The Great Indian Novel

by Shashi Tharoor

The Mahabharata meets modern Indian history in an intellectual roller coaster ride of a novelIn Shashi Tharoor’s satirical masterpiece, the story of the Mahabharata is retold as recent Indian history, and renowned political personalities begin to resemble characters from the Mahabharata—all of whom have a curious and ambiguous relationship with Draupadi Mokrasi (D. Mokrasi for short) . . . Brimming with incisive wit and as enjoyable a read as it is cerebrally stimulating, The Great Indian Novel brilliantly retells reality as myth.

Genres: Fiction, India, Historical Fiction, Indian Literature, Mythology, Humor, Satire

648 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Shashi Tharoor is a member of the Indian Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala. He previously served as the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Communications and Public Information and as the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs.

He is also a prolific author, columnist, journalist and a human rights advocate.

He has served on the Board of Overseers of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is also an adviser to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva and a Fellow of the New York Institute of the Humanities at New York University. He has also served as a trustee of the Aspen Institute, and the Advisory of the Indo-American Arts Council, the American India Foundation, the World Policy Journal, the Virtue Foundation and the human rights organization Breakthrough He is also a Patron of the Dubai Modern High School and the managing trustee of the Chandran Tharoor Foundation which he founded with his family and friends in the name of his late father, Chandran Tharoor.

Tharoor has written numerous books in English. Most of his literary creations are centred on Indian themes and they are markedly “Indo-nostalgic.” Perhaps his most famous work is The Great Indian Novel, published in 1989, in which he uses the narrative and theme of the famous Indian epic Mahabharata to weave a satirical story of Indian life in a non-linear mode with the characters drawn from the Indian Independence Movement. His novel Show Business (1992) was made into the film 'Bollywood'(1994). The late Ismail Merchant had announced his wish to make a film of Tharoor’s novel Riot shortly before Merchant’s death in 2005.

Tharoor has been a highly-regarded columnist in each of India's three best-known English-language newspapers, most recently for The Hindu newspaper (2001–2008) and in a weekly column, “Shashi on Sunday,” in the Times of India (January 2007 – December 2008). Following his resignation as Minister of State for External Affairs, he began a fortnightly column on foreign policy issues in the "Deccan Chronicle". Previously he was a columnist for the Gentleman magazine and the Indian Express newspaper, as well as a frequent contributor to Newsweek International and the International Herald Tribune. His Op-Eds and book reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, amongst other papers.

Tharoor began writing at the age of 6 and his first published story appeared in the “Bharat Jyoti”, the Sunday edition of the "Free press Journal", in Mumbai at age 10. His World War II adventure novel Operation Bellows, inspired by the Biggles books, was serialized in the Junior Statesman starting a week before his 11th birthday. Each of his books has been a best-seller in India. The Great Indian Novel is currently in its 28th edition in India and his newest volume. The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cellphone has undergone seven hardback re-printings there.

Tharoor has lectured widely on India, and is often quoted for his observations, including, "India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a highly developed one in an advanced state of decay.". He has also coined a memorable comparison of India's "thali" to the American "melting pot": "If America is a melting pot, then to me India is a thali--a selection of sumptuous dishes in different bowls. Each tastes different, and does not necessarily mix with the next, but they belong together on the same plate, and they complement each other in making the meal a satisfying repast."

Reviews

[Abhinav · Rating 5 out of 5]

And that, I suppose, completes my Goodreads annual reading challenge.

Well, the moment I felt I should write a long review for this book has passed (besides the fact that no one read the one lengthy review I've written till date), so I'll spare the reader who has incidentally stumbled upon this one.

'The Great Indian Novel', Shashi Tharoor's debut work of fiction, is essentially a retelling of the Indian epic Mahabharata, but it falls in the realm of political satire by drawing parallels with major events in India's political history during the freedom movement as well as in the post-independence era.

First up, I'd like to applaud the author for deciding to reinterpret & present Indian history in a different light and his courage (yes, in a country where many people seem to lack a sense of humour when it comes to 'culture') in assuming an irreverent attitude towards some of India's greatest political leaders throughout the narrative. Also, credit must go to Tharoor for making brilliant use of prose as well as verse as a literary device, which pays homage to the epic itself. Tharoor also indulges in exploring the relevance of the Hindu concepts of dharma & karma in today's world, questions the writing of our official history books & leaves the small matter of the motto 'Satyamev Jayate' (Truth Alone Triumphs) open to discussion.

No, I really can't find fault with this book, for there is not a boring moment throughout the course of the plot. Of course, the author doesn't have to do much with the characterization aspect - for almost every character of this novel usually stands for a character from the Mahabharata or a figure from India's political history, but he does well to remain faithful to his inspiration by incorporating as many attributes as possible. As a result, a few liberties were unavoidable but that can be overlooked when one considers the final outcome that this magnificent novel is.

'The Great Indian Novel' is without doubt a great Indian novel & I'm certainly in agreement with those critics who have hailed this book as arguably one of the finest works of fiction as far as post-modern Indian literature is concerned. Highly recommended & a must read for every Indian who doesn’t mind having a laugh at those we usually revere.


P.S. Pray note that this book is a work of political satire, therefore it only makes sense that the reader be fairly knowledgable about the Mahabharata as well as major events in India's political history. Otherwise, one just won't get the joke.

[S.Ach · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Shashi Tharoor? How on earth can one read Shashi Tharoor?" asked Pongalswamy scornfully.

"Why? What is wrong in reading Shashi Tharoor?" I retorted.

"Oh! That womanizer, Gandhi-bhakt, Congress-chamacha, corrupt murderer! What does he know about the world?"

