Meluha By Amish Pdf Free Download

Open Preview

See a Problem?

We'd love your help. Let us know what's wrong with this preview of Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathi.

Thanks for telling us about the problem.

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Community Reviews

· 5,492 ratings · 235 reviews

Start your review of Shiva Trilogy (Shiva Trilogy #1-3)

Warning: Contains spoilers for the series as a whole.

I do not read books by Indian authors as a rule, no thank you. I belong to that small minority of book lovers who believe that authors like Chetan Bhagat and Ravinder Singh have done more harm to reading in India than good. Hence, it was not surprising to any of my friends when I responded with derision and cynicism when they recommended Amish Tripathi's SHIVA trilogy over and over. One of them finally thrust a copy of the Immortals of Meluha

Warning: Contains spoilers for the series as a whole.

Stuck on a train for six hours with nothing else to do, I did start reading the Immortals.... with trepidation. Three chapters in, I realised that I liked it. The story was gripping, well-paced and kept me engrossed. (The language, of course, left much to be desired, but I decided I could put up with crappy writing because I really wanted to know what happened next in the story).

Within twenty four hours, I was done with the trilogy. Here I am, typing out this review for the sake of those like me who would otherwise blindside the books.

The biggest winning point for Amish's trilogy is the plot. Even a reader who picks up the book with no prior knowledge of Indian mythology is bound to enjoy it for its rich characterisation and intertwined storylines. Indians who have grown up with household names like Nandi, Ganesh and Karthikeyan, who celebrate Shiva as a God are bound to get a kick out of Amish's creative altering of the story. Shiva's perspective is refreshingly sincere, making you immediately like this protagonist. He is not a God, he is very much man. What comes through, though, in every line of the tale, is Amish's near-fanboyish love and adoration of Shiva. And this adoration is addictive. Over time, the reader cannot help but fall in love with Shiva too; Shiva the marijuana-smoking Tibetan immigrant, this uncouth foreigner who cannot adapt to the stoic ways of the Meluhans, who is open with his affection and hugs without inhibition. You learn to like him, you learn to want him to win, you learn to celebrate with him and you learn to cry with him. Amish's greatest victory is the hero he erects in Shiva, without once having to make him a God.

Another winner, for me, was the portrayal of the female characters. With a period novel set in ancient India, I expected the misogyny to shine through every chapter. Amish surprises there too. His premise of Meluha, the ideal society, portrays gender equality at its best. There are female warriors, the prime minister of the nation is a strong and capable woman, the heroine of the tale Sati has enough backbone to fell an elephant and repeatedly, Shiv's attraction to Sati is on grounds of her courage and self-sufficiency than beauty or other stereotypically feminine attributes. Reading between the lines, you get the social commentary that Amish intentionally leaves unsaid; social growth and progress requires equality between the sexes. A society built purely based on merit and not on caste, race or gender; this utopian ideal is examined with brutal honesty.

The narrative is interspersed with philosophical questions and debates - what is life? What is good and what is evil? Can one exist without the other? When does good turn into evil? At no point in the narrative does it turn into a religious rant or preach session directed at the non-believer. The message, if any, is subtle. Shiva is cynical and pragmatic, and in a way, he is voicing questions that the reader cannot. Using the "Drink of the Gods", the "Somras" as a metaphor for "excessive good", Amish commentates on concepts like socialism, the will of the minority, poor governance, citizenry, leadership, duty and responsibility.

The big turn-off was the language used. Amish would take you, the reader, on a plotline high only to be confronted by phrases like "Bloody hell!", "In the name of God what is this nonsense!", "Goddamnit!" and other such anachronistic blunders that leave you with feeling sour.

