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Adi Parva - Churning of the Ocean
From the bestselling author of Kari comes a brilliant new interpretation of mythology. Combining stories from the Adi Parva which precede the main narrative of the Pandav-Kaurav war for succession.
276 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2012
25 people are currently reading
959 people want to read
About the author
Amruta Patil
18 books123 followersAmruta Patil, is an Indian graphic novel author and painter.
Patil spent her childhood in Goa. She has a BFA from Goa College of Art (1999), and Master of Fine Arts degree from Tufts University, School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (2004).
She worked as a copywriter at Enterprise Nexus (Mumbai) in 1999-2000. She was the Co-founder, Editor of the quarterly magazine, 'Mindfields' (2007-2012). She was awarded TED Fellowship in 2009.
Her debut graphic novel, Kari, commissioned and published by VK Karthika at HarperCollins India, explored themes of sexuality, friendship and death; and heralded Patil as India's first female graphic novelist.
She was awarded the Ministry of Women and Child Development's Nari Shakti Puraskar in March 2017 at the hands of the 13th President of India, Pranab Mukherjee.
Patil spent her childhood in Goa. She has a BFA from Goa College of Art (1999), and Master of Fine Arts degree from Tufts University, School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (2004).
She worked as a copywriter at Enterprise Nexus (Mumbai) in 1999-2000. She was the Co-founder, Editor of the quarterly magazine, 'Mindfields' (2007-2012). She was awarded TED Fellowship in 2009.
Her debut graphic novel, Kari, commissioned and published by VK Karthika at HarperCollins India, explored themes of sexuality, friendship and death; and heralded Patil as India's first female graphic novelist.
She was awarded the Ministry of Women and Child Development's Nari Shakti Puraskar in March 2017 at the hands of the 13th President of India, Pranab Mukherjee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
April 11, 2022
Mahabharata retellings are always fascinating to me.
Especially when it is in the form of a graphic novel!
And that too with such exceptional art in each and every frame!
Loved the initial parts the most. The little nuggets of wisdom, crisp and precise commentary.
This book was a delight to read, is an exemplary piece of art, and always will be the crown jewel for any bookshelf!
Especially when it is in the form of a graphic novel!
And that too with such exceptional art in each and every frame!
Loved the initial parts the most. The little nuggets of wisdom, crisp and precise commentary.
This book was a delight to read, is an exemplary piece of art, and always will be the crown jewel for any bookshelf!
April 2, 2021
An awesome work of art and profound knowledge.
This book is only for those who have a good background knowledge of Hindu mythogy and lore.. the stories are just presented as glimpses from the Mahabharatha with more stress upon the beautiful artwork and philosophical nuggets
I enjoyed it thoroughly.
One rant is that the font was very difficult to read , being small and in cursive writing.
Couldn't read at a stretch.
I am not done with the book ..will be concentrating on one painting at a time..
My first read was hurried so as to know what comes next...
Am awesome piece of work ..wonder how much time it took to complete.
Had started this as part of my snake and ladders challenge where I got the prompt doe "graphic novels"
This book is only for those who have a good background knowledge of Hindu mythogy and lore.. the stories are just presented as glimpses from the Mahabharatha with more stress upon the beautiful artwork and philosophical nuggets
I enjoyed it thoroughly.
One rant is that the font was very difficult to read , being small and in cursive writing.
Couldn't read at a stretch.
I am not done with the book ..will be concentrating on one painting at a time..
My first read was hurried so as to know what comes next...
Am awesome piece of work ..wonder how much time it took to complete.
Had started this as part of my snake and ladders challenge where I got the prompt doe "graphic novels"
September 7, 2020
I love the art work of Amruta Patil. This book is full of gorgeous art work.
I started reading this as I want to introduce Mahabharata to my son in the bedtime stories. I realised I didn’t know much of the work in detail. So this book is my way to get my journey started into this epic.
Adi Parva sets a good context, introduces to the backstories of various characters of Mahabharata. Somehow I felt it was a slog to finish this book even though the art is stunning. I wish the story could have been narrated better, but that is a minor quibble.
I started reading this as I want to introduce Mahabharata to my son in the bedtime stories. I realised I didn’t know much of the work in detail. So this book is my way to get my journey started into this epic.
Adi Parva sets a good context, introduces to the backstories of various characters of Mahabharata. Somehow I felt it was a slog to finish this book even though the art is stunning. I wish the story could have been narrated better, but that is a minor quibble.
February 26, 2022
the art is absolutely gorgeous. though the author sticks to the same thread of the story, the treatment is different and sometimes the underlying messages can be lost. the stories from Adi Parva is an introduction of the story that's yet to come and the future characters, their motivations are laid out with the way fate plays an important role to culminate stories that are thousands of years in making.
i enjoyed this, for the art and the author's take on classic stories.
i enjoyed this, for the art and the author's take on classic stories.