"From this book, looks like a great deal. Anyway, those charges are biased personal opinions. And even if those were true, how does it matter in enjoying a book?"

"Anyway, what is the idiotic looking narcissistic book about?"

"Well, this book sort of marries The Mahabharata (probably the greatest book ever written) and Indian polity during the pre and post independence. The resultant is, as expected, an Indian marriage ceremony. Grand. Dazzling. Filled with lots of laughter. Little sense of nostalgia. But, pointless. Nevertheless, the writing is brilliant. Informed. Ornamental. Intelligent. Humorous. But the parallels - forced. Not all. Some are really interesting. But it is not easy to mix two complex narratives. It was an audacious attempt. By the way, who do you think would be Dhritarashtra and Pandu in this book?"

"Your description doesn't motivate me to read the book. And what could that stupid Congii would have written? Must have painted Nehru and Gandhi to be the heroes. Didn't he?"

"Well. He drew the parallel between Dhritarashtra and Nehru. Indira Gandhi was Duryodhan. Karna was Jinnah. And surprise surprise. Subash Bose was Pandu. Janta Party was the Pandavas with Jayaprakash Naryan as Drona."

"What hypocritic opportunist Tharoor is! Must have written this during the emergency period," Pongalswamy exclaimed.

I didn't see any further point to continue the discussion. I concentrated on the book rather, wishing it to end soon. It was becoming draggy, unnecessarily.

[Mala · Rating 4 out of 5]

5* for the last two chapters.

Dr. Tharoor has struck goldmine here: this novel is fail-safe because of the intricate richness of its source material--the grand epic 'Mahabharata' with its original dysfunctional family, bedroom politics, palace intrigues & counter intrigues; grand notions of duty, honor, courage, sacrifice, boons & curses; envy, bitterness, greed & hatred -- all of these leading to a full-fledged fratricidal war.

Tharoor superimposes major events from Indian political history, such as the British colonial India's war for independence, the partition, a fledgeling Indian democracy, the dark years of the Emergency & its chaotic aftermath by loosely using major characters & situations from the 'Mahabharata'.
The narrator VV (Sage Vyasa in the original), is a retired, veteran politician, dictating his memoirs to his amanuensis, Ganapathi (Lord Ganesha in the original).
The book excels as a political satire; it is, however, more in the Rushdie territory, in that here, Myth marries Politics but with the magical realism bit considerably toned down.

So how does Tharoor fare?
Firstly, the writer must be applauded for the audacity of his ambition-- whereas Rushdie was contending with one protagonist (It's Saleem Sinai's story after all), Tharoor has multiple characters which both enrich & burden his narrative flow.

This novel presupposes a knowldge of both the 'Mahabharata' & Indian politics, otherwise readers will likely miss out on a layered & nuanced reading.

There are some master strokes here: the writer equating Nehru* with his warped thinking & policy paralysis to the blind  Dhritrashtra:

"His blindness was, of course, a severe handicap, but he learned early to act as if it did not matter...He quickly acquired...a formidable vocabulary and the vaguely abstracted manner of the over-educated...I have often wondered what might have happened had he been able to see the world around him as the rest of us can. Might India's history have been different today?"

That's called inspired writing!
Or take his bold tongue-in-cheek rendering of Indira Gandhi* as Duryodhini! Yes, you read that right: one woman equalling hundred evil, demoniac Kauravas ha ha!
Her birth coming with all the evil omens of dark night, torrential rains, Crows crowing, jackals howling & vultures circling the palace roof!

His presentation of Draupadi as a symbol of Indian democracy & her five husbands, as five pillars of democracy, is another brilliant touch.

Still, notwithstanding, artistic licence or willing suspension of disbelief, there are some glaringly far-fetched comparisons here-- imagine Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as Pandu or that reviled man Jinnah as Karna! 
(Karna is my fav character from the epic, with his truly tragic dimensions - the right man on the wrong side - & the injustices meted out to him throughout his life). But then, owing to his format, Tharoor had to chosse only from the characters available & he did the best he could.

This is evident in his portrayal of Gandhi as a modern day Bhishma: the renunciate, the grand old man of India's epic freedom struggle. This book should be compulsory reading for all those people who question Gandhi's role or the meaning of his legacy. To his credit, Tharoor paints a balanced portrait of the legend with all his 'weirdness', his 'theatricality' and a moist-eyed  nostalgia for all that Gandhi stood for:
"Let us be honest: Gangaji (Gandhi) was the kind of person it is more convenient to forget. The principles he stood for and the way in which he asserted them were always easier to admire than to follow. While he was alive, he was impossible to ignore; once he had gone, he was impossible to imitate."

However, for all the writer's learned theorising, the true blue Bengali in me can't stop wondering: how could Gandhi, with all his acumen, his astuteness, not see through the opportunistic Nehru? What if he had anointed Netaji as his heir whom he had once called "the patriot amongst patriots"? 

At least we Indians would've been spared the dynastic rule & who knows what shape Indian politics could then have taken!

How disturbing that "the Mahaguru...the Great Teacher, a man of vaulting visions & pristine principle, conduct himself like a Tammany Hall politician?", in siding with Nehru, to cut Subhash down to size just because the latter was defiant & questioned his decisions & methods. "The righteous reaction was to eliminate the dissenter."(!)

No wonder then the Kauravas er, Congress party is still following the High Command culture; it's in their DNA.
It's poetic justice then, that the interlopers enjoy the Gandhi surname while his real family suffers relative obscurity but then the Great Man never cared about such petty things as family: Gandhi's obstinate belief in his own version of Truth justified his subsequent actions based on that belief (in his own eyes i.e.). He was only a man, not god.

