Menaka's Choice

by Kavita Kané

We make love and leave. That is our motto. Live by it, Menaka or you shall suffer untold, unnecessary grief.

Born during the churning of the ocean, Menaka is the most beautiful of all the apsaras in the world, with quick intelligence and innate talent. However, she craves for the one thing she can never have - family. Elsewhere, after severe austerities, a man, now blessed with the name Vishwamitra, challenges the gods and dares to create another heaven. Fearing his growing powers, Indra, the king of gods, decides to put a stop to his ambitions by making Menaka seduce him.

What will happen when Menaka and Vishwamitra meet each other? Will Menaka finally find what she really wished for? Or will she again be forced to surrender to her destiny? Find out in this fascinating portrait of one of the most enduring mythological figures.

Features:

This is untold tale of the famous apsara, Menaka and equally famous Rishi Vishwamitra.
The novel is not just a love story of Menaka and Vishwamitra, but also a story of a woman, restricted by her designated role and fighting for her dreams in a male-dominated world; and the story of man defying all odds to achieve his goal and fulfil his destiny.
The writing is lucid and narration is gripping.
This is the latest book by Kavita Kane, the best-selling author of Karna’s Wife: The Outcast’s Queen and Sita's Sister.

Genres: Mythology, Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Indian Literature, Ebooks, Drama

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2015

About the author

A senior journalist with a career of over two decades, which includes working for Magna publication and DNA, she quit her job as Assistant Editor of Times of India to devote herself as a full time author. A self-styled aficionado of cinema and theatre and sufficiently armed with a post-graduate degree in English Literature and Mass Communication from the University of Pune, the only skill she knows, she candidly confesses, is writing.
Karna's Wife her debut novel, (2013)was a bestseller. Her second novel - Sita's Sister (2014) also deals with another enigmatic personality - Urmila, probably the most overlooked character in the Ramayan. Menaka's Choice(2015) ,another best-seller, is about the famous apsara and her infamous liaison with Vishwamitra the man she was sent to destroy. Lanka's Princess (2016) is her fourth book based on Ravan's sister, Surpanakha, the Princess of Lanka who was also its destroyer...
Born in Mumbai, a childhood spent largely in Patna and Delhi , Kavita currently lives in Pune with her mariner husband Prakash and two daughters Kimaya and Amiya with Chic the black cocker spaniel and Cotton the white, curious cat.

Reviews

[Avanthika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apsaras, the celestial nymphs, are always overshadowed in the mythology by near-perfect leads. In the over all sketch of any tale, they're always reduced to mere seductresses whose beauty leads to destruction and ruin. Kavita Kane successfully brings forth the muted tale of Celestial Menaka, whose life is deeply entwined with that of great rishi Vishwamitra, the first and last man she seduced. :)
The first part of this book discusses the rebellious Menaka and her passionate yet ridiculed relationship with Gandharva king Vishwavasu while the second part discusses the mission she has been assigned, seducing the great Brahmarishi - Vishwamitra. Be it Vishwavasu or Vishwamitra, their insecurity with beautiful and earnest Menaka has been portrayed elegantly in quite casual way.
In both the parts, Kavita successfully points out the most sensitive yet dismissed emotions of the Apsaras: the muted anguish, Indra's foul plays, the "Assignments" that Apsaras are entitled with, their muted desires, their denied love-life and the respect they crave for.

Kavita Kane always strikes the chord by expressing the subtle lives of dampened characters of Mythology, and that has made me her ardent fan. Still "Menaka" of Menaka's desire is easily manipulative and doesn't stand tall like "Uruvi" of Karna's wife or "Urmila" of Sita's sister. She lacked the essence of a strong woman and often got caught in the tides of emotion. Yet an intimidating composition of beauty and brain.