July 29, 2018
As a visual retelling of the myths leading up to the Mahabharata and two generations after that as a consequence of it, although it gets difficult at times to track the timelines correctly, it is a pleasurable read with amazing artwork.
December 15, 2024
a feminist retelling of the Mahabharata!!! I loved this and completed it in a single sitting. Absolutely stunning graphics that transport you to another realm.
October 6, 2019
Probably 3.5 stars. This is the retelling of the origin of the world as per the Vedas and the precursor story of the Mahabharata till before the battle of Kurukshetra. So nothing new here if you have read books on it before. The only difference is the narrator is the celestial river Ganga in her earthly form as the Sutradhar (storyteller in Indian tradition).
The artwork is brilliant with the collages and painted artwork. Amruta Patil brings out the essence of the tale and brings out a magic realism in the retelling of the epic. There a bunch of easter eggs in references to the Egyptian Hieroglyphics (page 65), The Chinese folklore - the dragon with a serpentine tail (Page 91) and references to Hampi, Hyderabad and Mughal architecture towards the ending of the book. Quite an enjoyable read especially for the unusual mixed-media artwork.
The artwork is brilliant with the collages and painted artwork. Amruta Patil brings out the essence of the tale and brings out a magic realism in the retelling of the epic. There a bunch of easter eggs in references to the Egyptian Hieroglyphics (page 65), The Chinese folklore - the dragon with a serpentine tail (Page 91) and references to Hampi, Hyderabad and Mughal architecture towards the ending of the book. Quite an enjoyable read especially for the unusual mixed-media artwork.
August 23, 2018
The story has some breaks in flow and tends to go on a tangent but the author brings it back. The visuals are stunning and clearly shows that a lot of thought and imagination has gone into it. I would recommend not breezing through this one - spend time and marvel at the thought put into each visual.
There are other great works on mythology and the Mahabharata which go deep in interpretation. This book doesn't attempt to do that, or even pretends to do that - instead it wonderfully brings out an artist's creativity and imagination. Hope to see more such work from Amruta Patil!
There are other great works on mythology and the Mahabharata which go deep in interpretation. This book doesn't attempt to do that, or even pretends to do that - instead it wonderfully brings out an artist's creativity and imagination. Hope to see more such work from Amruta Patil!
July 6, 2023
A beautiful rendition of Mahabharata explored through the cosmic events unfolding the lives of various gods and deities and viewed from the eyes of strong women characters.
February 28, 2021
Illustrations were good. Characters were refreshingly simple unlike how gods, kings, queens and demons are portrayed in other visual medium.
The stories in this book lacked cohesiveness. Introduction of a character seems rushed. E.g. I did not know about Janmejaya before this and dint come out of the book knowing a lot about him. I felt like there was a deliberate emphasis on Woman's Beauty, selflessness, strength and the same was downplayed for male characters.
The stories in this book lacked cohesiveness. Introduction of a character seems rushed. E.g. I did not know about Janmejaya before this and dint come out of the book knowing a lot about him. I felt like there was a deliberate emphasis on Woman's Beauty, selflessness, strength and the same was downplayed for male characters.
June 20, 2016
My review will actually be: 3.5
A good book with large and detailed images and drawings! It has chosen only one topic particularly about Mahabharata, so if someone starts to read the book with thought that it will give detailed insight of Mahabharata then one will get disappointed.
The illustrations are sometimes very gorgeous and thought-provoking, while sometimes they are bit out of the context. So it makes one fill like the continuum is not maintained but on second thought it seems there are many points where there cannot be any related illustration possible for the topic author has chosen!
Talking about the story line-up, it is quite detailed but not up to the mark or expectations. The narrative by story-teller is a good concept and can be used by other authors for a new experience and can be used as a great backdrop for stories.
Overall, if you are interested in Indian Mythology and also want to experience something new by reading an illustrated story-telling it can be stepping stone for a new genre of books to be discovered by the reader.
A good book with large and detailed images and drawings! It has chosen only one topic particularly about Mahabharata, so if someone starts to read the book with thought that it will give detailed insight of Mahabharata then one will get disappointed.
The illustrations are sometimes very gorgeous and thought-provoking, while sometimes they are bit out of the context. So it makes one fill like the continuum is not maintained but on second thought it seems there are many points where there cannot be any related illustration possible for the topic author has chosen!
Talking about the story line-up, it is quite detailed but not up to the mark or expectations. The narrative by story-teller is a good concept and can be used by other authors for a new experience and can be used as a great backdrop for stories.
Overall, if you are interested in Indian Mythology and also want to experience something new by reading an illustrated story-telling it can be stepping stone for a new genre of books to be discovered by the reader.
