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Udayan : The Fogotten Pandava
Udayan : The Fogotten Pandava
- GenresMarathi
300 pages, Hardcover
First published January 3, 2014
3 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Rajendra Kher
19 books32 followersI was graduated from Pune University in 1983. My father, late Mr. B. D. Kher was also a prolific author who was the recipient of many national and international awards including Soviet Land Nehru Award, Maharashtra State Award.
I have been writing since past 22 years. So far, I have 10 published works to my credit. All written in Marathi—the books have received tremendous appreciation from the readers and critics alike. Some of my novels are translated in three other languages. I am also the recipient of 5 prestigious awards.
I also had an opportunity to work in Indian film industry for 10 years and thereafter I worked as a Program Director for 2 years, for a TV channel.
I have been writing since past 22 years. So far, I have 10 published works to my credit. All written in Marathi—the books have received tremendous appreciation from the readers and critics alike. Some of my novels are translated in three other languages. I am also the recipient of 5 prestigious awards.
I also had an opportunity to work in Indian film industry for 10 years and thereafter I worked as a Program Director for 2 years, for a TV channel.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 21, 2019
38th book of 2019 (122nd book overall)
Quote from the Book I Liked - 'If the mind is calm, thoughts move in the right direction.' (Page no. 29)
Rating - 2 Stars
Plot Summary - Some are born great. Some become great. Yet others have greatness thrust upon them. But what of he who is all three? Few people know that besides the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, there is the third epic of ancient India: the Bruhatkatha. Composed by scholar-poet- savant Gunadhya, it once consisted of an astonishing 700,000 couplets but the manuscript was torched by Gunadhya himself. Only 100,000 shlokas survive today - the story of Udayan, direct descendant of the great Pandava warrior, Arjuna, born to rule the great kingdom of Vatsa, which stretched across the length and breadth of Bharatvarsha. Raised to be King, Udayan was taught the skills of the warrior as well as the craft of the statesman whose words hide his thoughts. But his soul belonged to the Goddess of Music. As time passed, the great Vatsa Empire crumbled as its musician-King sat lost to the reality of the intrigue, espionage and wars which threatened to wipe out both his kingdom and the Pandava line forever. This is the epic tale of Udayan; his devoted Minister, Yaugandharayan; his fiercely loyal General, Rumanwan; and the brilliant Court Jester, Vasantak. It is also the story of Pradyot, proud King of Avanti, and Udayan's abduction of his vivacious and beautiful daughter, Vasavdatta. The thrilling narrative sweeps across Bharatvarsha and events long past come to life once again; a people long gone, live, love and ride once more under the banner of their Pandava King.
My Review - The book is a try for the revival of an epic which stands to be as great as that of Ramayana and Mahabharata, The Bruhakatha by Gunadhya. I didn't know anything about such an epic thus the prologue which introduced it to me seemed interesting. But the book let me down. Although the grandeur depicted in the book of those times was stunning yet the story seemed more tilted towards the Amatya, It can be also said that the hero of the whole book who actually cared for the Empire was him. This story seemed to resemble many of the retellings of current books written in the mythological genre with cliched quotes which seemed as though it is being narrated to some small kids. The book could've been a great one, only if it would've been polished and story been made interesting.
Conclusion - A failed attempt at revival of an Epic.
Full Review on Blog.
Link to Blog - The Tales of Fugitive Biker
Quote from the Book I Liked - 'If the mind is calm, thoughts move in the right direction.' (Page no. 29)
Rating - 2 Stars
Plot Summary - Some are born great. Some become great. Yet others have greatness thrust upon them. But what of he who is all three? Few people know that besides the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, there is the third epic of ancient India: the Bruhatkatha. Composed by scholar-poet- savant Gunadhya, it once consisted of an astonishing 700,000 couplets but the manuscript was torched by Gunadhya himself. Only 100,000 shlokas survive today - the story of Udayan, direct descendant of the great Pandava warrior, Arjuna, born to rule the great kingdom of Vatsa, which stretched across the length and breadth of Bharatvarsha. Raised to be King, Udayan was taught the skills of the warrior as well as the craft of the statesman whose words hide his thoughts. But his soul belonged to the Goddess of Music. As time passed, the great Vatsa Empire crumbled as its musician-King sat lost to the reality of the intrigue, espionage and wars which threatened to wipe out both his kingdom and the Pandava line forever. This is the epic tale of Udayan; his devoted Minister, Yaugandharayan; his fiercely loyal General, Rumanwan; and the brilliant Court Jester, Vasantak. It is also the story of Pradyot, proud King of Avanti, and Udayan's abduction of his vivacious and beautiful daughter, Vasavdatta. The thrilling narrative sweeps across Bharatvarsha and events long past come to life once again; a people long gone, live, love and ride once more under the banner of their Pandava King.
