Seven Deaths of Kashi - A myth demands his death

by Mukul Kundra

Genres: Mythology

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 9, 2026

Reviews

[Harsh Tyagi]

Mani is an ordinary tea seller living among the ancient ghats of Kashi. His life is turned upside down when he becomes entangled in a mysterious prophecy. As dark forces close in around him, he learns that his fate is linked to six brutal deaths stretching across centuries. Mani is guided by the enigmatic Baba Kashivasi. He must unravel a thousand-year-old mystery before his own death completes a terrifying cycle and unleashes consequences far beyond anything he imagined.

Kashi is still a place I'm yet to visit. The sacred lanes, ancient ghats. The timeless mysteries of Kashi becomes living, breathing parts of this story. But the story's atmosphere is spiritual as well ss unsettling. The book is a gripping blend of mythology and thrill.

Seven Deaths of Kashi is one mythological thriller that kept me hooked with its mystery. Atmospheric, imaginative and deeply engaging. Fans of mythological mysteries and stories rooted in Indian culture will find plenty to love here.

[Sulagna]

Seven Deaths of Kashi by Mukul Kundra is a mythological thriller based in Varanasi. It revolves around a simple tea-seller named Mani who has frequent dreams of himself burning in a pyre. With the help of his childhood friend Jaggu, he starts uncovering the mystery behind these dreams and what it means.

He soon comes across ancient sacrifices in the heart of Kashi, thousand year old mysteries that encompasses the vedas and the gods, and the city itself. Someone or something wants Mani dead, but why?

This book is a fast paced Indian mythological thriller. I liked the plot and the concept of using Varanasi as a part of the mystery itself but the characters did not resonate well with me. At times the writing felt slightly rudimentary and at some places the interactions between the characters felt odd (like why would someone slap a person just for keeping things from them 🫠)

Someone who's new to Indian mythological fiction/thriller might like this book.

(Disclaimer: the illustrations in the book were rendered using AI)

[Hema Srini]

Seven Deaths of Kashi - Mukul Kundra

Just a month back 17 April I started this book... Got carried away with the reels of The writer... Wanted to experience that peace... And I must confess... I don't regret!!!

This book unfolds through the journey of Mani, where we witness seven deaths, each carrying its own meaning, each pulling him deeper into the mystery... whose life in Kashi is deeply connected with Tai, Jaggu, and Pragya. Their lives intertwine with his, shaping a love story that is tender yet shadowed by destiny. The narrative moves with the rhythm of a thriller full of tension, choices, and fate... yet beneath that pulse lies a quiet spiritual truth.

A book that cannot be explained, but only felt. A book that carries a weight pressing on the heart, a heaviness that lingers long even after the last page is closed.

“What happened is for good.
What is happening is for good.
What will happen is for good.”
These words repeat like a sacred rhythm, carrying the reader into surrender, into acceptance, into the mystery of existence.

Kashi is not merely a place here... it is a doorway. A city where life and death meet, where endings are beginnings, where the soul finds release. Each death is not loss, but transformation. Each page is not story, but silence speaking.

The book took me on journey to this sacred place KASHI.....

Closing the book feels like closing a prayer. A heavy heart, yet strangely gives a peace. A meaning too vast to understand, too deep to explain. It leaves you with questions that are not meant to be answered, only lived.Reading this is an emotional surrender..

Live the book... Live the presence...

Happy Reading 📖

[Aradhna]

This book turned out to be a very interesting and engaging read for me. Since this was my very first mythological fiction book, I was not sure what to expect but the story managed to pull me into the mysterious world of Kashi from the very beginning. The blend of mythology, spirituality, mystery and fiction created a unique atmosphere that felt both intense and immersive.

One of the strongest parts of the book was definitely the setting. The descriptions of Kashi, the ghats, hidden places, ancient beliefs and spiritual elements were written in a way that made the city feel alive. It is clear that the author has done a lot of research while writing the book. The references to mythology and the emotional tone added depth to the overall reading experience.

Considering this is the author’s first book, the writing was genuinely good and promising. The idea behind the story was strong and different and I really appreciated the effort to create something rooted in Indian mythology. However, I do feel the storytelling could have been tighter in some places. The mystery was not too easy to predict but it was not completely shocking either. I could guess certain parts while still being curious about how everything would unfold.

It was an enjoyable and refreshing read for anyone who likes mythology mixed with suspense and mystery.

