The Firekeepers of Jwalapuram

The Kishkindha Chronicles #2

by Vamsee Juluri

Ancient Kishkindha. A few years have passed since Hanuman and his people defeated the savage race of beings that threatened to invade their country. But there is no calm in the land—volcanic ash and toxic rain are causing havoc everywhere. So, Hanuman, Princess Vaishnavi and the rishis set out to lead Kishkindhans to the safety of the cave-temples.

Meanwhile, in Kishkindha, empress Riksharaja, Hanuman’s aunt, torments her son Sugreeva, blaming him for abandoning his brother Vali to usurp the throne. There’s also a refugee crisis looming, with thousands of villagers streaming into the rock city every day as plants and trees die across the kingdom. It is a situation that Riksharaja decides to exploit for her own devious ends.

With their land under siege from within and without, and their way of life threatened again, how will Kishkindha survive?

A compelling sequel to Saraswati’s Intelligence, Vamsee Juluri’s reimagined prehistorical world holds up a mirror to modern society, pressing upon us questions that are startlingly relevant today.

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 9, 2020

About the author

Vamsee Juluri is a professor of media studies at the University of San Francisco. He is the author of three books, the most recent of which is Rearming Hinduism: Nature, Hinduphobia and the Return of Indian Intelligence (Westland ebooks 2014). He blogs at the Huffington Post and is a regular contributor for the Indian Express.

Reviews

[Vishnu Chevli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had finished "Saraswati's Intelligence" almost a year back. I was completely awestruck by Vamsee Juluri's imaginations. The first part of the book shows how civilized monkeys and other animals actually fought barbarism humans. And help them civilized. This novel concept itself made me liked the book. Though the book started in some cryptic ways once I got grip on the story it was a smooth story. I think in February I saw the post of WritersMelon that review copies of the book are available in exchange for an honest review. I was glad that I had finished the first part a few months back at that time. I instantly applied for the review copy. Keeping finger crossed I came to know that I was selected to review the book, but then COVID happened and started a long wait. I think after a long long wait of 4 months, I got my copy in the last week of July. And I finished it within 2 weeks. And here I am discussing my experience.

The sequel "the Firekeepers of Jwalapuram" started after 7 years from the war with Creatures. Creatures (human) were taken as new Kishkindhans under the care of Kamdhenu's. Hanuman and Vaishnavi were about to enter their third ceremony when nature took its destructive form. A gigantic volcano erupted somewhere in the depth of the ocean, which brought Tsunami and black clouds with it. Following which came sticky and polluted rain. This rain was followed by sickness not just within animals but in trees as well. Hanuman and Vaishnavi took things in their hand and divided rishis into groups and went to Fire temples. On the other side, Riksharaja who was already was depressed volatile due to loss of Vali, took extreme steps and went on unknown adventure after prisoning her own son Sugreeva. Things were becoming scarier each day with a scarcity of food. For many following Parma Dharma became imminent death. How will Kishkindha survive? Read the book to know more.

I loved the story, not words to describe it. I liked this part more than the first one. It took me 1 month to finish 1st part but I finished this part within a week in just 4 sittings.

I will give 4.75 out of 5 to this book.

[Honey & Anjali · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good conceptual plot that failed when executed.

.

I haven't read the first book in this series which is probably why it disappointed me as much as it did because the lack of world building inevitably made this books seem bland to me. I didn't know this was a part of a series which of course is my own mistake that I had to pay for. Set in the time of ancient India the book deals with the aftermath of the Kishkindha war which had gotten over years ago but the land still reeks of the bloodshed.

With mother nature unleashing her wrath on humanity, the chances of survival of human race are scarce. In such tough times, the power hungry manipulative leader will do anything and everything to make sure that they have the reigns in their hands. Sounds a bit familiar, right? That's because this book even if fails to provide a compelling narrative, did a perfect job in making this book relevant to the crisis the world is going through these days and that's probably why it kept me interested. The storytelling is monotonous which makes the book dull and the characters, one dimensional. Even if the plot had potential, the book failed to execute it in a powerful manner.

Maybe I'd have felt differently if I read the first one but still I doubt I'd have enjoyed it because good writing is important to keep me hooked as reader which this book lacks.

I'd recommend it to beginners.