[Shoma Abhyankar · Rating 4 out of 5]

With her stories mostly having mythological women as her subjects, Kavita Kane has done it again....taken one less significant character from the larger than life mythological stories and woven a delicate story bringing the character centre-stage.
Menaka, according to stories, was just one of the most beautiful 'Apsara' a pawn in Indra's scheme, sent from heaven to disturb Rishi Vishwamitra’s penance and prevent him from becoming more powerful than the devas in heaven.
But author Kavita Kane has given Menaka a personality. She becomes not just a beautiful sensuous nymphet meant as diversion or for physical gratification but also a woman with a ticking brain; she is aware of circumstances, she thinks and decides her own course of action. It is her story; of how she dares to take a path of love and loyalty, of how a game of deceit becomes her truth, of speaking her mind and standing up against wrong, of how her love is destroyed by the conniving Indra not once but twice, of her decision to sacrifice her happiness for the greater good of her children and her husband, of her desperation to reunite with estranged family, of her silently bearing the pain...
Since forever, men in Indian society have been given a status equal to God...infallible! Rishis like Vishwamitra leading a ascetic life have been revered and depicted as above all mortal insecurities. But the author has shown the human side of Vishwamitra. Known for his volatile quick temper and placing a curse on whoever dared to cause trouble in his prayers, Vishwamitra is absolutely besotted by charms of Menaka and gives in to his carnal desires like any other man and seeks pleasure in the arms of the woman. He finds much satisfaction and comfort in leading a householder till Menaka pushes him away so he could reach a higher goal.
The lucid description of Menaka's charm and beauty is very attractive and made me wish to see this lovely damsel in flesh. Kavita Kane has described the romantic and amorous episodes between the sage and celestial nymph with such artistic beauty that nowhere it seems either out of place or vulgar...it gives you goose pimples instead... it is almost delicious to read.
'All is well that ends well' and Menaka stands vindicated of her guilt of deviating the great sage from his path of attaining highest wisdom, her children have no ill feeling towards her, her sacrifice is recognised and held honourable by her husband, Vishwamitra and Indra learns a lesson of humility.
This book is as delightful to read as 'Sita's Sister' with easy syrupy language. Read it for that relaxed feeling and easy joy.

[Bhavna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book deals with aspects of Hindu mythology that I have not heard of before, and the author's efforts in humanising these characters and giving them agency - particularly Menaka, who is used as a pawn by Indra but subverts his will time and again - are truly commendable.
But it's hard to enjoy a book where the editing is subpar - where "inhuman" is left as "in human", and "it's" is left where "its" should be used - and where there is more telling than showing. There are simply too many instances where narratives that don't take place in the story are spelt out, where there are too many instances of showing how characters are feeling instead of telling, and it makes a more critical reader lose the enjoyment of reading.
Still, the general story is interesting, and the women in the story are fascinating characters.

[Amritha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
While the story is interesting and very well narrated, there is the language aspect in the book that may put you off. So many typos, missing words, missing articles, incorrect spellings, unnecessary words. Shocking. Was it just my copy? Has anyone else who has read this book, faced similar issues?

[Sheetal Maurya - Godse (Halo of Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edit: Author Interview Interview of Kavita Kane, The author of 'Karna's wife'

Read this book to know about the celestial beauty, Apsara, and her controversial love story.

Read the full book review on my blog Menaka's Choice by Kavita Kane - Book review

Regards,

[Nammi Rao · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was with great excitement and expectation that I picked up this book. From the blurb, it seemed to delve into the workings of the mind and emotions of an apsara and I'd never come across such a story before. The book started off on a great premise.
Unfortunately, the book is repetitive, slow, has typos (perquisite, "other mam's aim" instead of "other man's arm"), glaring grammatical errors (I has lain), etc. The author "tells" a lot instead of "showing" and there are hardly any dialogues. Just a lot of thinking and observing from Menaka's and Vishwamithra's POV. I concur with everything the other readers have said about the poor narration.
At certain points, I was overcome by a sense of deja-vu: was I reading Twilight again, I asked myself, for the description of Menaka's beauty, which had already been established in the first two chapters, was rehashed so many times in the course of this book, much like Bella from Twilight obsessing over Edward Cullen's marble face and his peppermint (or whatever smells great) breath.
The editing is quite poor and I had to read passages more than once.
For instance, the introduction of Menaka starts with " She rose diaphanously from the ocean of milk during the Samudra Manthan. It goes to explain how and why the churning of the ocean was done by the devas and the asuras. Then it cuts to the amrith coming out of the ocean and the Asuras grabbing it. Then they see a beautiful woman who is so beautiful that she steals their senses and grabs the amrith. Mohini had outwitted them.
Wait, what? Wasn't it supposed to be Menaka? The chapter started with Menaka. What was Mohini doing here? It took another read to understand that, less than one paragraph into the story, Menaka had been giving us the back story!

