Manu Nellutla’s new historical fiction novel Janya Bharata: The War transports readers back in time to India several thousand years ago. His novel weaves a story in and around the Mahabharata epic (the Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty). For those who don’t know this epic poem, it tells the story of two branches of a family – the Pandavas and Kauravas – who fight in the Kurukshetra War and battle for the throne of Hastinapura. The story is scriptural, historical, and philosophical. The Mahabharata epic, which contains the Bhagavad Gita and other books, also serves as a discussion on the four “goals of life” or puruṣārtha.
Before we get into Nellutla’s novel, there are five things you should know about this Indo-Canadian author. Among his many accomplishments, he is:
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- A TEDx Speaker
- A singer, podcast host, and well-known public speaker.
- A lifelong learner with three Master’s Degrees: MBA, MPT, and MA (Edu).
- A multilinguist who can speak, write and read fluently in English, Hindi, Telugu, and Gujarati.
- A Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist, a Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor, and a Certified Scrum Master.
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On top of his studies and work, he’s deeply fascinated by the Mahabharata epic and its characters, events, discussions, and values. And he believes that it is mostly historical in its accounts. Before writing the book, he deeply researched the era to keep his book true to the times and compelling. Let’s take a closer look at the book and learn the lessons of the past that can be applied to your life today.
Janya Bharata: The War is a work of historical fiction that narrates the Kurukshetra war from the perspective of commoners in the Ustrakarnika tribe. The book offers deep insight into the various aspects of life in those times. Nellutla has taken great pains to ensure that the historical events are accurately depicted, and the characters are believable so that the readers get a realistic experience of the era. It is sure to appeal to readers who are interested in ancient Indian history. He has done an excellent job of bringing the past to life and making it relevant to the present day.
The book offers an unprecedented visualization of the epic Mahabharata through the lives of ordinary people. At its heart, it’s the tale of an ordinary man Mitrajit, his family, and his tribal group, the Ustrakarnikas, who are cautious about being pulled back into the Pandava-Kaurava bitter rivalry. Their concerns are soon validated when the peace talks headed by Krishna fall apart. Now, the tribe must decide between a commitment to family life or to defending spirituality and principles.