* Mythical ✨
* Spiritual 🔱
* Mysterious 🌙
* Ancient 📜
* Haunting 🌫️
* Divine 🛕
* Intense ⚡
* Meditative 🧘
* Powerful 🔥
* Soulful 🌌

[Isha Ghosh]

By looking at the cover you might think this is just another mythological book about Kashi or varanasi...I thought the same… until I finished it...but, it was so much more than I expected...It follows 'Mani' aka Manikanta, an ordinary tea seller living around the ghats of Kashi...But the more you read the more you realise that Mani is not who you think he is...While reading, I genuinely felt like I was walking through the narrow lanes and ghats of Kashi..standing near Manikarnika Ghat and witnessing everything myself... The way the author brings Kashi, its spirituality, mythology and mysteries to life was one of my favourite parts...and what surprised me most was how the story makes you think about life, death, destiny and what might come after death... most of the quotes genuinely stayed with me and felt surprisingly relatable to real life...And that plot twist? 👀 I definitely did not see everything coming... though i predicted some of the things earlier...It’s a book that starts like mythology but slowly turns into a mysterious, dark and thought provoking journey.. and honestly, I don’t think I’ll forget this one for a very long time...

If mythology fiction and thriller is your thing...this need to be your next read..

[Breath_to_read]

This book I would say was decent read & good attempt to create one impactful story.

Review:
This story is about our MMC Mani who is living in Kashi, a place where you feel presense of God & their powerful secrets. He has preety simple life with only few people who are really close to his heart - "tai" a mother figure & "Jaggu" his best friend & brother.
The days are passing by & he is enjoying his regular life but with one spiral turn things started changing drastically.
He constantly feels that the death is following him, there are shadows in dark who wants him dead & the more he dig deeper, the more secrets gets revealed.
You will know a lot of things about Hindu dharma, Bhagwan Shiv, Kashi, Manikarnika Ghat & lot more. However, the plot was not properly framed. There are so many lose ends which could have built a strong story line but the book took more space about history & mythology than the actual storyline.
It could have been really short story like 100-150 pages & the dialogues felt like book conversations rather than how actual people will talk.
If you are someone who wants to explore mythology then it's a decent pick however for storyline I think I would skip it.

[Logan]

Kashi as a city is interesting in its own way. Having been there multiple times, the city's charm is inexplicable. This book on the other hand is an enigma. The core story the writer wants to say is interesting. But it's the writing and the narration that falters.

For me, the book felt like an amateur attempt. I ended up scratching my head multiple times wondering why mani [ the protagonist] acts the way he does.

Also, the love story track in the book is borderline annoying and frankly speaking, It wasn't even necessary. If you tell me that a person will like me so much just after meeting me a couple of times... I'd simply laugh. But here, pragya falls head over heels for mani. For absolutely no reason

Last but not least, why does every author feel like giving a cliffhanger ending? I am not sure if this is a standalone book or part of a series. Like... What happens to mani at the end?

So yea.. book is filled with interesting side characters who try to help Mani. But the Mani and co i.e the main characters who should be driving the story forward are written in a one dimensional pattern

[Monideepa Mrinal Roy]

A gripping read from start to finish!

Seven Deaths of Kashi is a fascinating blend of mystery, mythology and suspense that captures your attention right from the beginning and keeps you hooked until the very last page. The story moves at a pace that makes it genuinely difficult to put the book down—you keep telling yourself, “Just one more chapter,” and before you know it, you’ve finished it in one sitting.

The author’s writing is another highlight. It is simple, easy to understand and yet captivating, making the book effortless to read while keeping you completely engaged. The portrayal of Kashi and its spiritual, mysterious atmosphere adds a wonderful depth to the reading experience.

As someone who has never personally been to Varanasi, this book has genuinely made me want to visit the city and experience Kashi for myself.

Overall, a fast-paced, immersive and thoroughly engaging read that I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys mystery, mythology and suspense.

[Disha Singh ;)]

Just finished the book and it's so unfair!!!
I absolutely dislike the ending; I wish Mani had been given one more chance (perhaps in another universe, perhaps Tai would have taught her daughter the discipline she needed, PERHAPS!!!)
Maybe, maybe he shouldn't have let his anger destroy his fate.

Taking one star away for the emotions I felt during and after finishing the book. (IT IS SO CRUEL!)

In the beginning, I felt a lot of loopholes in the plot, and it wasn't connecting the story well, but the mystery solves itself as the story unfolds...

I pity what they (Tai & her daughters) had been through, but it was their karma, and not their brother's. 😭😭😭😭😭

[Pratyaya Singh]

A mysterious journey through the spiritual lanes of Kashi where mythology, death, destiny, and the unknown blend seamlessly with fiction. Seven Deaths of Kashi is not just a thriller — it is an immersive experience that keeps the reader questioning what is real, what is symbolic, and what is meant to remain unexplained forever...... detailed review on this link https://pratyayareads.wordpress.com/2...