My Review - The book is a try for the revival of an epic which stands to be as great as that of Ramayana and Mahabharata, The Bruhakatha by Gunadhya. I didn't know anything about such an epic thus the prologue which introduced it to me seemed interesting. But the book let me down. Although the grandeur depicted in the book of those times was stunning yet the story seemed more tilted towards the Amatya, It can be also said that the hero of the whole book who actually cared for the Empire was him. This story seemed to resemble many of the retellings of current books written in the mythological genre with cliched quotes which seemed as though it is being narrated to some small kids. The book could've been a great one, only if it would've been polished and story been made interesting.
Conclusion - A failed attempt at revival of an Epic.
Full Review on Blog.
Link to Blog - The Tales of Fugitive Biker
May 18, 2018
Kind of filmy but nice Build-up & breakdown. It is all about the tactics of अमात्य यौगन्धरायण more than the king Udayan.
November 9, 2019
How often do you get to read a story that tells you the happenings after a very epic and a known event?
Udayan-The Forgotten Pandava is the story of Udayan, the direct descendant of Arjuna, taken from what remains from the third great epic of India, the Bruhatkatha. We meet our protagonist and the namesake, Udayan, who is the Emperor of Bharatvarsha, but is more inclined towards his heart which leans towards the Veena. A supremely gifted Maestro, he prefers playing the Veena over his duties as a King and the kingdom is expertly managed by his Maha Amatya, or the Prime Minister Yaugandharayan. Things take a turn when the kingdom begins to disintegrate because they start losing wars and yet the King shows no inclination towards his duties. On the other hand, his desire to catch a White Elephant, with the power of his Veena drives him to such a level of obsession that he gets entrapped in an elaborate espionage plan by the King of Pradyot. It is also the story of how he falls in love with Pradyot’s daughter and elopes with her, under the very nose of her father.
The plot of the book is very well written and is very refreshing to read as it is quite different from the retellings of the various epics that has become the latest trend. The author has taken up the story from the folktales, the background of which is very well explained. The twists and turns of the book are engaging and keep the tempo of the book in a good pace. The plot points are very well spun, and the storyline does not break in between. Some parts of the climax are predictable but that does not bring down the charm of the book.
Talking about the characters, the author has created distinct personalities for each of the characters that we encounter in the book. Be it the Veena Playing Udayan who is easy going and prefers passion over duties or be it Yaugandharayan, who is ever-so-serious, duty-bound and stickler for the rules, or for that matter Princess Vasavadatta, who is love-struck yet chooses duty over jealousy and enmity. The author has given due space for emotions to be expressed and that is something that gives an edge to this book.
It is a refreshing and a wonderful read. Definitely recommended.
The book certainly struck a chord and a musical note with 3.5 notes hummed out.
Udayan-The Forgotten Pandava is the story of Udayan, the direct descendant of Arjuna, taken from what remains from the third great epic of India, the Bruhatkatha. We meet our protagonist and the namesake, Udayan, who is the Emperor of Bharatvarsha, but is more inclined towards his heart which leans towards the Veena. A supremely gifted Maestro, he prefers playing the Veena over his duties as a King and the kingdom is expertly managed by his Maha Amatya, or the Prime Minister Yaugandharayan. Things take a turn when the kingdom begins to disintegrate because they start losing wars and yet the King shows no inclination towards his duties. On the other hand, his desire to catch a White Elephant, with the power of his Veena drives him to such a level of obsession that he gets entrapped in an elaborate espionage plan by the King of Pradyot. It is also the story of how he falls in love with Pradyot’s daughter and elopes with her, under the very nose of her father.