Ah the trouble with historical fiction, all this what ifs & buts!
Oh & the rage you feel reading all about past injustices: just think about it-- the British, in the name of so called 'reform' & 'representation', created separate electorates for muslims & different castes from hindus, in fact they allowed as many outfits as possible-- The  insidious idea behind it to break the nationalist movement, to make people think in terms of separate identities rather than as Indians.
Divide & rule, my friends!

And then the painful realisation dawns: 69 years after independence our political masters are busy playing the same deadly game: create more quotas, more reservation, more this, more that. For it's easy to provide crutches & election time sops than to ensure that no child in India remains malnourished, illiterate, forever condemned to poverty. Never provide level playing field for all Indians for then they'll be able to look beyond the bare necessities of food, clothing & shelter & demand beauty in their lives & how dangerous will that be!

I must stop now 'cause I'm ranting.

* How my review runneth over into footnotes!
I'm amazed that after writing all this, Dr. Shashi Tharoor could manage to fight assembly election on a Congress ticket! He is a Congress MP from Thiruvanthpuram  in Kerala.
I'm imagining this well-appointed hall, with all these massive bookshelves filled with hardbound copies in gold lettering, on 7, Racecourse Road, where the Congress president receives all her famous guests & I wonder, perhaps she has never opened any, perhaps those books are not real but cardboard theatrical props, you know!

In India anything is possible.

[Vani Kaushal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last year Penguin released the 25th anniversary edition of Shashi Tharoor’s magnum opus, The Great Indian Novel. When you read it, you aren’t surprised that it has survived so long as it has. The author’s ingenuity lies in recreating the political events of the last 250 years using characters from the great Indian epic of Mahabharata (from where the book also derives its name = Maha (Great) Bharata (Indian)). Ganga ji or Bhishma Pitamah as we know him from Mahabharta fits the cast of Gandhiji, both men known to have led a life of great austerity. Dhrithrasthra, the blind son of King Vichitravirya has been cast as Jawahrlal Nehru, his daughter, Priya Duryodhani as Indira Gandhi, then there is the suave London-returned advocate with unknown origins, Karna/ Mohamad Ali Karna cast as the equivalent of Mohammad Ali Jinah, the creator of Pakistan or in this case, Karnistan. The story is packed with witty innuendos, rumbustious parody and cleverly crafted one-liners making it a delightful read. Tharoor manages to caricaturise popular events from the Indian Freedom struggle including and not all, the Quit India movement, Dandi March and Civil Disobedience with deftness and agility. In his own words: ‘This story, like that of our country, is a story of betrayed expectations, yours as much as our characters. There is no story and too many stories, there are no heroes and too many heroes. What is left out matters almost as much as what is said.’


I have copied here some of the lines that I found really hilarious. Overall, I loved the book and if I have to use one word for that, well, then, I am totally ‘Tharoor-ed’ by Shashi Tharoor.

1. Ambika and Ambalika were each enough for any King with ripe rounded breasts to weigh upon a man and skins of burnished gold to set him alight , bodies long enough to envelop a monarch and full hips to invite him into them together, they drove Vichitravirya into a fatally priapic state. Yes, it was terminal concupiscence he died of.



2. Stop looking so lascivious, young man. I have no intention of offering you a ringside seat by Kunti’s bed. Facts, that is all I intend to record, facts and names. This is history, do not forget, not pornography.



3. Fasts, Ganpathi, have never worked half as well anywhere else as they have in India. Only Indians could have devised a method of political bargaining based on the threat of harm to yourself rather than to your opponent…As a weapon, fasts are effective only when the target of your action values your life more than his convictions— or at least feels that society as a whole does. So they were ideally suited to a non-violent, upright leader like Gangaji.



4. Dissent, Ganpathi, is like a Gurkha’s kukri: once it emerges from its sheath it must draw blood before it can be put away again.



5. ‘For weeks Pandu continued to resist,

As Madri stirred life in his loins,

But despite meditation, he could not desist,

From contemplating a union of groins.


Oh fatal flaw! I can’t commit such a sin—

What is happening to my concentration?

The British offensive is about to begin—

And I think of the wrong kind of penetration!’



6. ‘Congratulations, Mr Nichols!’ A veteran administrator named Basham rose to his feet. ‘I have lived and worked in that very district for the last ten years, and I must take my hat off to you. You have just succeeded in putting your international border through the middle of the market, giving rice fields to Karnistan and the warehouses to India, the largest pig-farm in the zilla to the Islamic state and the Madrassah of the Holy Prophet to the country the Muslims are leaving. Oh, and if I understand that squiggle there correctly,’ he added, taking the pointer from the open-mouthed expert, ‘the schoolteacher will require a passport to go to the loo between classes.’



7. Democracy, Ganpathi, is perhaps the most arrogant of all forms of government, because only democrats presume to represent an entire people: monarchs and oligarchs have no such pretensions. But democracies that turn authoritarian go a step beyond arrogance; they claim to represent a people subjugating themselves. India was now the laboratory of this strange political experiment. Our people would be the first in the world to vote on their own subjugation.

[Rachel Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny, very clever, scathing and intricate, this irreverent mash-up of the Mahabharata with the Indian Independence Movement may not be the Great Indian Novel, but it's certainly a great Indian novel.

[Gaijinmama · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd actually give this book 4.5 stars or 9 out of 10. I only give 5's to books I'm certain I will want to read again. While this is an excellent read, it does require an investment of time so I probably won't be able to revisit it.
Anyway, it sat on my TBR shelf for nearly 20 years and I am so glad I held on to it!