Lack of proper punctuation and attention to the text changed some of the meanings or led to outright confusion.
Case in point: Satyavathi and her mother, who are both pregnant, were supposed to eat food from bowls that had been blessed by Rishi Richik. Each bowl had special blessings: One would make a great king, the other a great sage. Satyavathi's mother switched the bowls, due to which the fates of their unborn sons were now switched as well. So the conversation between the Rishi and Satyavathi goes like this:
"No, either you gave her the wrong one or your mother fooled you into taking the one meant for you." Does that make sense? How can someone be fooled into taking a bowl meant for them? It should have been "--meant for her."
Similarly: "Either he won or the old Rishi lost." (Facepalm!) (In case it's not evident, that's like saying "Heads I win, tails you lose".)
While I would like to give another star just for the novelty of giving an apsara a voice and making the readers think from the MC's perspective, I can't justify the hours that a reader would spend reading this. So it's with a heavy heart that I award this book one star.

[Saraswathi Sambasivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kavita Kane outdid herself!! Having read her book Karna's wife, I had huge expectations from this one. And I was not disappointed. I loved the book to bits..actually thinking of reading it once again!
What I love about Kavita's books is that the protagonist is very human, someone we can all relate to. Menaka's Choice is about Menaka, the apsara. The title was intriguing as apsaras- the celestial beauties are normally not given a second thought. They are beautiful nymphs who just come to distract . I don't think anyone gave a thought to their feelings. This is what makes Kavita's work special. She writes about what is lovely lady feels! For the first time, we are forced to look beyond Menaka's beautiful face- behind it lies enormous sadness, disappointment, guilt and anger.. but she moves on regardless with love and hope! No one can capture it better than Kavita Kane. It just took my breath away! Vishwamitra has been portrayed as a strong man with conflicting emotions- a just king who wants the best for his subjects, a Rishi who was willing to throw away years of tapasya just be be with his beloved. An absolute delight to lovers of mythology! Kavita Kane is certainly one of my favorite authors!

[Vikas Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb tale of celestial manifestations and human frailties and resolve... brings into focus a class of divine (in all senses) beings who have been hitherto confined to it or side roles in fiction.

[Sneha Narayan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have always been one to believe the story you want to tell is more important than how you tell it. Not to toot my own horn but I do think it's the one belief that's kept me sane and grounded through the three years of my overall elitist English literature education and the three years post that I spent working as a copy editor. Those 3 years I spent refusing to abide by rules despite being told by older mentors that grammar is important.

Honestly, I do not care if you start a sentence with a dangling modifier. That cannot be more important than whether your characters seem real, whether your story is saying something new, whether you are trying to say something old again, without shame (not derogatory).

But this book has really shaken my stance. The book has not been edited at all. There are so many typos and incorrect sentences, I was a bit stunned throughout that they published it without running through it once.

Menaka's story is interesting. For that, I trust that this story had potential. But did the errors hamper the story and its power? It absolutely did. It was almost not a story anymore. I was once again aghast to find that all that writerly skills that I was taught make a story a story were (gasp) definitely things that make a story a story. I struggled to finish it, and I did only because I wanted to read more perspectives on mythological stories of different cultures.

I still have to find where I am regarding my original stance now. But yes, one thing is certain: The two stars are for what the story could have been, and it could have been so good.

[Shikha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second of Kavita Kane's that I laid my hands on, and I don't regret it!
Please read my review on the link below:

https://nympheye.blogspot.com/2020/09...