The plot of the book is very well written and is very refreshing to read as it is quite different from the retellings of the various epics that has become the latest trend. The author has taken up the story from the folktales, the background of which is very well explained. The twists and turns of the book are engaging and keep the tempo of the book in a good pace. The plot points are very well spun, and the storyline does not break in between. Some parts of the climax are predictable but that does not bring down the charm of the book.
Talking about the characters, the author has created distinct personalities for each of the characters that we encounter in the book. Be it the Veena Playing Udayan who is easy going and prefers passion over duties or be it Yaugandharayan, who is ever-so-serious, duty-bound and stickler for the rules, or for that matter Princess Vasavadatta, who is love-struck yet chooses duty over jealousy and enmity. The author has given due space for emotions to be expressed and that is something that gives an edge to this book.
It is a refreshing and a wonderful read. Definitely recommended.
The book certainly struck a chord and a musical note with 3.5 notes hummed out.
January 23, 2018
The cover description makes tall claims - "India's third epic", it says - it is nowhere close to the epics we've all grown up with. This is the story of the Pandava King Udayan and his coming of age. Udayan is a reluctant King - he is expected to be the emperor of India and fulfill his kingly duties, while all he wants to do is play his Veena and frolic with beautiful women. In that sense, Udayan is like a millennial youngster who is forced to work in the family business when his heart is set on something else. The story line is inconsistent with no central theme and characterisations are extremely shallow. There is no hero character that I admired and could root for. The story keeps emphasising over and over again that Udayan was one of the greatest men in India - but other than his musical prowess, nothing substantiates this claim. There are no thrilling tales of valour, no political coups, no ambitious plans. The book is also positioned as a great love story - misleading again. The protagonist falls in love with a beautiful princess - nothing out of the ordinary here - professes undying love for her and duly cheats on her at the first opportunity he gets after his wedding! The book also tries to position the PM Yaugandharayan as a devoted and brilliant Chanakya- like character. However, the 2 great schemes he devises are both to get Udayan married to powerful kingdoms to get allies - fairly common in that era, right? Also, his plans didn't make me respect him more, just respect the King and Queen less for having such little insight and control over their own minister and falling prey to his manipulation. Other characters like Rumanvan and Vasantak are built up unnecessarily and have little to do. Promising characters like Vijaya, Virachika and Ankush just disappear halfway through the book. The book devotes zero time to help us understand the India of yore and single mindedly focuses on Udayan. Overall, this is a simple book focusing on a few years from a King's life - an average King with an average man's shortcomings. Do not go by the back cover summary - you'll be disappointed.
October 11, 2019
Udyan: The Forgotten Pandava By Rajendra Kher
Udayan, direct descendant of the great Pandava warrior, Arjuna, born to rule the great kingdom of Vatsa, which stretched across the length and breadth of Bharatvarsha. Raised to be King, Udayan was taught the skills of the warrior as well as the craft of the statesman whose words hide his thoughts. But his soul belonged to the Goddess of Music. As time passed, the great Vatsa Empire crumbled as its musician-King sat lost to the reality of the intrigue, espionage and wars which threatened to wipe out both his kingdom and the Pandava line forever. This is the epic tale of Udayan; his devoted Minister, Yaugandharayan; his fiercely loyal General, Rumanwan; and the brilliant Court Jester, Vasantak. It is also the story of Pradyot, proud King of Avanti, and Udayan's abduction of his vivacious and beautiful daughter, Vasavdatta. The thrilling narrative sweeps across Bharatvarsha and events long past come to life once again; a people long gone, live, love and ride once more under the banner of their Pandava King.
.
I am not into mythology though am I still a proud mythological fiction lover. But, to be very honest, the contents of this book were so new to me! It took time to form a bond with the characters and writing but once I developed it, it was deep, fun and insightful. This is the story of Udyan, a very strong personality who has been ignored by mythological writers but he is one of the most important character.