[Ruchi Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the sequel to Saraswati’s Intelligence and book two of The Kishkindha Chronicles. I have read the first part few years back and I loved it. Since then I was eagerly watching for the sequel. And the book has indeed attractive cover that makes you want to grab it. This is second part but you can directly pick this up as the author has summarised the story of previous book in the beginning. I will try to briefly summarise the concept and story. Ancient Kishkindha is the land of Hanuman and the ideal known as Parama Dharma. That is the code which forbids the spilling of blood. They had survived a violent invasion. Hanuman goes to eastern mountain top Gurukula of Acharya Sukra who is Vaishnavi’s father. This book starts with story of Sugreeva and Vali. Hanuman’s aunt torments her son Sugreeva blaming him for abandoning his brother Vali to usurp throne. And there is also refugee crisis. Read the book to unfold entire plot.
I liked this book because this is thr first series based on Lord Hanuman that I have come across till now. I am fan of Indian mythology so I loved this one. I liked Vaishnavi’s character the most. Because it is one of the most focused characters and in stories of Hanuman, people or laymen rarely give importance to the female characters other than his mother or Seeta ma. So I loved the portrayal of Vaishnavi’s character. Ruma and Riksharaja brought plot twist. I liked the inclusion of characters such as Vali, Sugreeva, Jambavanth, etc. I liked the plot. It’s interesting. Narration style of the author is captivating. The story is described in well elaborated manner. It was like watching a movie for me. Author has done good use of vocabulary and language. Overall I really enjoyed reading it. Recommended from my side.

[Anugya Sinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Firekeepers of Jwalapuram is the second book in the Kishkindha Chronicles (trilogy). It is a sequel to Saraswati's Intelligence, authored by Vamsee Juluri. The first book showed Hanuman in a completely different light, and this book takes the story forward.

The previous book dealt with Hanuman’s journey to protect the dharma and this story takes this journey further. This book deals with Mother nature’s fury, something very relevant to our times, isn’t it? The way the story is worked out in this book is not very different from what we are perhaps experiencing in our times as well. Other issues like those of migrants, missing children, endangered planet, among others are very well relevant in today’s times.

The story beings at a good pace, but somewhere in between it loses the same. It gets a little stretched somewhere in the middle. One of the interesting aspects is that this story portrays some strong women characters like Vaishnavi, Ruma, and Tara

The author holds on to his strengths which are interesting plot, comprehendible vocabulary, and flawless narration in addition to his knowledge of Indian mythology

My ratings: 4 out of the 5.

[Priyaranjan Mohan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book start wonderfully with captivating  narrative. This book is exceptional! Author Vamsi Juluri created a masterpiece. The characters are all real.The characters are beautifully woven. The central characters go through many hardship and face emotional  turnmoil but their outlook towards life is something  to learn from.The book was well in pace with the first book of the series. An upgrade from the last book. It is one of the those books that you want to finish in one read because it is impossible to putdown. The book is well presented  and researched book. Overall a great book through and through!

Happy reading. 

[Kidliomag · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Firekeepers of jwalapuram by Vamsee Julari
Such an compelling read, this is my first time that I read something specifically about Hanuman and from first page story is so intriguing and it keep me in control that I can't put down this book. Writing style is also very fine and the narrative which makes this story very realistic and interesting too.
Hanuman and his people defeated the savage race of beings that threatened to invade their country but there are lot of natural calamities which makes their live havoc and they have to move towards Kishkindha ,on other hand empress Riksharaja, Hanuman’s aunt, torments her son Sugreeva, blaming him for abandoning his brother Vali to usurp the throne. There’s also a refugee crisis looming,and lots of childrens are missing too and thousands of villagers blamingit for Sugreev. It is a situation that Riksharaja decides to exploit for her own devious ends.

Story though mainly focuses on Hanuman and Vaishnavi but most of the time story is about Sugreev and his lost brother Vaali. Story seems very realistic and author tries his best to maintain our ancient stories and beliefs which we already know about our Gods.
So there are lot of other mysteries that have to resolve and how Kishkandha will survive?
Overall I loved this book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Recommended to all who love to read mythology like me.

[Guruprasad · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd Book in the series,

Author has made sure reader is captivated in the story , it was a good read.

waiting for the next book in the series.

[H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorry I am a humble mech engineer, who articulates more thru sketches, drawings, numbers. Words, sentences in my profession lead to ambiguity. So excuse my horrible language.

