Some books are written to tell stories and some are written to heighten tales. Abhijit Basu’s Marvels & Mysteries of the Mahabharata is of the latter category. The sub title ‘Probing the Folds of India’s Epochal Tragedy’ sums the intent of the book clearly.
From the first chapter itself you get a sense of the amount of toil and effort Basu has put in the research. This instantly builds your confidence in him, his facts and theories. He has gone beyond and discussed the fascinating epic in reference with the Greek and Roman mythologies. He explores various shades of the characters of Mahabharata. Basu can expose you to the characters in ways like never before. The way he discusses Vyas, Vidur, Krishna, Yudhisthira and all other characters is fascinating.
I personally am quite a fan and truster of Mahabharata. When Basu credited the epic and gave explanations I smiled. When he questioned and raised doubts I gave it a thought as well. This is the same effect it will have on you. A believer or a non-believer it is food for thought for both.
A friendly warning, this book is meant for readers who are familiar with the epic of Mahabharata. Debutants to the epic can read it but might not be able to extract the maximum from this. It is definitely not a light read as it is full of perspectives, fact and incidents. What really is of help is the Glossary, Names & Places and Supplementary Notes chapters.
Rating: 4/5
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