Though, the book isn't completely new, some concepts are new but they are retold in a different perspective, everyone's perspective was given equal importantance. Reading it wasn't difficult, but building a relationship with the characters was somehow a bit difficult. The different events were well arranged and placed, they were in flow and were appreciative. The cover is cool. Writing is moderate, not very difficult or not very easy. Any book lover can try it. I will definitely recommend it.
.
Rating: 3.75🌟
Udayan, direct descendant of the great Pandava warrior, Arjuna, born to rule the great kingdom of Vatsa, which stretched across the length and breadth of Bharatvarsha. Raised to be King, Udayan was taught the skills of the warrior as well as the craft of the statesman whose words hide his thoughts. But his soul belonged to the Goddess of Music. As time passed, the great Vatsa Empire crumbled as its musician-King sat lost to the reality of the intrigue, espionage and wars which threatened to wipe out both his kingdom and the Pandava line forever. This is the epic tale of Udayan; his devoted Minister, Yaugandharayan; his fiercely loyal General, Rumanwan; and the brilliant Court Jester, Vasantak. It is also the story of Pradyot, proud King of Avanti, and Udayan's abduction of his vivacious and beautiful daughter, Vasavdatta. The thrilling narrative sweeps across Bharatvarsha and events long past come to life once again; a people long gone, live, love and ride once more under the banner of their Pandava King.
.
I am not into mythology though am I still a proud mythological fiction lover. But, to be very honest, the contents of this book were so new to me! It took time to form a bond with the characters and writing but once I developed it, it was deep, fun and insightful. This is the story of Udyan, a very strong personality who has been ignored by mythological writers but he is one of the most important character.
Though, the book isn't completely new, some concepts are new but they are retold in a different perspective, everyone's perspective was given equal importantance. Reading it wasn't difficult, but building a relationship with the characters was somehow a bit difficult. The different events were well arranged and placed, they were in flow and were appreciative. The cover is cool. Writing is moderate, not very difficult or not very easy. Any book lover can try it. I will definitely recommend it.
.
Rating: 3.75🌟
November 7, 2019
India is a storehouse of stories in all forms of literary art. The stories are well known for the beauty of the language and the layered wisdom. While there are many which are known to us, there are many others which have been lost to various reasons. The Forgotten Pandava is an effort to revive what is remaining of a classic epic called Bruhatkatha.
The Forgotten Pandava is introduced as the story of King Udayan. Udayan is a descendant of the Pandavas whose fame and glory is eulogized in the epic, Mahabharatha. Udayan is not the typical king, fighting and waging wars but one who loves peace and indulges in art more than the kingdom's matters. Under such a king, it is natural that the empire shrinks in size, bare enough to maintain respect. Hence, it becomes necessary for somebody to takes the reins to bring back the empire to its former glory. Yaugandharayan fits the bill and he executes a plan which accomplishes the mission.
Though the book is titled The Forgotten Pandava, the book eulogizes the actions of Yaugandharayan. The book switches between etching the character of Udayan, straightforward and carving the schemes of Yaugandharayan in the backdrop.
The narration is a reminiscence of the numerous mythological re-tellings available today. The story has nothing fresh and will interest only those who have genuine interest in mythology and mythological re-tellings. Thus the effort to revive interest on an epic Bruhatkatha fails.
Overall, a book to taste.
The Forgotten Pandava is introduced as the story of King Udayan. Udayan is a descendant of the Pandavas whose fame and glory is eulogized in the epic, Mahabharatha. Udayan is not the typical king, fighting and waging wars but one who loves peace and indulges in art more than the kingdom's matters. Under such a king, it is natural that the empire shrinks in size, bare enough to maintain respect. Hence, it becomes necessary for somebody to takes the reins to bring back the empire to its former glory. Yaugandharayan fits the bill and he executes a plan which accomplishes the mission.
Though the book is titled The Forgotten Pandava, the book eulogizes the actions of Yaugandharayan. The book switches between etching the character of Udayan, straightforward and carving the schemes of Yaugandharayan in the backdrop.