February 18, 2017
Adi Parva, by Amruta Patil, is the 1st book of the Mahabharata duology to be followed by Sauptik: Blood and Flowers.It is primarily a graphic novel with brilliant artworks throughout.
The story does not mention of Ugrasrava Sauti narrating the tale to the assembled rishis at the Naimisha Forest and is replaced by Ganga and later Ashwathama ( in the 2nd book) as the storyteller.Introducing Ganga as our sutradhaar for the story, narrating the tale to the gathered crowd of men and women, the author cum painter has attempted to illustrate and emphasize on the practice of these epics being orally transmitted from generations to generations, altering the tale by bit over time.
Although it is a brilliant piece of artwork, some parts of the story might feel out of context or irrelevant to the flow, making it partly difficult to understand.Apart from this few sections, mostly keeping true to the stories, the author has been lucid in her style of writing.
The story does not mention of Ugrasrava Sauti narrating the tale to the assembled rishis at the Naimisha Forest and is replaced by Ganga and later Ashwathama ( in the 2nd book) as the storyteller.Introducing Ganga as our sutradhaar for the story, narrating the tale to the gathered crowd of men and women, the author cum painter has attempted to illustrate and emphasize on the practice of these epics being orally transmitted from generations to generations, altering the tale by bit over time.
Although it is a brilliant piece of artwork, some parts of the story might feel out of context or irrelevant to the flow, making it partly difficult to understand.Apart from this few sections, mostly keeping true to the stories, the author has been lucid in her style of writing.
January 28, 2015
So a Mahabharata fixation made me pick Adi Parva - Churning of the Ocean by Amruta Patil. My first graphic novel and I wasn't sure what to expect. What an outstanding read it turned out to be! Up there with Mrityunjaya for me as an alternate narration of the epic. Her paintings are beyond words and so is the narrative. Her prose never fails to match her stunning artwork and sets a wonderful pace to the tale. Patil uses the age old Indian tradition of a "sutradhar" to weave her web of stories and connect with the contemporary reader. Gandhari and Kunti's depiction in particular is spectacular. It truly is akin to watching a movie and reading a book at the same time. Read up!
December 26, 2012
A spectacular graphic retelling of the Mahabharata. This first in a trilogy will leave you spellbound
Adi Parva, by ("via") Amruta Patil is a standout addition to the retellings of the epic, for several reasons. This lavishly produced high quality edition is a marvelous work, for several reasons. This is a graphic book, with the emphasis being more on the drawings than on the text. Each page has at most a two-three lines of text, which leaves you with a full page of charcoal or color illustrations to gaze at.
Adi Parva, by ("via") Amruta Patil is a standout addition to the retellings of the epic, for several reasons. This lavishly produced high quality edition is a marvelous work, for several reasons. This is a graphic book, with the emphasis being more on the drawings than on the text. Each page has at most a two-three lines of text, which leaves you with a full page of charcoal or color illustrations to gaze at.
January 22, 2013
A stunning new take on traditional Indian myths and legends as well as the oral tradition. The author is able to add incredible depth to these oft-told stories and her original illustrations allow an incredibly interesting perspective to the tales - an absolute must-read!
July 7, 2022
There's more philosophy than story in the book, but since I love graphic novels and art as much as a good story, I can't complain. True to the idea of the sutradhar, the story is unveiled knot by knot, with many digressions and loose ends.
March 25, 2013
The graphic version of epic, is really interesting. This book uses the narrative style of Sutradhar, the storytellers.
February 7, 2017
Such beautiful book. Spellbound. Loved it. Must read for all. Can't wait to read Sauptik. Those paintings have made me a fan of her work!
August 6, 2017
Took my time with this one. Very beautifully illustrated. The stories are also very insightful.
Magnificent!
Magnificent!
May 20, 2022
Absolutely loved this beautifully created retelling of episodes and tales in the Mahabharat, starting at the point of creation through Vishnu, upto the birth of the Kauravas and Pandavas. The art work is sublime, and the writing, though spare, is poetic, mysterious and oddly modern in places - and together all of it works and I really enjoyed every bit of it.
What makes the narrative special is that the author knows her mythology deeply, and understands the essence of the philosophies that need to be brought through. Some passages are extremely well written, explore and bring attention to the layered ideas that may otherwise be lost to just the literal telling of events.
I think, to enjoy this book, one needs to be familiar with the Mahabharat (which I was) and at least the opening of the Vishnu Puran (which I wasn't). When I first attempted to read this book over a year ago, I could not make sense of anything in the first 10-20 pages, it was too abstract. So I put it down, regretting my decision of buying a very expensive copy, mostly because the artwork looked so exquisite. But recently, I'd gone back to exploring these stories and texts again, and got an introduction to the Vishnu Puran - and immediately, the cover of the book came to mind.
