The Great Indian Novel by Shashi Tharoor
A modern day Mahabharata , The Great Indian Novel is a satire on modern Indian politics. Bhishma becomes Gandhi, the blind king Dhritrashtra is Nehru and his daughter Indira becomes Priya Duryodhani, who declared Emergency in the 1970s in India. The Five Pandavas become the judiciary, media, the army, civil and foreign services. And democracy is Draupadi – who is shamed by Duryodhani’s actions. Like the original Mahabharata, The Great Indian Novel has eighteen chapters.
The tone of the book is irreverent, and the cantankerous narrator spares none of the Indian idols. Shashi Tharoor’s debut novel, first published nearly 25 years ago, is a delight to read. In this award-winning novel, Tharoor has masterfully and very courageously reinterpreted Indian political history in a witty, yet soul searching manner. It is no small feat, considering that Tharoor is a prominent Congress politician now.
The Indian Express advised “every sane Indian” to buy a copy of the book and noted author and social commentator Khushwant Singh called it “perhaps the best work of fiction written by an Indian in recent years”.
It really is a must read.
Rating- 4/5
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About artikaaurorabakshi
Artika Aurora Bakshi
Artika Aurora Bakshi is the author of three well-acclaimed children’s books,My Little Sikh Handbook, My Little Sikh Handbook 2: Ardas, My Little Sikh Handbook: Travel Journal, and an anthology of stories, Hold On To Me. Her first story, set in Amritsar, during the pre-Partition period, All She Had Left, was published on Story Mirror.
She co-manages thegoodbookcorner.com, a manuscript help and book review site. Her passion for reading has led her to helping other writers with their manuscripts.
She comes from a family of lawyers and has a master’s degree in International Banking & Finance.
Currently based in Sri Lanka, she teaches Commerce and History on a part-time basis at an international school and enjoys being part of the literary scene in Sri Lanka. A regular at the Galle Literary Festival and other literary events in Sri Lanka, Artika’s articles and book reviews have featured in the Daily Mirror, Daily News, The Ceylon Chronicle, and various blogs, such as, talkingcranes.com, sikhchic.com, sikhnet.com.
She was actively involved with SAARC Women’s Association of Sri Lanka and was President of the Association in 2016.
An avid reader, Artika runs an online book club with a membership base of over 600 members.
Her quotes are featured under soul.nightingale on Instagram and on Soul Nightingale by Artika Aurora Bakshi on Facebook.
Artika is also working on her fourth children’s book in the My Little Sikh Handbook series and a second anthology of stories for adults.
You can reach Artika at bakshiartika@gmail.com .
the good book corner 