[Aditya Bansal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I regret that I was so late to read this masterpiece . It was first Kavita Kane book . This will leave you with tears at the end . This eventually taught me one thing that sometimes we have to make some hard choices but never ever we should sacrifice our self respect for anyone even if it means to sacrifice the ones we love the most . This book is the best example which screams to tell you that if you see any story may it be from history or mythology from women's perspective you will get to understand it better as they are the ones who nourish this world of male ego , they are one who choose rational decisions over vengeance ones . This book actually showed me the side of Meneka -an apsara who we generally think as mere seductress is much more than that dancing or a lovemaking object , she is a woman of values , valour , intelligence much more than the so called Devas themselves .

[Soumya Mukhija · Rating 1 out of 5]

Menaka's Choice by Kavita Kane was so hyped among Indian readers that I was excited, if not impatient, to read it. I was sure it would be a great book, having been written from the perspective of an apsara, a word commonly used solely in terms of her beauty and the sexual pleasure she gives and not as a human with her own voice and feelings. There was just so much scope for the story to explore. Sadly, I feel that much of the book failed to live up to its potential.

The plot idea was wonderful. Menaka, an apsara in the court of Lord Indra, is assigned a 'project' to deceive and seduce the great sage Vishwamitra so that his prayers would be hindered and his power subdued. Menaka obliges, but soon she and Vishwamitra fall in deep and everlasting love. But Menaka is riddled with guilt. She did not come to Vishwamitra with the purest of intentions, and while they had lived together for a long time, she now intended to come clean to him.

It was the editing of the book that first frustrated me. The text is filled with a number of grammatical errors. 'Devas' is written as 'gdevas', 'inhuman' as 'in human'... Errors that would have been insignificant if not for the sheer frequency they occurred in.

Also, the author has used a somewhat social-media-type language with her double exclamations and double question marks everywhere, along with words/phrases like 'sexiness' and 'Vishwamitra is an encyclopaedia'. It would have been more suitable in a modern setting, perhaps, but a mythological tale, no matter how fictional it is, is spoiled by the usage of modern elements in it. Especially if they are not used gracefully enough.

Lastly, the writing is not consistent. At some points especially in the beginning of the story, the author has used many fancy words that make little sense to the context and give the feel of someone listing pretty words solely for the sake of using them. It made the initial half of the book seem shallow.

But the latter half of the book compensated for this discrepancy. The last few chapters are written so beautifully that I am sure the author must have plucked those emotions right from her heart and set them down on paper.

The character development is extremely realistic. Vishwamitra, for example, evolves from a despicable man to a sage with enormous wisdom. It is as if Kavita Kane knows exactly how any person would respond to any situation. I found that commendable.

The romance between Vishwamitra and Menaka is written beautifully, too. I could feel their passion each time they made love, talked, or sacrificed for each other.

The story aims to touch on many important topics - feminism, classism, sex and sensuality, etc. It is an honest effort by the writer to share her opinions on those topics. This was my first book by Kavita Kane, and while I wasn't too impressed with her writing style, I do respect her effort, imagination, and creativity.

If you are an ardent fan of mythologies or romances, you might like to read this book. If not, you can skip it.

[Isha]

‘Apsara’ generally subsisting at the periphery of literature, quite often depicted for the consumption of a voyeur; thus ends up being an object of sexual gratification rather than a living, flesh and blood character. Britannica’s description of ‘Apsara’ tersely sums up their prevailing representation in the works of literature, “Originally water nymphs, the apsaras provide sensual pleasure for both gods and men.” Given the context, Kavita Kane’s choice of a protagonist in her latest work, ‘Menaka’s Choice’ is as intriguing as it is interesting. The title in itself stimulates the reader to ponder, whether is it even possible to give an apsara a choice when they are even denied a voice till now.

For the complete review, please visit:

http://rainingreviews.com/2016/03/18/...

