Renowned author and blogger Rashmi Singh’s new book “The Untold Story Of Arundhati And The Black Emperor” has been published. This is Rashmi’s overall fifth book and third novel. Check out the book details here:
Book Summary:
This story is about an Emperor’s passion for war. It takes us into many events and happenings in the life of one of the mightiest Emperor of South India between 610A.D.-643A.D., Pulkasein II, grandson of Pulkasein I of Badami or Vatapi Chalukyas.
Pulkasein II, was the King whom Harshavardhana the great, could not defeat. In fact his army was crushed ruthlessly by this mighty King on the banks of Krishna River. Pulkasein II, at that time had maintained a huge maritime power and had defeated the Ganga King, Durvinita. Durvinita had to marry his daughter, Shailvinita to save his Kingdom and power.
Pulkasein had appointed his brother Vishnukubjavardhan, the Viceroy of his newly acquired territories.
A just ruler to his Praja, Pulkasein II was extremely cruel to his enemies and his war against Kanchipuram, the then capital of the Pallava dynasty can never be forgotten. Mahendravarman I of Pallava dynasty was treacherously defeated in the battle of Pullalur, 25 kms away from Kanchi, however Kanchi could not be captured.
He cunningly had defeated Mahendravarman I, had attacked Kanchi and abducted the dancer Sivagami, beloved of Narsimhavarman I. Pulkasein II’s twin Buddhist Monk brother, Naganandhi was completely besotted by Sivagami and wanted to bed her. This mighty brother of his brother was shocked as Naganandhi was a monk but still promised to take the dancer to his bed. He tortured Sivagami in all possible ways, like by beating captured Pallava men, until she danced in front of his guests, especially the Persian Emissaries.
But one doesn’t know the twist of destiny! Pulkasein II, not wanting, fell in love with another dancer of his own Kingdom, Arundhati. Arundhati came as a wild storm in his life and Pulkasein or Ereya as he was popularly called never could believe himself that his feeling for Arundhati had risen above mere sex! AND HERE HISTORY SAW HOW LOVE COULD FORCE A MIGHTY KING TOWARDS HIS DOOM!
The story has many twists and turns with explicitly etching out Arundhati’s feelings – how she was infatuated with her emperor, consequently how she got infatuated with his noble Suryakant, who had been appointed by the King to bring the dancer to him and how she finally realizes about her true love and the mistakes of her life!
The story shows this too that Narsimhavarman I, the brave son of Mahendravarman I, over the years took his revenge from Pulkasein II for his cunningness and the tortures brought to him to his beloved and his father, though he could not keep his promise to marry Sivagami. He had once tried to rescue Sivagami from the captivity of the Chalukyas, but the dancer took an oath that unless all Pallava men are freed, she would not leave. This broke Narsimhavarman’s heart.
The story begins on a different note. This story goes back to time. A girl in her dreams comes to realize that whatever problems she is meeting in her current life is because of the sins committed by her in her previous life as she only was Arundhati then!
The book is divided into 3 parts. In the first part, the story revolves around the Chalukyan Emperor Pulkasein, the Pallava King Mahendravarman I, Narsimhavarman I and his beloved Sivagami( a poor sculptor’s daughter).
The second part highlights the feelings of Pulkasein II, his noble Suryakant and Arundhati, who becomes trapped in the net of time…
The third part delves into the unusual love hate relationship between Arundhati, the dancer and The Black Emperor. It takes to many events and finally to the Ajanta Dance Festival, which led to the doom of this Chalukya Parameshwara..
Attention has been paid to minute details and minor characters as too like, Durvinita, the Ganga King and father in law of Pulkasein, Pranjyothi, and viceroy of Narsimhavarmna I.
Book Details:
Title: The Untold Story Of Arundhati And The Black Emperor
Author: Rashimi Singh
Publisher: Pigeon Books
ISBN-13: 9789382025665
ISBN-10: 9382025669
Publishing Year: 2013
Pages: 280
MRP: Rs. 140
Summary:The book promises and interesting read.
