About the Book:
Rama is all of sixteen when Sage Viswamithra takes him to the Dandaka forest, with Lakshmana accompanying them. At first, the spirit of adventure fills the two teenage brothers, but when they enter the forest in broad daylight, it is a curtain of pitch darkness. The smell of decaying flesh, flashes of fire, and the gloom of animals, birds and foliage in terror affect Rama deeply. For the first time, he feels fear. He hears derisive laughter—is it from the forest, or is it within him?
The first lesson he recalls from the sage Vashistha What is the task at hand? How can he understand the gravity of what is happening? Is the earth calling out for help? He gathers his fragmented thoughts and, feeling for the arrow from his quiver, shoots at a shape-shifting demon who terrorizes the forest.
The Living Legend is packed with twists and reflections and hosts the strength of relationships with nature that Rama, Sita and Lakshmana make to restore balance in life. The forest of inner evolution was transformative in their youth, and it is in our time too.
My Thoughts:
In The Living Legend: Ramayana tales from far and near, author Vayu Naidu endeavors to bring to us a perspective of the Ramayana that includes philosophical and psychological thought.
“Listening to a story is about travelling.” from Chapter 4 of the book.
A quote that sparked thought and resonated with me from the book. The authors style of writing is similar, making sure that by the end of the book, the reader is one with all the characters, even though we already know of them.
The blurb promises twists and reflections, which in my opinion, did not always come through. This is a simplified version of the epic, easy to read and understand, making the lessons more relatable and understandable. The twists are mostly known, but some of the insight is definitely welcome. I enjoyed the chapter titled Sita, with her perspective brought to the forefront. I did expect a little more depth in the exploration of the epic, but this did not diminish the experience of reading for me.
One aspect of the narrative that stayed with me even after finishing the book was how the setting and environment were brought to life. Author Vayu Naidu focuses on giving the surroundings a voice of their own and also highlighting in depth, some of the invisible bonds among the characters.
I enjoyed the book on the whole and would recommend this book to those who would like to start reading this epic. It’s a simpler way to start before diving right into the original versions.
A huge thank you to Penguin Random House and the author for sending across a copy of the book. This review contains my honest opinion of the book.