Once upon a time in ancient India

Amarinder Gill

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Patliputra, the capital of Mauryavansh is an impregnable metropolis. Located on the banks of the Ganges, this fortified palisade is the pride of Jambudvipa. Chandragupta, mentored by Kautilya, has brought 500 warring tribes to form the Mauryan empire after defeating the mighty Nandas. Only the Licchavi confederacy did not joined the empire. Now assassins have been deputed from among the Licchavis to kill Bindusara, the son of Chandragupta. If the plot is successful the world’s largest empire will be coerced into anarchy. 

In a tavern, young Ashoka, second in line to the throne, overhears the proposed plan to kill. A group of killers aim to exterminate the entire royal family. The young prince attempts to save the family with the assistance of the Chandikas — an all women militia founded by none other than Chandragupta.

Bindusara, the present ruler is caught in the intrigues of the harem. Queen Apama, his Greek step-mother shares an incestuous relationship with Seleucus Nicator. She is more at home with her countrymen, whom she considers her people. She supports Seleucus who is ready to create trouble in Taxila. Bindusara is enamoured by his Khorasani wife, Noor Khorasan. The royal palace reeks of debauchery, gluttony and conspiracies. Vile minds rule the harem and it is left to young Ashoka to save the royal family. Exploring the pluralities of power, the book chronicles the evolving role of the young prince.

Banker uses a clever mix of history and fiction to infuse life into the characters. Ashoka is potrayed as a larger-than-life prince and Sushim, the crown prince, appears as a mere wimp. Bindusara is shown as highly suspicious and smells treason everywhere. He rules by his sword and not with his mind, which is evident in his lashing out at the Chandikas and the gruesome fate that awaits them. In the era of Bindusara, the sword did the talking while reason and dharma took a back seat. The book is reminiscent of the glorious days of Samrat Chandragupta’s rule with Kautilya at the helm of state affairs. 

Kautilya made the most complex of plans and his protégé was able to execute them to perfection. Now he has been forced into retirement in the forest of Girvan, but his excellent network of spies keeps him informed about the empire. The action in the book is tightly packed and as the reader proceeds further, he is drawn into the secret alliances and plots of the women’s quarter. 

Ashoka: Lion of Maurya provides insightful analysis into the bigotry that existed in the Mauryan society and the sharp boundaries drawn between the four varnas. The book highlights the caste prejudices, which were endemic then. 

The book is an engaging read. Using different settings, Banker has been able to create a vivid picture of Mauryavansh. Examining history with a hawk-like gaze, the writer has brought alive what would otherwise have remained in shadows of the past. The narrative is an excellent piece of historical fiction, full of impulses and reflections. The writer is a master story-teller and is successful in creating a work of literature that is both compelling and stimulating.