I remember reading an article about extraterrestrial life exploration, maybe 25 years ago. There once, was a debate on search for extraterrestrial life. One person asked Even if u found extraterrestrial life how would u identify it? We are assuming the same definition for life as on Earth. The head of the team exclaimed, everyone knows the difference between a live horse and a dead one. Stop flogging the latter.

Our search for intelligence on terra firma or extraterrestrial, always is clouded by our bias to form; Bi-Pedal, upright stance, no tail, speak English and wear an Englishman’s clothing. The rest are uncivilised brutes.
Reading Professor Vamshi’s book made me remember this all over again.
Our belief in the absence of tail being the indication of highly evolved animals stops us from recognising the myriad forms of intelligences around us, which maybe atleast same level as ours, if not higher.

This book eloquently makes the same clear. Humans, so called pinnacle of evolution fail to recognise the simple truth, live and let live, the Parama Dharma . This is my interpretation of Prof. Vamshi’s term Parama Dharma, every other being seems to follow this effortlessly. We call it instinctive behaviour, programmed behaviour to justify our free will.

2 things which stood out;
1. Parama Dharma repeats so often, I was reminded of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance. The oft asked question in that book is Do you teach quality? That’s what persists in my mind but I could be wrong too. IMHO, the Quality & Parama dharma seem pretty close. Stretching it too long though.
2. The similarities between Kishkinda and planet Pandora in the movie Avatar. The planet wide communication between animals, trees, the Jatayus, and of course the Na’vis, with their tails, giant forms, strength, connecting with all beings. Isaac Asimov describes a similar planet named Gaia, its more of mental connections than physical ones.
This book gives us a different and deeper look into Hanuman, Sugreeva, Vali, their lives, intrigues of their times. Nothing seems to have changed even now.

[Amit Pamnani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the second part in the series of The Kishkindha Chronicles by Vamsee Juluri. The story takes off from where it left in the first part Saraswati’s Intelligence, where Hanuman alongwith his cousins Sugreeva and Vali, and Princess Vaishnavi and guided by Rishis Vashishta and Vishwamitra defeat the creatures who had come to destroy their Parama Dharma and were killing and eating anything that was alive including majestic beings known as the Ganeshas.
Hanuman and others are living peacefully when suddenly volcanoes erupt and a series of earthquakes rattles the cliff. There are various landslides and there is a huge climate change with toxic rain everywhere. Everyone is scared and start shifting their bases to other parts where the calamity has not reached yet. Children are lost in caves and Hanuman and Princess Vaishnavi carry on the mission to search and rescue them. They along with the rishis lead them to safety in cave temples.
In the meantime, in the land of Kishkindhanagara, Riksharaja plays some games of her own and betrays Sugreeva. She blames him of usurping the throne that originally belonged to Vali. At the same time, there is a crisis where thousands of villagers are entering the city to look for food and water. Riksharaja creates this crisis into opportunity to devise her own plans to make Vali the King again and to rewrite the rules of Parama Dharma. Vali has joined hands with the Creatures and he also wants the reigns of the kingdom in his own hands.
It all ends up on how Hanuman along with Princess Vaishnavi and the Rishis, save Kishkindha from turmoil and bring it back to its non violent legacy.
The story may be a bit of a tough reading initially, especially if you haven’t read the first part. And also, if you have less knowledge about Indian mythology, reading this book could be a bit slow in the beginning to grasp the entire scene and circumstance of the period in which the book is based.
The author has given a glossary of meanings towards the end of the book, which might prove to be very helpful for a reader new to Indian mythology.
Once you get control over understanding the characters and their thoughts, reading becomes swift in the latter part of the book.
The book has been written after a good amount of research, and once you complete the book, you will have acquired a fair amount of knowledge about Hanuman and other characters in the story.
Reading this book will make you visualize every scene and character, one can visualize the landslides, the toxic rain, the volcanic eruptions that take place, all due to the beautiful and descript writing of the author.
All in all, a good book to read to anyone who has deep interest in Indian Mythology. Readers not accustomed to reading Indian Mythology might find it difficult to understand things in the early part of the book, but it will come together nicely when one reaches the middle part of the book and is in total comprehension of the story by the end of it.

[Geeta Nair · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second book in the Kishkindha Chronicles ‘Firekeepers of Jwalapuram’ is set in ancient Kishkindha. The Great War is over, yet a war of different kind rages within Kishkindha, a war that sees 'param dharma' in danger. Added to this the land is suddenly gripped with a fear of the unknown, a fear that can spell the doom of all Kishkindians if not addressed urgently. The big question that looms before Hanuman and all those who see eye to eye with him is, ‘How?’ Will they find the answer? Will they survive?...Only time and concerted efforts in the face of all odds can provide the answer.

Though the story starts off with a bang, somewhere in between, it starts losing steam. However, before things slide off-course the author manages to once again steady it and bring it right on track thereby making it an interesting read. While going through the book what struck me more than the story is the fact that the book somehow reflects the happenings in the present time albeit with a slight variation. The volcanic eruptions, the toxic rain, floods, the threat of famine, refugee crisis, etc., are suggestive of the fury of Mother Nature. The very existence of life on Earth is threatened, and added to this there is an Empress, a ruler named Riksharaja who is in every sense a narcissist, and easy prey to sycophancy. In her, we get to see a reflection of some of the present-day rulers/ leaders who are ready to go to any length just to stay in power.

What really appealed to me was the portrayal of the women characters Vaishnavi, Tara, and Ruma. In them, we see ‘Shakti’ in her various forms. While Vaishnavi is the embodiment of determination, Tara is intelligence personified. Ruma on the other hand is resilience at its best. She is shrewd and is the only one who can counter Riksharaja’s manipulative ways with ease. Together the three are a force to reckon with. Will they succeed in putting a spanner in Riksharaja’s plans, and protect 'param dharma,' or will they fall prey to the forces out to destroy all that Kishkindha stands for?... Only a reading of the book will reveal.

While the pace of the story was a source for slight disappointment, words like ‘balance’, ‘matters’, ‘apacharam’, and sharanu ’, ‘newcomers’, etc., turned out to be quite confusing at first. Hence, what I suggest is that instead of providing a glossary at the end of the book, the same be provided at the beginning or better still as footnotes thereby making it easier for the reader to swim with the flow of the story without much of a hindrance.

VERDICT

Overall an interesting mythological read with a whiff of freshness, ‘Firekeepers of Jwalapuram’ is a subtle reminder to Society that Nature is not one to be trifled with. She knows how to heal, and she also knows how to punish. She is the ultimate power as far as life on Earth is concerned.

[Gitanjali Kalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sequel to ‘The Krishkandha Chronicles-Saraswati’s Intelligence’ Vamsee Juluri’s Firekeepers of Jwalapuran is yer another tail of adventures, mythology, action, spiritualism and politics.

Similarity
The storyline resembles the expression of ‘Shiv Trilogy’ by Amish Tripathi that was based on mythological characters like Shiva, Ram and Sita. This book is based on mythological character Hanuman that is known as Pawan Putra and resides in state of Krishkandha with his siblings. The personification of the characters like Sugreev, Vali, Surya, Vaishnavi , Vishvamitra generates an ancient feel to the book but it’s doesn’t come out as expected. They were already struggling to gain the stability in their land when the natural disaster like volcanic eruptions worsens the situations.

Story-line:
The story opens in the historical land of Krishkandha, where the son of the land ‘Hanuman’ is fighting to save its motherland following the concept of ‘Parma Dharma’. It is a time of aapada, after all, and he always used to say ‘Parma Dharma’ is not about pain but reducing the cause that causes pain. If a rule prevents pain, it is good. If it adds to one’s pain, then it’s not.’

Writing Style:

The writing style of the author is easy to comprehend and holds the interest of the readers through the action, drama and romance sequences inserted to the novel. Though mythical in nature, it lacks to make an impact on the mind of the readers.

Cover Design:
The cover of the book is somewhat similar to the way Amish Tripathi novels are designed. It depicts the central character of the story and is yet simple in its aesthetics.

Recommendation:
The book is good read for light or new readers who have just begin to dwell in the habit of reading. It a good way to lighten your mood and thus also generates interest in the mythical characters of our culture.

[Kavita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time that I am reading a book by the author, although I have read and love his articles.

To read about the reimagined pre historic world is exciting as well as eye opening. Although I hadn't read the first book in the series, it was easy for me to get into the story. Having loved Hanuman all my life, it was even more enjoyable to see him in this form which was even more majestic than the conventional mythological character.,

The picturesque scenes are very descriptive and visually appealing to my imagination. The story of hanuman, Princess Vaishnavi and the Rishis is very entertaining as well very insightful into the Dharma followed in the vedic ages.In many places the author has conveyed so many lessons and values that we as humans in this century should be following as a society based on equality. In many places these values were conveyed subtly and in many places not so subtly, but definitely conveyed.

The story evolves gradually and I fell in love with the community spirit of the Kishkindhans. The good and the not so good are depicted in a balanced way and the manner in which they are dealt with also seems very practical and non judgemental. The women power as depicted by Princess Vaishnavi and Tara is a treat to read about.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. If you love retellings of mythological characters in a different context then this book is for you.
I thank Writersmelon for sending me a review copy and the opinions expressed are solely mine

[Fictional Musings · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is absolutely no fire in this novel called ‘Firekeepers of Jwalapuram by Vamsee Juluri. While some might have found this book entertaining and enchanting, my experience is different. The narration lacks the magic of storytelling. There is a complete absence of character and plot building. I had to keep guessing the meaning of balances, matter, and Ganeshas. I didn’t get a single wow moment in this novel.

The language is very mediocre and the words like boulders, nodded, shouted, exclaimed, exhaled, slightly, some of them, the hunger of fire, looked, noticed, and smiled are used too many times. As a result, the story lacks spark. The approach taken in this novel is so casual like hey Buhu (short form of Buhab), old hag, newcomers, beast, dharma protection squad and creatures that it loses its authenticity. After the end of every sentence, a lot of adverbs have been used such as softly, fiercely, loudly, feebly, quietly, silently, encouragingly, indifferently, etc.

I do not want to be harsh but this novel disappointed me in many ways. However, I appreciate the author’s knowledge of Indian mythology.

In short, I didn’t like reading this book at all! Read my complete review here: https://bit.ly/33oKTbH

[Priya Shrinath · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second installment in the kishkintha chronicles, this book starts right where the first one ended with a cliffhanger. The aftermath of kishkintha war and the world is still reeling from the shock and bloodshed and damage to life. Hanuman and his people are all affected by the terrible damage created by the human race and the mighty leader has to emerge from the below and save his people and restore the lost balance.


What I liked about the book is the creativity with which the author mixes myth with the fact and stories we had learnt and cherished all the years. With ease, the story moves with consistent pace making the reader turn pages automatically until the end is revealed.


Although, the book would have done a lot better if the editor had his mind in the book and decided to make it crisp and character driven. There were thin layers that lacked depth, and were only saved by the fact that some if the characters were well known and hadn't really needed an explanation.

I'd recommend it for those who look for a bingeable light read with Indian mythological stories in it.

[Adnan Bhanpurwala · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is set in ancient Kishikindha, the great war is just over but yet there are various happenings going around, a war wherin Param Dharma is in danger.

The story starts with quite interesting unknown happenings which brings out fear in the people, the author has somehow made the plot so interesting that it keeps you on the edge what will happen next.

The plot has various ups and downs, at some point I was lost but the author has managed to keep the readers intact. I personally felt that the happenings in Kishikindha were the reflections of current happenings. I also loved the way author has potrayed all female characters, they are strong and influential.

Overall the story and the plot was quite interesting, would highly recommend to all mythological fans to surely read this beauty.

[Samata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite not having read the first book of the series, I found the Firekeepers of Jwalapuram interesting enough. The book proved to be a good read and offered a fresh perspective on the life of Hanuman apart from his role as the prime devotee of Lord Rama. The story did lose some of the steam in the middle, but overall I found it to be quite well-written. Most importantly, it sends out a strong message about the fact that Nature is not something to be trifled with but should rather be held in much respect by humanity especially for its great powers to both heal and punish. I wish Vamsee all the best for this book’s success.

https://www.indiacafe24.com/book-revi...

[Kundan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book exploring themes of the invention of the trade economy violent domination, and manipulation versus pre-colonial Gift Economy. Note that this is the sequel to Saraswati's Intelligence, part of the Kishkindha Chronicles. So you would have to read that first to understand this one

[Kasyap · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice continuation to the part-I. Pretty interesting to see the characters that we know (Hanuman, Vali, Sugreeva, Jambavanth etc.) woven into a storyline with their personalities retained. Waiting for the next part.