Another major cristicism of the books is the ending - avid fans who followed the books from the beginning and who waited to buy the finale were disappointed by the rather tame and understated climax. However, I loved it because Amish avoided the cliched route. When Sati is killed, an enraged Shiva threatens to blow up a city using the potent nuclear missile-like Pashupati-astra in his grief-induced tempestuous anger. Until the last ten pages, the reader expects the cliched turnabout, waits for Shiva to talk himself out of his rage and fulfill his goal of destroying the Somras. You expect him to bury his sorrow, put on a brave face and play the hero. You expect him to rise above his human attachments, his love for Sati and see sense. You expect him to walk the righteous path that he, as the Neelkanth is espoused to do.

Not Amish, though.

Amish achieved his goal of portraying Shiva as human as possible, with human failings and emotional upheavals. Shiva is not God, as Amish set out to prove. Shiva is human, and at his weakest moment, with Sati gone, there is very litte distinguishing him from the villain, Brighu. Shiva's anger, grief and near-catatonic state fascinate and honestly, terrify the reader. Amish's climax is fitting because he kept Shiva's human baseness alive, because he showed that even great men can lose kindness and compassion in the face of enormous loss.

At the end of this fascinating journey, like all good stories do, this one leaves you with mixed feelings. Read it for the plot and enjoy the ride.

Har Har Mahadev!

...more

The Immortals of Meluha - 3 stars

The Secret of the Nagas - 3 stars

The Oath of the Vayuputras - 2 stars

This trilogy was mostly a disappointment. Although the first and the second book were okay, last one disappointed the most. While Amish Tripathi's imagination knows no bounds, I was still not impressed. Throughout the entire series I felt like, all three books were written by different authors. I'm not sure why but something felt amiss. I wanted to and I really tried but I just couldn't love it

The Immortals of Meluha - 3 stars

The Secret of the Nagas - 3 stars

The Oath of the Vayuputras - 2 stars

3 stars overall.

...more

One of the best series i have read.
Har Har Mahadev!

Aug 04, 2020 Priyanka rated it it was amazing

"Whether a man is a legend or not is decided by history, not fortune tellers."

Books can take you to a different world and honestly speaking ShivaTrilogy is that kind of book series.
It was the first book series I ever read and now it's one of my favourite book series. A book that can't be kept down in between the pages.
The trilogy is a mix of fictional mythology, fantasy, action, thriller, drama, science and passionate love. I was imagining the characters, the cities, the wars and I never felt l

"Whether a man is a legend or not is decided by history, not fortune tellers."

...more

I never never read mythology before other than the stories we read as kids.....but Shiva Trilogy has given a completely different perspective of mythology ...it something u start believing (n that too with logic)...It was thrilling romantic and full of surprises ....not to tell but i cried wen sati dies ...i know that it was to happen but cudnt stop myself....it is in a way very endearing ...just loved.....

Mar 15, 2016 Sachin rated it really liked it

Really liked the creative writing.This book and its writing style made me picture most of the scenes throughout the book.Now i like Shiva(as a man of flesh and blood) rather than the deity.
Har Har Mahadev

Mar 31, 2017 Nikhila rated it it was amazing

Depicting the gods of hindu mythology as human beings while maintaining the original characteristics for which they are worshipped for is the speciality of this series. I believe that if the story narrated was assumed to be true, instead of the actual mythology, it would still not lessen the respect that these deities engender. The story itself was innovative and gripping until the very end. Lots of respect for this masterpiece.

Oct 09, 2013 Arti Mishra rated it really liked it

Very Nice..I fell in love with Indian culture and mythology all over again.
Its just that at some places in the book, too much emphasis has been laid on detailed description of places,rivers,structures etc,hence a little boring at times. Other than that, its great.

Aug 01, 2016 Neha Bhartia rated it really liked it

An illustrative depiction of mythological culture, beliefs and wisdom in another world and how these traits helps survival of mankind. A remarkable read!

Mar 31, 2017 Harikrishnan rated it it was amazing

It was awesome to go through the world Amish created. I completed the 2 volumes in a stretch.

