Chanakya's Chant
Encyclopedia
Chanakya's Chant is a novel
written by Indian author Ashwin Sanghi
. Sanghi, a Yale University
graduate, wrote the book two years after his first novel The Rozabal Line
(2008) was released in India and became a national bestseller. Chanakya's Chant was released on January 26, 2011 and entered all major Indian national bestseller lists within two months. It reached #1 on India-Today's bestseller list on April 4, 2011. On June 19, 2011, UTV Software Communications
announced that it had acquired the movie rights.
the great political strategist of ancient India
, whose machinations resulted in the installation of Chandragupta Maurya
as the emperor of Magadha
. In parallel, the novel also tells the fictional tale of a Brahmin from Uttar Pradesh
, Gangasagar Mishra, who decides to mentor a little girl from Kanpur's slums and groom her to become India's Prime Minister
.
, who released the book in Mumbai, called it “a delightfully interesting and gripping read”. According to Tharoor, works of authors like Ashwin Sanghi
were the culmination of the process started by Salman Rushdie’s Midnight's Children
in which a specifically Indian voice was used to narrate the story, almost as though the author were writing exclusively for Indian audiences. Even though the book is a historical tale, it has been called a contemporary novel that uses colloquial terms.
In an interview with Flipkart
, the author clarified that his intention was to write a fast-paced thriller that would entertain more than educate. Some literary observers view the author's work as part of a reawakening in India's mythology.
A review in the book blog INDIAreads, described Chanakya's Chant as a very compelling read with very real characters, settings and manoeuvres. "It is much akin to reading a blow by blow account of Indian politics today. Of course as Chanakya’s story so aptly shows, it is not very different from Indian politics 2500 years ago either. So really the scams, scandals, corruption, collateral damage, war mongering, innocent deaths, communal riots – all the ills that we accuse the modern day politicians of -are nothing new. Nor is their use for gaining power a particular characteristic of our “depraved” leaders. Power has always come at a price and the price as Chanakya points out is not just one’s emotions but one’s conscience as well. This is the message that flows out of Chanakya’s Chant."
It won the 2010 Vodafone Crossword Book Award
(Popular Award).
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by Indian author Ashwin Sanghi
Ashwin Sanghi
Ashwin Sanghi is an Indian author of thriller fiction, best known for his 2007 novel, The Rozabal Line. Sanghi is interested in the lost years of Jesus, the primary theme of his first novel which hypothesizes that Jesus survived the crucifixion and traveled to India. The Rozabal Line was...
. Sanghi, a Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
graduate, wrote the book two years after his first novel The Rozabal Line
The Rozabal Line
The Rozabal Line is a thriller novel that deals with the subject of Jesus having survived the crucifixion and having settled down in India. The fictional element reads in the same vein as Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code whereas the historical basis is derived from several other books on the subject...
(2008) was released in India and became a national bestseller. Chanakya's Chant was released on January 26, 2011 and entered all major Indian national bestseller lists within two months. It reached #1 on India-Today's bestseller list on April 4, 2011. On June 19, 2011, UTV Software Communications
UTV Software Communications
UTV Software Communications Ltd., also known as United Television or UTV, is an Indian media and entertainment company owned by The Walt Disney Company India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.-History:...
announced that it had acquired the movie rights.
Plot summary
Ashwin Sanghi's novel retells the story of ChanakyaChanakya
Chānakya was a teacher to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta , and the first Indian emperor generally considered to be the architect of his rise to power. Traditionally, Chanakya is also identified by the names Kautilya and VishnuGupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise...
the great political strategist of ancient India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, whose machinations resulted in the installation of Chandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya , was the founder of the Maurya Empire. Chandragupta succeeded in conquering most of the Indian subcontinent. Chandragupta is considered the first unifier of India and its first genuine emperor...
as the emperor of Magadha
Magadha
Magadha formed one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas or kingdoms in ancient India. The core of the kingdom was the area of Bihar south of the Ganga; its first capital was Rajagriha then Pataliputra...
. In parallel, the novel also tells the fictional tale of a Brahmin from Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, Gangasagar Mishra, who decides to mentor a little girl from Kanpur's slums and groom her to become India's Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
.
Literary significance & criticism
The book has been well-received by critics. Shashi TharoorShashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor is an Indian politician and a Member of Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala...
, who released the book in Mumbai, called it “a delightfully interesting and gripping read”. According to Tharoor, works of authors like Ashwin Sanghi
Ashwin Sanghi
Ashwin Sanghi is an Indian author of thriller fiction, best known for his 2007 novel, The Rozabal Line. Sanghi is interested in the lost years of Jesus, the primary theme of his first novel which hypothesizes that Jesus survived the crucifixion and traveled to India. The Rozabal Line was...
were the culmination of the process started by Salman Rushdie’s Midnight's Children
Midnight's Children
Midnight's Children is a 1981 book by Salman Rushdie about India's transition from British colonialism to independence and the partition of India. It is considered an example of postcolonial literature and magical realism...
in which a specifically Indian voice was used to narrate the story, almost as though the author were writing exclusively for Indian audiences. Even though the book is a historical tale, it has been called a contemporary novel that uses colloquial terms.
In an interview with Flipkart
Flipkart
Flipkart is an Indian online shopping company headquartered in Bangalore, India,which was established in 2007. It is among India’s largest online retail businesses.-History:...
, the author clarified that his intention was to write a fast-paced thriller that would entertain more than educate. Some literary observers view the author's work as part of a reawakening in India's mythology.
A review in the book blog INDIAreads, described Chanakya's Chant as a very compelling read with very real characters, settings and manoeuvres. "It is much akin to reading a blow by blow account of Indian politics today. Of course as Chanakya’s story so aptly shows, it is not very different from Indian politics 2500 years ago either. So really the scams, scandals, corruption, collateral damage, war mongering, innocent deaths, communal riots – all the ills that we accuse the modern day politicians of -are nothing new. Nor is their use for gaining power a particular characteristic of our “depraved” leaders. Power has always come at a price and the price as Chanakya points out is not just one’s emotions but one’s conscience as well. This is the message that flows out of Chanakya’s Chant."
It won the 2010 Vodafone Crossword Book Award
Vodafone Crossword Book Award
Vodafone Crossword Book Award is an Indian book award sponsored by Vodafone and Crossword Bookstores. It is India's biggest private sector award. The Award was instituted in 1998 with the intention of competing with The Booker Prize, Commonwealth Writers' Prize or The Pulitzer Prize.The award...
(Popular Award).