This story is based on the Mahabaratha, a classic epic of Indian mythology , and is quite a journey: Intense, heartbreaking, beautiful, hilarious. Just like India herself. It encompasses the entire history of modern India, since the struggle for independence. In the midst of all the tragedy and violence, the author has a knack for silly puns and a bit of parody. (one of my gigglers: the city of Lahore is changed to Laslut. Google it if you don't get the joke. Oh and there's the bit where our picaresque narrator intones, "Rule Brittania, Brittania waive the rules!")

This book is listed as one of the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die, and I attest that it deserves its place there. Sadly, few of my acquaintances seem to know of it (and that's odd, since I teach English for a living). It is definitely a journey I recommend. I will most likely be looking up some non-fiction resources on South-Asian history, since this truly has me intrigued. Please check out the Wikipedia summary, as it gives concise details of the mythology the story is based on, and how the events and characters are related to it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grea...

[Uttara Srinivasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh and so I come to the tale’s end
Or a wistful beginning of a nation’s mend
Or perhaps it’s just wishful thinking
For a country as large can only be sinking

How do I describe this journey in time
This book that proclaims itself
To be The Great Indian Novel

Shall I tell it in spiffy, stylish prose
With a thesaurus in one hand
That I readily reckoned when doubt arose?

Or shall I resort to jaunty verse
And keep my praise pointed, short and terse

This story of myth, of heroes and Gods
The chances you’ll smirk, are better than odds
This retelling that borrows from an epic so vast
And weaves in legends, the guardians of our past

Sir Author I must say, I’d be impressed
If only your halo, wasn’t so stressed
I’d declare a crush, deep and sublime
And raise you to thrones that last beyond time

Alas for now, just stars it will have to be
Not quite as five but greater than three
You excel, you shine, you paint with glee
This picture of our world, not just a Tryst with Destiny

[Sai Kishore Kanagiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's never that easy to be a king
And rule a populace;
For popularity's a fickle thing
Which might easily gobble us.

A king must always make it clear
That in his realm he's boss;
Nobody else, though near and dear,
May inflict on him a loss.

A king must always show his might
Even 'gainst kith and kin;
It doesn't matter if he's right
But he must be seen to win.

There's not much point in being strong
If no one sees your strength;
A tiger shows power all along
His striped and muscular length.

Any weakness must be concealed
As a tortoise hides his head;
A king must never be revealed
Quaking under his bed.

Stealth and discretion are the means
To employ in making plans;
A clever king, though, never leans
In trust on another man's.

Pretend! Conceal! Find out! Mistrust!
These are the vital things;
Maintain a cheerful outer crust
But permit no rival kings.

Keep your intentions to yourself
Don't reveal them on your face;
Purchase silence with your pelf
And pack a knife(in case).

Give orders only when you're sure
Of their effective execution;
Make certain you are seen as pure
-Innocent of persecution.

Eradicate the slightest threat!
Don't forget the thinnest thorn
Embedded in your flesh, might yet
Fester; and this I warn:

A small spark can start a forest fire-
No enemy's too minor-
Before the danger gets too dire
Don't make the fine points finer

There never is a genuine need
To issue an ultimatum;
Before a rival does the deed-
Simply eliminate him.

Do it sharp, and do it quick!
But never let him catch on.
(To be safe, keep a big stout stick
And always sleep with the latch on.)

Dissimulate! When angry, smile;
Speak soft; then strike to kill;
Then weep-oh, never show your bile-
And mourn your victim still.

Amass all the wealth you can;
Cash, jewels, humans too;
Resources are needed for every plan,
And any means will do.

Remember it's said a crooked stick
Serves just as well as a straight one
When it's fruit from a tree you wish to pick
(An early plum, or a later one).

So employ your own crooked men
To gather information;
From the market and the gambling den
Let them take the pulse of the nation.

Regarding enemies, I only wish
You'd learn from the fisherman's book;
He traps and slits and strips his fish,
And burns what he dosent cook.

That's the only way to treat all those
Who pose a threat to you;
They may genuflect, and touch your toes-
But don't let them get you.

This of the future; it's time to start
To anticipate the threat;
If you don't grow callouses on your heart
You might just bleed to death.


-Arthashastra

[Ankita · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Mansi Mudgal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where to start!
The Great Indian Novel by Shashi Tharoor is author’s effort in Juxtaposing Mahabharta with Indian Freedom struggle and three decades of Post independence India. The characters in the former are shaped in a way to fit the narrative and slowly we see parallels between them.

The idea behind the book is brilliant! We see common themes like bedroom politics, backstabbing, jealousy, love, warfare, doublespeak etc narrated by a senior Kaurava Party member Ved Vyas. Gandhiji becomes Bhishma Pitamah because of they practiced celibacy which the author tries to exploit in humorous ways, Nehru becomes Dhritarashtra, Subhash Chandra Bose is Pandu and so on.
.
The problems are many, this juxtaposition seems forced at times as the characters and story is moulded to fit the Mahabharta, Gandhiji is no Bhishma, Jinnah is not Karna, Bose can never be Pandu.
.
The book is a satire on our freedom struggle and India in general, it’s meant to be humorous but the wit while sharp in places leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Pandu(Bose) dies due to having sex with his wife, Maharaja of Kashmir signs the Instrument of Accession after an exaggerated round of Fellatio... Is this funny? And trust me when I say that the description of sex is disturbing. What passes for wit and sarcasm for Mr. Tharoor is essentially colourful words for sex and genitalia among other things, it makes you laugh here and there but at what cost? There are good parts obviously but the bad ones want to make you throw it away.
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The author wrote it in 1989, years before he ever joined Congress party but it seems biased, his apologetic justification for Priya Duryodhani’s (Indira Gandhi) emergency, Nehru’s ambition, Gandhi’s celibacy experiments being essentially as a heat mechanism for an old man.
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For those of us who know the struggle and Mahabharta, this is nothing knew... for those who don’t, please know that the book isn’t a factual account of the struggle. It’s a critically acclaimed read but I don’t think it has aged well. The 21st century idea of what seems funny and what is a watered down wannabe writing leaves one wanting.
I wanted to love the book! I don’t