[Arpit Shukla]

An absolute rubbish book.
The story feels unnecessarily stretched, with entire sections seeming to exist simply to add pages rather than depth.
What could have been an intriguing story becomes tedious because of the excessive expansion and lack of coherence.
By the end, I was left wondering why the story needed to be this long in the first place.
A book that promises mystery but delivers mostly unnecessary elaboration.

[Shobhit Sharma]

Shittiest book I've read this year, i mean nothing makes sense.

Love story is bad i mean who falls in love like that, all that mystery from start that 6 murders have taken place and police has no clue one just in the start when mani is young and police has no clue, and in the end all 6 dead bodies were of mani from other lives of his i mean author forgot to make a logic there or what

One thing is for sure, never buying books after instagram hype after this.

[Anushka]

Good vision, bad writing.
Also blatant use of Ai (not just for the illustrations)
Character’s speech felt like a corporate Ai robot downloading the Hindi lingo and then just spewing straight bs.
Lacks in all—plot, characters, language, writing, narrative strategy, pacing, and climax.

And boring.

[Sushmita]

This book has one incident being repeated throughout. It makes the book very boring. Kashi is described beautifully. It seems like the author just tried to stretch the story.

Would not recommend reading this book.

[Richa Sharma]

too many mistakes. felt like the book wasn't proof read before publishing. the language also was something that made me like it less. the story, keeps you hooked at some points, gets predictable at others.

[Aravind Sundaram]

Easily predictable that the writing was by an amateur. Good storyline. Would not recommend to read.

[Rishi Pandya]

It's a good one time read.

[Aditi Gupta]

Worthy to read it

[Garima Bansal]

Some books entertain you and some completely consume your thoughts long after you finish them for me it was "Seven deaths of Kashi". This book finds you when you are ready for this, it has the tendency to blow up your mind. It has maps, illustrations which are cherry on the top.

This book shows the story of Mani a ordinary tea seller, but there is something hidden in Kashi that is waiting for him. What starts as an ordinary story soon turns into something much bigger involving mythology, mysteries and secrets that keep unfolding layer by layer. One of my favorite things about this book was how beautifully mythology was blended with suspense. But you can certainly predict the book towards the end that kinda feels like a victory.

The descriptions of Kashi make you feel like you are walking through its ghats and narrow lanes yourself. The maps and illustrations added so much depth to the reading experience and made the world feel even more immersive.

Overall, Seven Deaths of Kashi is a gripping, mind bending read that perfectly blends mythology, suspense and mystery. If you enjoy books that keep you guessing while completely immersing you in their world and that gives you some mind blowing facts, then this one is definitely worth reading.

[Priya Khanal]

Mukul Kundra's novel draws an ordinary man into a centuries-old cycle of death and curses along the ghats of Varanasi, unraveling a mystery layered with secrets—and in the process, pushes the reader's mind toward ideas far beyond the ordinary.Mani is an ordinary tea seller living in Kashi, whose unassuming life begins to unravel when he becomes convinced that his very existence is bound to death. Under the guidance of Baba Kashivasi, Mani discovers that his life is tied to a thousand-year-old question rooted in six brutal deaths—a question to which death itself seems to be the only answer. The narrative moves between present-day Kashi and fragments of its mythic past, and the city's ghats, temples, and rituals function as more than mere backdrop—they operate almost as a character in their own right, steeped in both reverence and dread.
Every grain of Varanasi's soil carries a thread of wisdom, and whoever comes to understand that wisdom is freed from the bonds of illusion. The novel's greatest strength lies in how thoroughly Kundra captures Varanasi's essence—the smoke of the burning ghats, the murmur of ritual, the sense of a city where sanctity and dread exist side by side. This atmosphere carries the reader's questions to a point of such tension that even death itself seems impossible without first witnessing Varanasi.
The book is best suited for readers who bind Indian tradition and wisdom together into a single, mysterious thread.
Where the book falters is in its pacing and plot construction. The mystery, while intriguing in premise, often gets buried under lengthy digressions into mythology and historical explanation, leaving several narrative threads underdeveloped. Dialogue occasionally reads as expository rather than natural, more concerned with conveying lore than revealing character. A tighter edit—trimming the mythological asides in favor of forward momentum—would have sharpened the suspense considerably.
A moody, ambitious blend of myth and thriller that will reward patient readers more than those seeking a tightly plotted mystery.