[Radha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kavita Kané ;Menaka's Choice...... Would put it as a right choice for a Romantic at Heart ;)Within a few hours I finished reading the book , didn't realise when I reached the last page 290......the flow of the journey of Indralok engulfed me totally ..... The facinating , intoxicating portrait of the highlighted Apsara Menaka still gets me goosebumps, her ability to lure the men in her life especially the erotic romantic moments mentioned with her warrior lover King Kaushik and the flow of incidences , create a perfect balance in making the novel interesting n maintaining the tempo of the reader . Enjoyed reading , nevertheless being an Art lover , the first visual impact for me was the cover of the novel in itself is impressive n inviting . All the Best for Future

[Anamika Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book changed my perception towards nymphs, never knew they were bound with rules of not falling in love. How can one put restriction to someone's feelings ? They were kept in heaven just to please Gandharvas as and when required and put to Indra's use of seducing Rishis whenever he felt a threat to his throne.
So when Menaka ( the celestial nymph of heaven ) was given a chance to woo Rishi Vishwamitra ( on earth ) , knowing the fact that he could turn her into ashes the moment truth comes out, she took the risk and went on to the mission just to flee from the so called ' heaven ' and from Indra's wrath , in order to live a free life, set on her own desires.
Flip through the pages of any mythology , and you will find it is the female character who has to suffer the most.
Disgusting

[Neha · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some relationships which are beyond judgement....some which do not have a beginning or an end....some circumstances not really under our control....but the love people share in this relationship is far more eternal and cannot be described in words. Menaka's choice is just that story which makes you love such unexplainable thoughts and feelings. I wish I had more words to describe what I felt about this book but I was speechless inside and out....Kavita, you have made one more book to tug the hearts of your readers...Congratulations !!!!

[Anil Swarup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another remarkable book by Kane. The manner in which she manages to develop and present the chief protagonists, all females so far, is quite unique. Her style of story telling is different as well and keeps you hooked. However, "Maneka" falls short of the excellence the author achieved in narrating the story of Uruvi, Karna's wife. The pathos is there but perhaps the repeated transition from heaven to the real world makes "Maneka " a trifle unrealistic. Yet the brilliance is there. Eminently readable like the previous two books of this marvellous author.

[Sumit · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Kane's books...i think i am falling in love with Hindu mythology.
Though she is employing fiction and has improvised to fill gaps, yet i can't deny that it moved me. Engaging and true to its core Menaka's story is exceptional!

[Manjri Gopalan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nowadays, you will find a lot of books on Hindu Mythology. But most of them focus on the more important and stronger characters in the mythological world. Such characters tend to overshadow the lives of the lesser-known ones. Also, the bitter truth of Indian mythology is that it is male-dominated and they outshine the women's lives. We all would have heard a few names of apsaras in the context of how they seduced and distracted the austerities of rishis. However, why they did what they did, how they felt, etc., has been never thought of. So when I saw the book's title and its cover page, it immediately caught my attention. This book by Kavita Kane is an ode to an apsara / a celestial nymph “Meneka” born during the great churning of the ocean by Devas and Asuras.

From the perspective of a mortal, living on the earth, he/she would crave for an apsara life, who is blessed with immense beauty, immortality and gets to live in Heaven where everything is in abundance. But the author has beautifully carved out the pains that an apsara goes through at different stages of her life. How she is used as a pawn by the Kind of Devas – Indra in his deceitful schemes, how she had to sacrifice her lovers and daughters because of a few absurd restrictions on apsaras. It is interesting to read a women’s perspective.

The book does not restrict itself to Meneka’s life. Kavita Kane has also taken the pain of gorgeously narrating the story of the Great Seer – Vishwamitra or the king Kaushik. Post-reading the book, I am more fascinated with his character. It is inspiring to read how a mortal human transforms from a King to a Brahmarishi – the greatest rank in the seers. The King forsook his entire kingdom and his family and takes the tough route of austerity, not because he was provoked but just because he was thwarted. It is mesmerizing to read how Kaushik, in his quest of being a Brahmarishi, challenges the Devas, creates his own Heaven, and gifts the world the most powerful mantra - the “Gayatri Mantra” - which is not restricted to just the knowledgeable but can be recited even by the common man.

Unfortunately, I felt at many places the character of Vishwamitra overpowered Meneka’s portion. The book is also a bit repetitive, slow, and has many typos and grammatical errors. It would have been good if the author while writing Meneka's legacy in the Epilogue section, could have written how Ramba gets relieved from Vishwamitra's curse.

