Book Review: Mahagauri

Book Name: Mahagauri
Author: Nitya Neelakantan
Publication: Rupa Publications
Genre: Myths, Legends & Sagas

Mahagauri by Nitya Neelakantan is a blend of mytho-fiction and a fast-paced   thriller exploring the journey of an ordinary woman who time-travels across centuries in the kingdom of Saptapuri.

Review

Mahagauri follows the story of Gauri Vishwanathan, a senior scientist at a top defense lab who ends up time-traveling due to a mishap in a lab experiment that randomly throws her from the present to centuries ago, bringing her recurring nightmares or dreams to life. She lands in an unknown world out of thin air, and nobody knows where she comes from when she appears in the middle of a battleground. Due to a written prophecy, her savior knows she has a divine role in their world and takes her to a safer location to help her heal, with the help of his sister Vidushi, who is a renowned doctor and the chief Vaidya of that time.

Gauri is puzzled when she regains consciousness and sees what is going on around her. The loss, pain, struggle, and suffering prick her heart. Though she is eager to leave that world and return to her life, she decides that she will stay until doomsday and help them fight the battle, even when she is unaware of how she will be of help.

Shankar, who saves her, tells her about the prophecy, but she does not believe it. That is when Vidushi tells him to give Gauri time and space to accept her role, and then everything will fall into place. She trains in meditation and to become a warrior. Later, while her training is in progress, she has her first encounter with the enemy Raakat. After killing him mercilessly and not remembering what happened or what came over her, she feels troubled until Shankar consoles her. Similar encounters make her fiercer on the battlefield, making her a prominent part of the battle against the buffalo demon Moishan. What will happen to Moishan? Will the Saptapuri kingdom be able to safeguard the Ajna Chakra, a stone of immortality, with the help of Gauri? It is a thrill that readers will uncover as they read this book.

There are multiple characters who feel relatable even in the contemporary era. Gauri, a fierce and determined woman, plays an integral role in both the present and the centuries-old world. Shankar has the power to read through people’s minds, as if he knows what is troubling them, which makes people around him comfortable enough to confide in him. The backstory of the queen’s decision to choose her husband as king is a delight to read and awakening in how precisely she chooses him and what qualities she seeks. Overall, the characters’ roles and their stories are sufficient, but for some characters, it may feel as though there could have been more to their backstories. Moishan, the buffalo demon, is the epitome of brutality, yet his role in the violence feels a little underwhelming. He seems to hide behind and send his men to conquer the Ajna Chakra, and even in the end, his role in the battle seems meager.

The author’s writing style is quite engaging, though a bit predictable. There are occasional grammatical inconsistencies that could have been avoided with tighter editing. Since it is a fast-paced mytho-fiction thriller, readers move quickly through the book as they follow the story. The author’s visual impact in portraying battlefields, the deaths of enemies, and the way Gauri kills them leaves an impression on readers long after they finish the book. For me, Gauri’s transition from the present to centuries ago is a little unclear. Until she lands on the battlefield, it feels like the story suddenly goes in a different direction. What I love, and what I expect readers will love, is the overall battle, the journeys of kings to support the Saptapuri kingdom, the visual impact of the scenes, and the individual stories of different characters. I also applaud the author for her naming creativity. The way she crafts each character is good, but what stands out is how she chooses the names. They catch the reader’s attention, for example Damron, Durdon, Dumukan, and so on.

The overall reading experience of this book is entertaining. Readers who love mytho-fiction and time-travel journeys should definitely pick this one.

Buy From Here: Mahagauri

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