The narration is a reminiscence of the numerous mythological re-tellings available today. The story has nothing fresh and will interest only those who have genuine interest in mythology and mythological re-tellings. Thus the effort to revive interest on an epic Bruhatkatha fails.
Overall, a book to taste.
November 10, 2019
This is a story of a great king Udayan, decedent of the great Pandava. His huge kingdom Vatsa spread across the country and was the biggest in Bharat.
Udayan always knew he will be a king one day. He was educated by the best to be a great warrior and to be the best statesmen, one who to truly conceal his feelings. In spite of this great education, his passion was in music. His soul belonged in his ‘Veena’ and with the Goddess of Music. He was so into his music that over a period of time, his vast empire started to shrink. His attention towards his work decreased and all the state affairs were managed by his Prime Minister.
The story is also of Udayan’s loyal people, his Prime Minister Yaugandharayan, Army General Rumanwan and his court Jester, Vasantak.
Read the complete review on my blog - http://blushesandsparkle.com/udayan-t...
Udayan always knew he will be a king one day. He was educated by the best to be a great warrior and to be the best statesmen, one who to truly conceal his feelings. In spite of this great education, his passion was in music. His soul belonged in his ‘Veena’ and with the Goddess of Music. He was so into his music that over a period of time, his vast empire started to shrink. His attention towards his work decreased and all the state affairs were managed by his Prime Minister.
The story is also of Udayan’s loyal people, his Prime Minister Yaugandharayan, Army General Rumanwan and his court Jester, Vasantak.
Read the complete review on my blog - http://blushesandsparkle.com/udayan-t...
November 23, 2019
The cover is amazing and I had a lot of expectations from this book. It is a mythological fiction which also delivers a lot of values. The character of Udayan is sort of a Blur but at the same time in the Hindu mythology he was a peace loving, lovable king who did not indulge in any kind of raging wars or unnecessary chaos. There are a lot of characters in the book that do not have much light thrown upon them and it was a good exercise knowing about each of them somewhat in detail. The effort is commendable along with the writing style which is simple yet impactful, the flow of the story is smooth and the events are chronologically arranged. The characters are well developed. After a long time I read a mythological fiction with was really refreshing.
December 8, 2019
Inspired by the Brihatkatha that has been lost in the pages of the Indian History, Udayan is a story about the king Udayan- the descendant of the Pandavas. A peace lover by nature, king Udayan prefered to indulge in art and literature than fight wars and become a part of the bloodshed. Hence, soon the reins of the empire begin slipping from his grip. Foreshadowing the rise of another promising hero who would restore back the glory of the kingdom, this book narrates a tale that switches between the actions of the two protagonists.
Read the complete review here: https://aliveshadow.com/category-book...
Read the complete review here: https://aliveshadow.com/category-book...
August 26, 2020
I liked the description of the lifestyle and grandeur of the times when Udayan lived. I felt the real hero of the story was Udayan’s childhood friend and Amatya, Yaugandharayan. He is the one who actually lived for his kingdom and concerned about it the entire time. Udayan didn’t have any qualities of an emperor. He was one only because of his lineage. He was an artist. Read the full review at Natasha'z Points To Ponder
November 13, 2019
First off, I really liked how the author has taken a completely different and unique story from the mythology and the way he has explained the backgrounds of the story through Gunadya. The book was a little slow-paced and it was difficult for me to get connected to the characters at first but once done, it was a delightful read for me. The cover of the book is eye-catching, the authors writing style is simple and even for a beginner, this wouldn't be a difficult read. Overall this was a nice read and would recommend this book for people interested in mythology.
My ratings: * * * 1/2
My ratings: * * * 1/2
June 21, 2025
3.5/5
Ngl, halfway through the book, I thought this would be a great experience. But unfortunately, the book disappointed. The book could've been way better only if it was polished. Personally, if the bond between had been better, or even if the book had been written in first person pov, it would've been better.
Ngl, halfway through the book, I thought this would be a great experience. But unfortunately, the book disappointed. The book could've been way better only if it was polished. Personally, if the bond between had been better, or even if the book had been written in first person pov, it would've been better.
December 14, 2019
[Detailed #BookReview is available at: https://thinkerviews.com/books/englis...
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews