. Anandcanbereachedat:mail@asura.co.in CONTENTS AUTHORSNOTE WHYWRITEABOUTDURYODHANA? Many years ago, I witnessed a spectacle many of my readers would not even haveheardabout,letaloneseen.Itwasadayofgrandcelebration.Eventhehot tropicalsunshiningabovecouldnotdiminishthepervadingfestivespirit.There were more than 100,000 people assembled to watch the procession and pay homagetothepresidingdeityofthetemple.Thedevoteesbelongedtoallcastes and creeds and the fervour they displayed was bewitching to watch. This is Anands second book and follows the outstanding success ofhisnational#1bestseller, ASURATaleOfTheVanquished (PlatinumPress2012). AJAYABookII,RiseOfKali ,isdueforreleaselaterin2014. Anandcanbereachedat:mail@asura.co.in CONTENTS AUTHORSNOTE WHYWRITEABOUTDURYODHANA? Many years ago, I witnessed a spectacle many of my readers would not even haveheardabout,letaloneseen.Itwasadayofgrandcelebration.Eventhehot tropicalsunshiningabovecouldnotdiminishthepervadingfestivespirit.There were more than 100,000 people assembled to watch the procession and pay homagetothepresidingdeityofthetemple.Thedevoteesbelongedtoallcastes and creeds and the fervour they displayed was bewitching to watch.

Strangely enough, the majestic festival was in honour of a man I had always believed to have few admirers, if any. The deity at the Malanada Temple in Poruvazhy village,Kerala,isnoneotherthanthemostreviledvillainofIndianmythology Duryodhana. If the devotees are to be believed, the tradition of this procession goesbackcenturiestothetimeofthe Mahabharata itself. There is a fascinating story attached to the temple: Duryodhana came to the village in search of the Pandavas in exile. Thirsty, he asked an old woman for water.Impulsively,shegavehimthetoddyshewascarrying.TheparchedPrince drankitwithrelish.ItwasonlythenthatthewomannoticedhewasaKshatriya warriorandhecouldlosehiscastebydrinkingtoddyservedbyanUntouchable Kurathiwomanlikeherself.Horrifiedbywhatshehaddone,shewascertainthe KshatriyaPrincewouldpunishherwithdeathifshetoldhimthetruth.However, not wishing to cheat someone who had trusted her, she confessed her crime, risking her life. She waited for certain punishment, but was astonished by Duryodhanas reaction.

Mother, he said, there is no caste for hunger and thirst.Blessedareyouforputtingtheinterestsofathirstymanbeforeyourown safety. The villagers rushed to see this high-born man who was so different from the haughty, upper-caste men who came only to punish them or treat them like worms. The Hastinapura Prince announced he was gifting the surrounding villagestoatemplethatwouldbebuiltbuthavenoidol.AKuravaUntouchable wouldbethePriest.Tothisday,familymembersofthatoldwomansfamilyare the hereditary Priests of the temple, which has no idol. Instead, the presiding deity is Duryodhana. The minor deities are his wife Bhanumati, his mother Gandhari, and his friend Karna. It is generally believed that the spirit of Duryodhanaresidesheretoprotectthepoorandweak.Heanswerstheprayersof thedestituteandthosesufferingfromdisease,poverty,orharassmentfromthose stronger than themselves.

This deity is the protector of the weak and downtrodden. My first reaction to the story was one of incredulity. Why would a Prince of Hastinapura, located at the northern-most border of the country, have come all thewaytoavillageatthesoutherntipofIndiaadistanceofmorethan3000 kilometresthousandsofyearsago?Theanswertomyquestionwaslikeaslap inmyface.ThevillageraskedmewhytheAdiShankaracharyahadtravelledso many times from a village in Kerala to Kedarnath or Badrinath, in his short lifespanof32years?Itmademerushhometorevisitthe Mahabharata,anepic thathasinspiredcountlesswritersoverthecenturies.OnceIstartedviewingthe KauravaPrincethroughtheeyesofthevillagersofPoruvazhy,adifferentpicture of Duryodhana began to emerge far removed from the scheming, roaring, arrogant villain of popular television serials and traditional retellings. Instead, herewasabrutallyhonestPrince,braveandself-willed,willingtofightforwhat hebelievedin.DuryodhananeverbelievedhisPandavacousinstobeofdivine origin; and to modern minds, their outlandish claim now sounds chillingly similartopresent-daypoliticalpropagandausedtofoolagulliblepublic. DuryodhanaspersonalitycomesalivewhenhemakesKarna,theKingofAnga atacrucialmomentinhislife,whenheisbeinghumiliatedbecauseofhiscaste. TheKauravaPrincechallengesorthodoxybymakingaSutaaKing,andhedoes so without selfish motives.

His treatment of Ekalavya; his refusal to fight for Subhadra;hiscourageintakingonthePandavas;andhisunwaveringfaithinhis friends; all make him hero material rather than a despicable villain. He never attempts to justify his treatment of Draupadi. His flaws make him human and believable,unliketheprotagonists,whowrapthemselvesinacloakof dharma, miracles,anddivinity,tojustifytheiractions.Tomeshavebeenwritteninpraise oftheactionsofthePandavasandKrishna.GreatworksexistaboutKarnaand Draupadi.ThereareliterarymasterpiecesinvernacularlanguagesaboutBhima, Arjuna,andKunti.However,exceptfor