[Shifad · Rating 2 out of 5]

...There is ofcourse the question of expectations. This story is like that of our country, is a story of betrayed expectations, yours as much as our characters. There is no story and too many stories; there are no heroes and too many heroes. What is left out matters almost as much as what is said.

Well, this quote from the novel pretty much sums up this novel. The blurb of the book is simple. Take characters from Mahabharata and place them in Indian Nationalism. But the execution is not that simple. We can see all the courtroom drama and tensions in Mahabharata playing out in the Indian Nationalism. All the emotions of the Mahabharata – pride, duty, honor, courage, lust, envy, greed, chivalry, oaths – is being compared in the Indian politics in this book, and to an extent the author has done a great work. There are too many characters, too many stories, too many heroes and too many villains. To condense this essence of both the stories into a single novel – and that too a satiric novel – is quite an ambitious work. And to an extent he did a magnificent job.
There are places where his character portrayal was simply brilliant. Bhishma as Gandhi, Priyanka as Kauravs, Panchali as the democracy, Pandavas as the pillars of democracy are some of my favorites. But at other places, the character portrayal was done just for the sake of the story. I found my interest waxing and waning as I went through the book. Some areas, the book was quite a drag. At other places, there are brilliant satires, witty innuendos and great metaphors. I found most of the satires stale, nevertheless, every satire was irreverent and scathing.
Take your time to read this book. The story is familiar to you (ie if you are familiar with Mahabharata and Indian Nationalism). I don’t recommend this to non-Indian readers. There are enjoyable bits in the book, but at the same time, there are areas where you will feel exhausted with the book.

[Himanikashyapshreedhar · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wonder what to attribute The Great Indian Novel to - laziness, or disregard for other people's intelligence. One can't simply steal the plot of the Mahabharata, randomly throw in characters from anywhere in history and mythology, pass off cheap slapstick as clever wit, & an irreverent conversational style for literary high-brow. The least one expects with a take-off on something like the Mahabharata is thoughtful insights - and Tharoor seems to have none to offer. I wish I could call it a bhelpuri, but that would be an insult. Bhelpuri is culinary genius, rising with zing from its humble ingredients into something larger than the sum of its parts.

[Hari Donthi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't go on after Page 60. I thought this would be a really good follow-on to Rushdie's Enchantress of Florence, but was disappointed...

[Nev March · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to see this as a fine work of political satire but after 50 pages could stomach no more.
It is a tough genre.
Yes the project was ambitious, a facetious retelling of Indian politics (Gandhi is thinly veiled as Gangaji) with the epic Mahabharata.
However misogyny seeps into each phrase and sentence. Even seen with the forgiving lens of satire, I could not put myself through reading the rest of it.

[Ajay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like he murder his wife.
You can see how disgusting this man was.
He wrote Nair women had many lovers and allowed husband into her room only if she wasn't with them.

[Ashok Krishna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have you ever watched the video of a remixed Indian movie song, especially, those of Hindi movies? A song, which was immortalized by the mellifluous voice of the singers, brilliant music composition of some doyen of the music industry, acted to perfection by some of the greatest faces of Indian film industry and what these producers of such ‘remixes’ do is to pick up songs like those, and tarnish them by adding some lousy noises in the name of pop music, then ‘spice the video up’ with some B-grade actress who wears more skin than clothes and for whom the only major expression possible is to part the lips seductively and keep her face with an obscene, longing look!

‘The Great Indian Novel’ is one such a remix, er, book. Mr.Tharoor has picked up two of the greatest periods of the Indian history, that act as beacons of hope and guidance for the current crop of Indians – The Mahabharata and the Indian Independence Movement, shuffled the pages of these phases like one shuffles a pack of cards and once he is convinced that they have been shuffled enough, has laid them to print. He has picked up the lead personalities of the Indian Independence Movement and sent them on a journey across time, by casting them as the lead characters of the great epic – The Mahabharata. With some pages carrying the characters of the Indian Independence movement in the backdrop of the Hastinapur, while the others have characters of the Mahabharata playing the role of martyrs of Indian freedom struggle, Mr.Shashi Tharoor has displayed an enormous knack of shuffling that can put even a professional shuffler at a casino to shame.

The patriarch of the modern India, Mahatma Gandhi becomes the patriarch of the Hastinapuris, Bhishma, Subhas Chandra Bose becomes Pandu, Nehru becomes Dhritarashtra, Indira Gandhi becomes Priya Duryodhani, Jayaprakash Narain becomes Jayaprakash Drona, Morarji Desai becomes Yudhistra, Indian Army portrays Bhim, Journalism become Arjun, Diplomacy and Aristrocracy become Nakul and Sakadev and so on. Of course, the great Mohamed Ali Jinnah becomes Mohamed Ali Karna. With the greatest events of Indian Independence and post-Independence becoming the plots for these characters to prove their mettle, Mr.Tharoor has proved to be in his elements with some ribald writing and debauched humor.

Did I say debauched? Yes, indeed it is. When it comes to ribald writing and dull, dry and debauched humor, Mr.ST manages to remind me of another such book I got to read a long while back - ‘Catch-22’ by Joseph Heller. While Joseph Heller had shown some respect to the world war veterans by mocking only the fictional characters, Mr.ST has performed a sacrilegious ritual with this book, tarnishing and taunting every other big name known to Indians in the political arena. In fact, after going through just a bunch of pages, I couldn’t resist the temptation to throw away the book and throw up. Such a pathetic writing and shallow substance, with frequent and abundant instances of what I’d like to decently put as ‘between-neck-and-knees’ humor. Loins, groins and other such obscene references to the female anatomy are found in abundance in this book.

Throughout the book, Mr.Tharoor displays a holier-than-thou attitude with so much of preaching over current state of Indian politics and civil life. Also, the condescending arrogance that has become the primary trait of many of the eminent NRIs is equally evident in his style when it comes to talking about the Indian lifestyle. But, Mr.Tharoor, why do I sense a glaring division between – what one of my sweet friends recently put as – the writer ST and the politician ST? Is it the guilt of the failed politician ST that made you postulate some great ethics to be followed by the Indian politicians? Or, is it that the writer and politician are your split personalities, one being completely oblivious to the presence of the other within you? When you speak so highly about being against corruption, immorality, polyandry and polygamy, I couldn’t avoid but recalling some of the fiascoes involving you and your better-half with regard to corruption in sports, shooting mouth and landing in trouble and other such incidents.

Of course, the book is not all crap. It has a fluid writing style, some amazing creativity and some occasional highpoints too. He makes amends for reviling the leaders and characters throughout, by writing some ambivalent praises for them in the end – I mean the end of the characters in the book. But Indira Gandhi is one person who could receive no such ‘benevolence’. Throughout the book, she has been portrayed as evil-personified. Of course, having been cast as ‘Duryodhan’ (Priya Duryodhani, a play in the name of Indira Priyadharshini), she can expect no leniency, but is it justified? I am not sure.

The book may please a few but disappoint many. There is something magnetic about the book and something charming about the way how he has handled two distinctly different phases of the Indian history, fusing them as one. When it ends, you end up being confused as to which event took place when. That is the success of this book. But the irreverent attitude taken towards many of the greatest personalities of Indian history – both past and present – is sheer sacrilege and that, is the downfall of this book!

[Qube · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one interesting book that is worth commenting upon. For starters, it is one of the better novels to come from India. I am not sure if the author was in India when he wrote it, but regardless, he is an Indian politician now, and that makes him as Indian as Morarji Desai or Lalu Prasad Yadav.

My regard for Mr Tharoor as a writer (I emphasise: only as a writer) has gone up a couple of notches after reading this. Of his writing skills, there can be no debate. But the content he chooses to write is an entirely different matter (and I am not speaking of this book only).

The writing is witty, sharp, irreverent and engaging. The satire is such that discerning, aware Indians would appreciate the novel a lot more than non-Indians (their 5-star ratings not withstanding). People who have grown up hearing about Mahabharata, Gandhiji, Nehru, Bose and Indira Gandhi are is bound to appreciate it better. There are so many nuances that a foreigner would miss.

The novel has many things going for it, but it has some crass stuff too. It is the latter that robbed it of a 5-star rating despite abundance of the former.

Tharoor’s wit and humour are brilliantly scathing in this novel. Did I say irrelevant too? Much of it is sharp, but some of it is stale too. Some of it is refined, and alas, some cheap. Unfortunately there are a few that are below the belt, even for a satire. But sharp/stale and refined/cheap are subjective judgments.

Whatever be your take, the one common thread you will see running throughout is the fascination with fornication. The narrator seldom wanders far from adultery and sex. It seems to occupy far too much of his mind space for it to be healthy. It is at times positively lewd - some instances of crass humour got on my nerves. For instance, Lahore becomes "Laslut" in this novel. Some may see this as humour. I saw it as a reflection of a rather unclean cast of mind.

It would appear from this novel that Indian royalty’s paternity is more often a subject of opinion rather than of fact. The males seem to be cuckolds and their wives adulteresses. Affairs in this novel, post and pre marriage, are as common as dal-chawal elsewhere.

In summary, this is certainly a book to read. Take your time, read a chapter at a time – it’s a big fat book. There is no storyline or sequence of events to remember – if you are an average Indian, you already know the story. The first half is much better than the second. Post independence India is not half as good as the pre-independence one.

But a caution. I find from the reviews on Goodreads some Indian readers haven’t understood the intent of the book, let alone its contents or the satire. While some seem to have mistaken it for a version of Mahabharata, other have been looking for a story. There also seems to be quite a few - Indians and foreigners - who have praised it without understanding (you can see it from their reviews). It’s probably fashionable to in some circles (Dilli Durbar?) to do so.

Enjoy. Full review here

[Jessica Haider · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am giving this four stars even though it wasn't a full 4 stars for me. I enjoyed the first 60% more than the last 40%....however I can still appreciate the clever, satirical writing throughout.

The Great Indian Novel is a retelling of "The Mahabharata" in 20th century India...The books starts in the 1930s and works its way up through the 1970s. We see actual historical Indian figures like Ghandi and Nehru recast as characters from the Mahabharata. I am somewhat familiar with Indian history leading up to Independence and the Partition and the time immediately following, so perhaps that is why the first part of the book worked better for me since that is the time period that was covered there. I loved the twist the author took to make there be an uprising over Britains unfair taxing of Indian mangoes. In reality the uprising was over the taxing of salt.