[Rini অন্বেষা]

"Menaka's Choice" by Kavita Kane is a mesmerizing dive into the life of the celestial nymph, Menaka, a character often relegated to a footnote in grander epics. Kane masterfully brings Menaka to the forefront, painting her not just as an ethereal beauty but as a woman with desires, vulnerabilities, and immense strength in the face of a patriarchal world. The narrative beautifully explores her yearning for love and family, a stark contrast to her divine but detached existence.

The encounter with the powerful sage Vishwamitra is portrayed with nuance, highlighting the complexities of their relationship and the sacrifices Menaka is forced to make. The author doesn't shy away from depicting her pain and struggles, making her a relatable and admirable heroine. The book beautifully weaves themes of love, betrayal, and the heartbreaking courage required for separation.

Kane's simple yet captivating writing style makes this mythological tale accessible and deeply engaging. Highly recommended for readers who appreciate stories that shine a light on strong female figures in mythology, exploring their inner battles and resilience, "Menaka's Choice" is a must-read. It's a testament to the enduring strength and spirit of women, even in the realm of gods and legends. Having also loved "Sita's Sister," I encourage you to explore more of Kavita Kane's work. I'm personally looking forward to reading her "Lanka's Princess" next!

[Archana · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first mythological fiction and it was such a delight. This book takes you through the story of the most beautiful apsara in Heaven and the tragic circumstances she endures. The author, while narrating what’s possibly one of the most controversial love stories in Hindu mythology, addresses the many issues and injustice faced by women in the world of men that is Heaven. Although a bit repetitive in writing, the author unfolds the story beautifully, sewing together the legends of Man and God, capturing the mortal and the immortal world in a winding narrative.
On the whole, through a character as strong as Menaka, the reader is assured of a sliver of hope that maybe Heaven is not the world of men after all.

[Divya Mittal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apsaras, the celestial beauties are never given any consideration and are only treated as mere symbols of lust and distraction but this book brings into light a new dimension to their character.

The moment I got to know about the book, I was intrigued to know more about the life of one of the most famous apsara 'Menaka' and what choices she had to make.

An unusual love story, full of emotions is written in simple English and is so engrossing that you can visualize every sequence of events happening as you read through. Its a must read!!

[Anbumalar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Menaka as we all know is an apsara but failed to notice from her point of view about creating relationship with each person in her seduction job .
This book is all about a woman’s choice and how it impacts her life .

Kavita Kane has showed menaka as a strong and determined woman rather than the beautiful woman I had read about her In other stories. The characters “Indra,vaasu, kaushik,menaka,rombha and even thilotama “ had done their characters portrayed perfect.

Recommend to the person who are more into epic and woman oriented scripts.

[Aparna Surendran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though Menaka is portrayed as an intelligent and brave woman than a mere seductress and majority of the book speaks in her perspective, intrestingly, the character that stood out was Vishwamitra, as a firm believer and practitioner of virtue by merit than by birth. This aspect of the book resonated more than the obvious intent of portrayal of a strong woman character. It also connects the dots in the numerous mythological stories we have heard over years, bringing to life the various characters in them.

[Sachin Vishnoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book by Kavita Kané.
Very interesting read. This is the story of an Apsara Menaka. She is said to be the most beautiful female ever born on earth or heaven. Kavita Kané has done great justice to the characters like Menaka, Vishwamitra, Tilottama, Urvashi, Rambha, Gritachi and Vasu. I think these are very misunderstood characters and we don't know much about them. She has given detailed explanation and different perspective of the events. Like others I too didn't have very good opinion about the Apsaras and Vishwamitra before reading this book, however opinion has changed to a great extent after reading the different point of views from various angles.

[Sowbarrnika]

Another story with mythological inputs from the East, to display the patriarchal motives of the society from time immemorial.

[Arunayan Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fiction story from Indian mythology.

[Mahima · Rating 3 out of 5]

A more description of true love rather than just falling for apsara would have been better. Some parts were quite vexing because there was too much objectification of Menaka. Like really extreme.
Also, the book is badly edited. There were spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Three stars because the ending was good.
But overall, a bad reading choice for a great love story. It would have been better, reading it from another source.

[Koumal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looks like I’m an apsara.