To be honest, I did not begin to write after great contemplation. Never did I think whether readers would like a book on Lord Shiva. I was writing it probably for my family. The story had become part of my soul. I just wanted to write.
That is why I embarked upon writing without thinking much about it. Somewhere inside my heart, the Bhagavad Gita’s sermon was guiding me: do your duties without thinking about the fruits of your action. I followed this path and set out to finish my book with so much motivation that I did not want to waste any moment. The reason behind writing the Shiva trilogy was my immense curiosity about him. There are many Mahapuranas, not merely the Shiva Purana, which tell a lot about the Lord, like Skanda Purana and Ling Purana, known as Shaivaite Puranas.
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My grandfather was a priest in Kashi. My parents have a religious bent of mind. I had heard a lot about the ancient scriptures in my formative years. I believe I got the initial inspiration to write such stories from my family.
It is because of Lord Shiva’s blessings that I could write such stories and that it has not been a difficult task. Some say that I have started a new tradition of writing on gods and goddesses. It is nothing like that. Such stories have been traditionally depicted in a fresh manner since time immemorial. Take Ramcharitmanas, for example. Goswami Tulsidas made many changes in the original Valmiki Ramayana. If you look at Sanskrit plays, you will find many changes. Kalidasa used to think Bhasa was a better writer than him. Bhasa had changed the entire story of Mahabharata in his play, Panchratra.
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Indians never get tired with stories about their deities. They can listen to them time and again, from different perspectives. That is why so many books on mythological characters are being written. It is also significant that many new writers are writing in Hindi, further strengthening our traditions.
Unfortunately, unlike books in English, those in Hindi or other regional languages do not get a push through marketing. That is why English books sell more. I believe that publishers of Hindi books should work on their marketing strategies, because even a well-written book cannot fly off the shelves without proper marketing. However, this is not to suggest that the content should not be good, but that its reach should be wide enough to reach more people.
While I was writing the Shiva trilogy, some believed it would spark a controversy. I think that some controversies are deliberately created to help boost sales. If we try to avoid it, a controversy cannot happen in a country like ours. Someone may or may not like my trilogy, but he will definitely agree that I have written the stories of Shiva with a lot of devotion. Actually, I worship all the gods and goddesses that I have written about. I don’t want any row to erupt over my books that would undermine their honour. That is why there is no controversy over my books.
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I have read mythological stories, as well as books on history. I recommend them to people constantly. I also keep advocating for change in our educational system. Children should be taught about our scriptures and the Puranas because their stories are really exciting. Children will simply love such stories, which will not only teach them about life but also connect them to their roots. You can gauge the power of such stories by the popularity of the television serial Ramayan. It was first telecast way back in 1985, and was re-telecast 35 years later this year on Doordarshan. Compared to modern TV shows, it was made on a small budget and was shorn of glamour. But it had a whopping viewership of eight crore across India in those days. Even the biggest global game show, Game of Thrones, could not garner that number of viewers across the world. If you think of the reasons behind it, you will realise that we are all deeply connected to our roots.
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The new generation, too, is deeply invested in mythological tales and is connected to its roots through them.
(Amish is the author of the best-selling Shiva trilogy. Views expressed are personal. As told to Akanksha Pare Kashiv)
