The Untold Story...
The story of the book centres around Pulkasein II of Western Chalukya dynasty, whose passion for wars was untamed and unchained but his end was ignominious! The story is intricately knitted around his hunger for power with details of his wars and his craving for an enigmatic beauty Arundhati, who eventually, as believed by many, was responsible for this great warrior’s doom. It is also about destiny which favours the mighty and the rich and deserts powerless!
Why the book?
I read Pulkasein II’s story somewhere and it attracted me. So, I started reading whatever was available on the subject. From libraries to internet I read every minute detail about him. Yes, it took me about year and a half to write this book and these 18 or 19 months, I had become Arundhati for Pulkasein. You see I breathe my characters- only doing paper work is not important for me.
Character I can relate to
It’s Arundhati from my fifth book The Untold Story of Arundhati and The Black Emperor.
But only her thought process, not what actually she did. She was not connected with reality at all but as reality strikes, she realises what a fool she was. I am also like a bit of Love’s Journey’s Jennifer, ready to go to any limits for her children and used to dress up before marriage like Madhuri of The Fallen Love.
Pain polishes fiction
Pain is the source of all emotions! Pain polishes a fiction. I believe, a writer who has not gone through pain can never write stories to move hearts. My fictions always have some very real truths of life.
Connect-disconnect relation
Initially a feeling of contentment comes as you finish your book but as it dawns upon you that you are no more a part of it, I mean, it was just a fiction which has gone to print, you feel isolated. And it happens with me every time I finish a book. In fact to overcome this isolation, I start my next book within a week, so that someone is there in my imaginary zone - someone, who I have to know- about whom I have to do something.
Favourite works
You are asking me which of my baby is more dear to me? Among contemporary writers, I am a big fan of Devakaruni. Reading her Palace of Illusions written from a woman’s point of view was a novel experience.
Writing about relationships
Forget books, don’t you think that ‘relationship’ is one thing which is present in all walks of life? I have been also a counsellor, so you can say, it comes easier to me. I am not bound to any particular genre. Coming to escaping labels, some writers who made big money with their ‘one kind of genre’ fear to venture out- they fear losing money- fear losing popularity.
Since money has never been my priority, I delve into different zones with contentment.
Any kind of pain or crime appeals me, especially against women. Penning down my emotions has been my forte and I gradually changed into fictions.
Upcoming books
Just know this much that my upcoming book can leave many mouths open with the boldness of my pen. From first page to the last it will be a un-put-down-able experience! It is a story of unique revenge, knitted around powerful women journalists, businessmen, their intimate relationships and unusual crimes. But for that you will have to wait till the end of 2014. It has been just conceptualised. I have made my women protagonists very strong.
Personal life
I belong to Bihar. My husband Amod is an IES and I have two very supportive children, son Apurva and daughter Ayushree. My mother, though shouldered the heavy burden of patriarchal society, had always opposed this and motivated me, as I was good in studies. Probably that is why I make my female protagonists very strong.
Bhubaneswar memories
For me staying in Bhubaneswar was a bliss because of the lovely climate and friendly people. About 20 years ago, I stayed for six months in Bhubaneswar. You can say this was one of the best phases of my life. My son is actually ‘a mannat’ of Jagannath Puri temple. I still remember the overcrowded silver market of Cuttack and ‘Keshari’ cinema hall of Bhubaneswar as seeing movie was our favourite pastime. But now life has changed in so many ways.