The book was clever with lots of wordplay and reference to other novels about India. I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Indian literature.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I'm not religious, I love books that draw on religious symbolism and allusion. (For example, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials is rooted in Paradise Lost... love it to death).

So, I really enjoyed the fact that The Great Indian Novel is based on the Mahabharata. Since I know hardly anything ABOUT the Mahabharata, I'm sure a lot of the allegory was lost on me. But it was still a really interesting mish mash of religious stories and 20th century history. Funny, too.

And Tharoor pulls off something I imagine is pretty difficult...he presents Gandhi as a human being with flaws, even pokes light fun at him, but all in the spirit of admiration and love.

If you like to get your history in fiction form, this is also a great intro to the Indian independence movement.

[Kislay Verma · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my review at SolomonSays:

TGIN is Shashi Tharoor’s masterful melding of two great Indian obsessions–culture and politics. He takes the story of India’s freedom struggle and recasts it with characters from the great epic Mahabharata. The result is an irreverent historical narrative which is identical yet almost unrecognizable from both the history of school books and the mythical story of ages past. The recast can actually be said to flow both ways, and the story can be seen as a re-playing out of the drama of Mahabharata in the times of our freedom struggle with the Indian leadership of the time as the dramatis-personae.

Narrated by a cantankerous Ved Vyas to a young (So we are told) Ganesh (Lord of Luck in Hindu mythology) just as the original Mahabharata is said to have been (The original author was rather less blasphemous I would imagine!), TGIN gives a most human flesh to mythical personalities and revered leaders alike. Everyone and everything receives the same tongue-in-cheek treatment-Kings and leaders fornicate (the narrator leads from the front in this department), high falutin words hide puny complexes, swearing is common place, the works.

For me, the most fascinating characterization was of Draupadi, and it is to her fortunes that our story is bound. The parts till she arrives are fast paced and exciting, then the plot meanders as her husbands don’t quite know what to do with her, and then regains its tempo as they begin her defense.

Shashi Tharoor writes with the firm conviction of a Gandhian and the satirical cynicism of a practical man. It is clear that for all the clever characterization, this book is about India and Indian people. The author’s rousing descriptions of the civil movements (lead by “Gangaji” or others), and the vivid way in which he captures the zeitgeist of different times in his story are, as they deserve to be, the high points of the book. The mythos of our ephemeral culture is broken down into earthly terms, and praise and blame is spread evenly, across heroes and villains alike.

The Great Indian Novel is a unique take on Indian history. As insightful as it funny, it offers a new way of interpreting the events of yesteryears, and a delightful opportunity to learn to learn from them.

[Aldrin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book maps the story and characters of the Mahabharat to those of the Indian freedom struggle and a few decades after it (up until the Emergency). So, Gandhi is Bheeshm, Nehru is Dhritrashtr, Patel is Vidur and so on. It's a nice concept, but the execution stutters and strays after a while. All in all, its a good book to carry along in a journey, its easy to read and full of some interesting observations from the former MoS in MEA. Here are two from the page I have open in front of me. :)

on the use of the judiciary to resolve matters

Law, of course, rivals cricket as the major national sport of our urban elite. Both litigation and cricket are slow, complex and costly; both involve far more people than need to be active at any given point in the process; both call for skill, strength and guile in varying combinations at different times; both benefit from more breaks in the action than spectators consider necessary; both occur at the expense of, and often disrupt, more productive economic activity; and both frequently meander to conclusions, punctuated by appeals that satisfy none of the participants. Yet both are dear to Indian hearts and absorb much of the country's energies.

introducing Morarji Desai's godman

Godmen are India's major export of the last two decades, offering manna and mysticism to an assortment of foreign seekers in need of them. Once in a while, however, they also acquire a domestic following, by appealing to the deep-seated reverence in all Indians for spiritual wisdom and inner peace, a reverence rooted in the conditions of Indian life, which make it so difficult for most of us to acquire either. These backyard godmen, unlike the made-for-export variety, are largely content to manifest their sanctity by sanctimoniousness, producing long and barely intelligible discourses into which their listeners can read whatever meaning they wish. (If religion is the opium of the Indian people, Ganapathi, then godmen are God's little chillums.)

[Snigdha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleverly Written, Amusingly Delivered, Satirically Marvelous! - 4/5

The Great Indian Novel is written by an eminent Indian Politician Shashi Tharoor who is well known for his intellect and wit all over the world. This book draws an analogy between Mahabharata, which is considered to be one of the two most epic Sanskrit mythologies of India, and the great Indian politics.

The book has total of 18 chapters each depicting a concoction of events in Mahabharata and making of India in a slow and steady progression. These 18 chapters are symbolic for 18 days of Battles of Kurukshetra. Each chapter has it's own context and aftermath. The narrator of the tale is Ved Vyas, who is referred as V.V ji, just like Mahabharata is narrated by Sage Vyas. Narrator takes the readers to a journey of 88 years, starting from golden days of British Raj to an independent India gaining it's place in the world map with a robust and powerful political stature.

It is interesting to see how Shashi Tharoor has beautifully connected the Mahabharata characters and events with the famous Indian political figures and events that led India to independence and further rise. Readers are sure to be left in awe of the content after finishing every chapter.

The biggest bonus of the book is alluring poetry by Tharoor in almost every chapter, few of the verses are so charming and admirable. This book has wit, strapping content, humor, diplomacy, sensations and poetry, what more can you ask for! Highly recommended for all readers out there.