And so I picked it up a second time. And this time, it flowed like water :)
What makes the narrative special is that the author knows her mythology deeply, and understands the essence of the philosophies that need to be brought through. Some passages are extremely well written, explore and bring attention to the layered ideas that may otherwise be lost to just the literal telling of events.
I think, to enjoy this book, one needs to be familiar with the Mahabharat (which I was) and at least the opening of the Vishnu Puran (which I wasn't). When I first attempted to read this book over a year ago, I could not make sense of anything in the first 10-20 pages, it was too abstract. So I put it down, regretting my decision of buying a very expensive copy, mostly because the artwork looked so exquisite. But recently, I'd gone back to exploring these stories and texts again, and got an introduction to the Vishnu Puran - and immediately, the cover of the book came to mind.
And so I picked it up a second time. And this time, it flowed like water :)
December 5, 2024
A gorgeous book, so intentionally made with nuggets of philosophical wisdom every other page. The visuals are stunning with collages and sketches that expand the story with even more metaphor. I particularly enjoyed the animal, feminist, and fractal themes most of which are hidden behind formal language and ancient context in other translations of these stories.
The reader will require some background of Mahabharata and the Puranas to really enjoy what the book has to offer.
The end holds a powerful quote that resonates: “And therein lies the safety device that protects the tale. I could lay bare every secret of the multiverse, but you will only hear what you’re ready to understand”
Highly recommend for all who are familiar with Hindu scriptures. I’m looking forward to revisiting this book and reading the next one in the duology - Sauptik: Blood and Flowers.
What a gift Amruta Patil has left us with!
The reader will require some background of Mahabharata and the Puranas to really enjoy what the book has to offer.
The end holds a powerful quote that resonates: “And therein lies the safety device that protects the tale. I could lay bare every secret of the multiverse, but you will only hear what you’re ready to understand”
Highly recommend for all who are familiar with Hindu scriptures. I’m looking forward to revisiting this book and reading the next one in the duology - Sauptik: Blood and Flowers.
What a gift Amruta Patil has left us with!
January 9, 2021
I often think backstory of Mahabharat is not given its due credit. Amruta Patil in Adi Parva starts right from beginning of the world and connects some of the countless stories in a thread like a really good Sutradhar (the threadbearer).
In auther's note she says "At the end of every story is the nub of a new beginning. The snakes versus birds rivalry in the Adi Parva is no careless latter-day addition to Mahabharatan lore; it is a fitting metaphor for the mortal rivalries that will come to pass later in the tale." I cannot agree more.
I really liked the format of visual retelling. The pictures are so nice and apt. Overall the book is really worth a read.
In auther's note she says "At the end of every story is the nub of a new beginning. The snakes versus birds rivalry in the Adi Parva is no careless latter-day addition to Mahabharatan lore; it is a fitting metaphor for the mortal rivalries that will come to pass later in the tale." I cannot agree more.
I really liked the format of visual retelling. The pictures are so nice and apt. Overall the book is really worth a read.
November 16, 2016
Any retelling of this eternal epic is bound to be interesting. This graphic version is no exception. Frankly, I found the illustrations dense and rather abstract - as if clouded by the mists of time. However, my artist wife considers them brilliant, and I've valued her judgment in all things aesthetic. What I found fascinating was the script - was it hand crafted or printed? Finally, my 5 star rating shows my appreciation. Have also got the sequel "Sauptik" and am champing at the bit to start on it.
August 3, 2018
Late to the party here, but this was so beautiful! With the central conceit of a suthradhar, I love how the book is structured and all the metaphors of weaves and wefts that Amruta Patil introduces. The tales are as old as stories themselves and there is some creative liberty with the stories or at least they were different from the versions I had read before. But as Amruta herself puts it so eloquently - tales must be tilled like the land so they can breathe, the only thing you owe allegiance to is the essence. The illustrations are stunning and very unique. The snark asides and lively audience provide a nice relief and counterpoint. Some of our most repeated stories, told in a new and lovely style!
January 14, 2019
For once that a took interest in mythology and did not end up pulling my hair or yawning. Give it a shot, I say.
August 22, 2019
Spellbinding, engrossing work! Amruta Patil’s retelling of the Mahabharata’s first book deserves to be read and seen. She’s as talented a writer as an artist.
December 22, 2019
Adi Parva is almost there. The art is exquisite but towards the end it took a direction that was unexpected and didn't work for me. But each frame is masterful.
February 11, 2020
The artwork is brilliant
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August 4, 2020A complex tapestry of Hindu stories with beautiful mixed media pages.
September 26, 2020
Beautifully illustrated and expertly weaved yarns of stories
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews