Mythological fiction is trending in Bharat these days. Authors like Ashwin Sanghi, Akshat Gupta, Amish Tripathi, Anand Neelakantan, etc. have made their mark in this genre by taking the base of their stories from Hindu itihasa and then weaving fictional stories around these. Some of these works go back to the past and reimagine these stories from the Hindu epics like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and sacred texts like Puranas. Others reimagine the Hindu itihasa in a contemporary setting by reinterpreting some of these characters in the modern context. Most of these mythological fiction novels are written in fantasy and science-fiction style, drawing the reader into a world of suspense and intrigue even as they get to know elements of the Hindu itihasa.
Although the phrase “mythological fiction “is misleading when it comes to describing works inspired by Hindu itihasa, Sattological fiction would be a more apt title perhaps. The use of the word mythology reinforces the stereotype of Hindu epics and sacred texts being works of fiction which is highly problematic. But that’s the way it is within mainstream publishing. “Mythological fiction” is the standard term used for such works and debating the term is definitely a legit concern. But if we get stuck in that debate, we keep ourselves away from appreciating the current wave of Hindu renaissance that many of these authors are proudly heralding.
There are many such interesting titles to talk about. “Samsara: Enter the Valley of the Gods” by Saksham Garg, “The Shiva Trilogy” by Amish Tripathi, “The Magicians of Mazda” by Ashwin Sanghi, “Nala Damayanti” by Anand Neelakantan, etc. But I want to talk about a specific title here, “The Hidden Hindu” by Akshat Gupta.
“The Hidden Hindu” trilogy stands out for its choice of title. Most of the books in this genre choose neutral-sounding titles. Even though the subject matter is from Hindu epics, they avoid using the term Hindu. But author Akshat Gupta doesn’t mince words and calls his book “The Hidden Hindu”. In a detailed interview with a TV news channel, he reveals how he faced pressures to change the title of his book and call it “The Hidden Immortals “or something. Even as he was talking to various producers for the film rights of his yet-to-be-published book, they were highly skeptical about the use of the word Hindu in the title. But Akshat Gupta stood his ground and the resounding success of the book reaffirms the power of his conviction.
“The Hidden Hindu” reimagines Bharat’s puranic itihasa in a contemporary context. A twenty-one-year-old guy called Prithvi is anxiously looking for a rather mysterious 40- something Aghori, Om Shastri. The Aghori, who has been captured and transported to a high-tech facility on an isolated island in Bharat, claims to have been a witness to all the four yugas (epochs), Satyuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapar Yuga, and Kal Yuga. He is being interrogated by a team of experts who subject him to a heavy dose of sedatives and subsequently ask questions. What baffles them even more is that Om Shastri claims to be immortal! When they research and investigate his profile, they are perplexed further as they find multiple people with the same identity residing in different parts of Bharat at different points in time.
Om’s narration of his past lives, intertwined with various events of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, along with the history of advances of the ancient Bharatiya medicine system and the story of Sushruta, known as the father of plastic surgery. The first detailed description of plastic surgical procedures is found in the clinical text on Bharatiya surgery, the “Sushruta Samhita” (circa 600 B.C.). In the course of the interrogation. Om Shastri also reveals he has been in search of the seven immortals of Hindu Dharma including Parashurama, Ashwatthama, P rabhu Shri Hanuman, Ved Vyasa, Krupacharya, Vibhishana, and Mahabali.
“The Hidden Hindu” weaves a fictional narrative in a contemporary setting with a dash of science fiction. There is an exciting intersection of Hindu Dharma and technology in the narrative. The matter-of-fact way in which Om Shastri narrates the story of his existence across the four yugas and the stories of the seven immortals within a modern setting of psychiatrists and techies seems incongruous, even somewhat comical at first. But as the narrative progresses and Om Shastri’s revelations get more intense, even the most dismissive of the team members start to get convinced about the authenticity of Om Shastri’s story, and thus the authenticity of the stories of Hindu Dharma by extension.
“The Hidden Hindu” is thus also the story of the struggle of faith and its subsequent victory. In the 21st century, even as Hindu Dharma is repeatedly mocked and many of the Puranic stories are dismissed as make-belief fantasy, a character like Om Shastri emerges whose powerful presence and unsettling stories make even the most cynical of Kalyuga inhabitants pause and think about the veracity of Om Shatri’s claims, and the authenticity of the stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata he narrates, by extension.
“The Hidden Hindu” is an extremely gripping narrative that keeps the reader hooked till the end. Once you finish the first part, you want to move on to the 2nd and subsequently the 3rd. The storytelling is akin to the style of cinematic screenplay. There is never a moment of boredom. The screenplay-like quality of the written text explains why the film rights of the novel were acquired by Dhoni Entertainment even before the book came out.
The greatest strength of a book like “The Hidden Hindu” is that it has the potential to get Bharatiya youth drawn to Hindu Dharma. The plot might be fictional, but the base material is stories and happenings from the Hindu itihasa. Akshat Gupta’s rendition of the stories from the epics is true to their original version. He doesn’t distort or misrepresent those stories. That’s why “The Hidden Hindu” is a great book for the Bharatiya youth. After reading the book, one would be compelled to google “The 7 immortals of Hinduism” or be drawn to reading original texts and seek more information on figures like Ashwathhama, Parshurama, Sushruta, etc. If a book of fiction can get the Bharatiya youth drawn to Hindu itihasa, that I think is no mean achievement.
Different people have different takes on the current wave of popularity being enjoyed by fiction books inspired by Hindu epics. Some are uncomfortable about the merging of fantasy and Hindu Dharmic itihasa concerned that such a merger will further embolden the lobby that declares all Hindu itihasa as “fictional” or mythological”. But I think one needs to look at the success of such books positively.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading “The Hidden Hindu” by Akshat Gupta and nowhere did I feel, the author tried to sensationalize stories from the epics or tried to disrespect Hindu Dharma. On the contrary, the choice of the title “The Hidden Hindu” rather than an ambivalent neutral title tells the reader that the author is proud of his Hindu identity and doesn’t shy away from reinforcing the authenticity of the stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata which form the base material of the book.
The story of Om Shastri might be fictional but nowhere does the narrative voice create the impression that the stories of Hindu epics are fictional. On the contrary, the way the narrative is handled by the author, the authenticity of the stories of Hindu Dharmic texts is subtly reinforced at every step.
The fascinating character of Om Shastri can also be read as a microcosm of the Hindu identity. He is everywhere, and yet he is nowhere, he has been through all the yugas and yet, he is on an interrogation table, forced to prove his existence time and again. This then is also the story of Hindu identity.