P.S I am glad to be winding up my reading journey for 2018 with such an amazing book. :)

[Savanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great sweeping novel that weaves the mythic characters and events of the Mahabharata into the 20th century Indian political scene. It is frequently more of a political commentary than a novel. Tharoor says at the very beginning, as a sort of disclaimer, that the book is called The Great Indian Novel because it is based on the Mahabharata, which literally translated means "great India." He does not wish to imply that it is a "great" work, and the reader might find it is not necessarily all that Indian, and maybe not much of novel.

Shashi Tharoor is a wonderfully quotable, aphoristic writer. These are my two favorites from the book:

"India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a highly developed one in an advanced state of decay."

Though this one may be more brilliant in context, it is still worth noting: "I want my son to know the good things in life, not just the important ones."

Tharoor is hilarious and has a massive vocabulary. This is the first book I've read in a long time that made me feel like Uma Thurman's character in "The Truth About Cats and Dogs": "I'm reading two books at the moment . . .[this one] and a dictionary so I can understand [it]."

I'd like to reread it with pencil and OED on hand.

[Percy Wadiwala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shashi Tharoor's merging of the Mahabharata and the story of India's independence struggle has the potential, of course, to go horribly wrong. What a relief it is to realise, then, and fairly quickly, that it does not. With passages of quite brilliant, sparkling prose interspersed with doggerel verse, Tharoor takes the reader through the life and times of the characters corresponding to Mahatma Gandhi (Bhishma), Nehru (Dhritrashtra) and Bose (Pandu), all the while keeping tongue strictly in cheek and taking the wind out of the sails of the British empire in style.

If anything, the second half is a let-down though - with the inevitable death of Gandhiji shortly after independence, the book loses steam just as the Congress Party did, and we find ourself reading with rather less interest. Unlike Salman Rushdie's treatment of post-independence India in Midnight's Children, Tharoor loses his deft touch here and the attempts to draw parallels from epic to history become heavy-handed. On the other hand, he pulls no punches for the wrongs committed by the members of the party he is now a part of, which stands to his (and their) credit.

In the end, one is left with a slightly wistful smile, wondering if the book would read differently were it to be written now, nearly 30 years after first publication, with so much water having passed under the bridge.

[P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 600 pages, The Great Indian Novel superimposes the modern Indian history on the great epic Mahabharata with considerable success. Ingeniously fleshing out Indian leaders from the multitude of options that Mahabharata offers, Shashi Tharoor’s final product is a witty, funny, exciting and a somewhat contrived retelling that keeps you entertained for the most part. Though it is impossible to flawlessly render Mahabharata with all its glory in a contemporary context, a stricter editing would’ve made this air-tight to any criticism of inducing boredom.

The Great Indian Novel can only be enjoyed if you are well aware of India’s history between 1890 & 1980 and Mahabharata. It isn't worth the effort if you are well-versed in neither.

P.S: Did Shashi Tharoor’s penchant for poetry & rhymes strongly remind anyone else of Vikram Seth?

[Arathi Mohan]

A brilliantly written retelling of India's politics in the mould of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata. It is just uncanny how the author reimagines each of the incidents in the Indian freedom struggle and post-independence India and connects it to the episodes of the epic, bringing in his own unique twist. This makes it all the more delightful. All the major figures of Indian nation-building (or bungling? as the author playfully suggests in many places) come alive as their mythological counterparts - Bhishma, Dhritarashtra, Pandu, Karna, Yudhishthir, Duryodhana, Arjun, Krishna, Bhim.. and who can forget Shikhandin? Read the novel to find out who is who and to look at Indian history and the events shaping today's present in a way you possibly may not have thought of before.

[Madhupria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

While I am familiar with the Mahabharata, I am not as familiar with Indian history. This is a clever fusing of the two and a lot of the characters and events were adeptly merged. Reading this prompted me to learn more and fill in the gaps in my knowledge of Indian history. The events involving Jarasandha Khan that parallels the Bangladesh Liberation War was honestly brilliant. This is a story about a new, struggling democracy that is trying to establish a respectable place in the world and Shashi Tharoor has managed to tell it convincingly. The pacing, on the other, is a definite down side. Also, B. R. Ambedkar (who is a significant historical figure) should have at least made a cameo appearance.

[Shalini · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my generation, fed on Batman's savior tactics and deprived of Yudhistra's innate righteousness, texts such as these bring back the revered concept of Dharma. The last chapter, where Tharoor philosophizes on righteousness with an image of heaven and hell gleaming in the background, truly captures the essence of The Mahabharta or The Great Indian Novel. If you want to know about Gandhiji's ascetic lifestyle or about Nehru's failure translating Fabian principles into action, turn to this book.


For Tharoor

What passion, what ardour
resplendent with glamour
This Indian possess, whose one
leg rests in India,
while the other in Geneva digresses.

[Rithun Regi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the Mahabharata by C Rajagopalachari a long time back and it was tough in certain places for me to follow Mr Tharoor with his characters. However it is a work of creative genius and I have to give Tharoor credit for the same. My favourite character in the book was Karna played by Jinnah. Being a romantic it was tough for me to digest the author's brutal and truthful treatment of certain characters. His usage of words were truly eye opening and his eye and view on politics are refreshing to say the least. Enjoyed the book and to be honest however i skipped a bit of the deviations from prose he did.

[Aravind · Rating 4 out of 5]

This satirical history of pre and post independence India, narrated with characters and events of the ageless epic, Mahabharata, is a great attempt by Shashi Tharoor. The writing, both the prose and the verse, is so fluid the pages turn quite fast. Barring certain parallels that feel forced, and some tedious philosophical discourse, this book is an enjoyable read, especially for those who have read their Mahabharata and know the modern political history of India.