Dec 01, 2020 Ayushi Garg rated it it was amazing

"No foreigner who came to our land, believed that such a great man could possibly have existed in reality, that all he is, is just a figment of our imagination. But what if they are wrong? What if we are Wrong? What if he is a person of flesh and blood like you and me, who rose to become a goldlike because of his Karma."
.
This is not your usual story, it's a blend of Mythology and fiction. It's the tale of Lord Shiva of who he was and who he became. Amish depicted all the elements of Shiva's char "No foreigner who came to our land, believed that such a great man could possibly have existed in reality, that all he is, is just a figment of our imagination. But what if they are wrong? What if we are Wrong? What if he is a person of flesh and blood like you and me, who rose to become a goldlike because of his Karma."
.
This is not your usual story, it's a blend of Mythology and fiction. It's the tale of Lord Shiva of who he was and who he became. Amish depicted all the elements of Shiva's character exceptionally well be it the compassion for the weak or the wisdom and depth in his thoughts. The passionate lover that he is or the fierce warrior. Whether its his skill for dancing or the talent for singing. All powerful and yet incorruptible.

It's not just his journey but the journey of the people who travelled along with him, whether it was Nandi or Goddess Sati or Parvateshavar or Daksha. Each character is given equal importance, with such minute intrinsic details that you can't help yourself but love and cherish.

While reading this epitome of Perfection, don't expect it to turn out your way, cause it won't. Don't make any assumptions beforehand, cause they will be useless. Just hop in, put your seat belt on and get ready for this one hell of a rollercoaster ride.
.
"A man becomes a Mahadev, only when he fights for good. A Mahadev is not born from his mother's womb. He is forged in the heat of battle, when he wages a war to destroy evil. Har Har Mahadev (All of us are Mahadev)."
~Amish (Immortals of Meluha)

...more

Jul 09, 2017 Vinayak rated it it was amazing

This work of Amish Tripathi is pure excellence. To make mythology adventurous and that too in a truly compelling way is no cinch! Let me share my interpretation of these books with you.
It is the story of a Tibetan barbarian named Shiva who crosses his homeland of Tibet and embarks on a journey of India; little does he know that he is going to become a living God leaving behind a legacy for the future generations to follow. He meets the love of his life, Sati on this journey and the conversation This work of Amish Tripathi is pure excellence. To make mythology adventurous and that too in a truly compelling way is no cinch! Let me share my interpretation of these books with you.
It is the story of a Tibetan barbarian named Shiva who crosses his homeland of Tibet and embarks on a journey of India; little does he know that he is going to become a living God leaving behind a legacy for the future generations to follow. He meets the love of his life, Sati on this journey and the conversations between the two are very beautiful.
Amish also constructs a plethora of characters who help Shiva on his way to destroy the Evil. Lord Shiva as the successor to the previous Mahadev, Lord Rudra is supposed to do so. Be it the ever loyal Nandi who manifests his devotion by standing up for his wife Sati till the very end or the Meluhan vikarma Drapaku who servilely devotes himself to the Neelkanth's cause of "Taking the Evil out of the equation"or Lord Parvateshwar who is the living embodiment of loyalty; or Lord Ganesh who is the epitome of righteousness. Inspite of the agonizing fate which Lord Ganesh is subjected to, his admiration for Lord Ram, the seventh Vishnu is commendable. He follows all the codes of conduct which a Kshatriya is supposed to, never indulges in subterfuge and tries to solve issues with negotiations to avoid unnecessary bloodsheds.
A lot of characters described in the book represent a particular quality, there's an inherent propensity of the character to that quality which makes it all the more interesting to identify the same: Ganesh being righteousness, Lord Parvateshwar being loyalty, Kartik being Valor and Courage (with brains as could be deduced in the concluding chapters of the third book).
Amish has amalgamated all the themes which we mortals encounter in our lives in his books: war, love, politics, adventure, parenting, philosophy etc. making it all the more intriguing for us. We can very viscerally connect with the characters in this book.The books are embellished with great literary expressions and sentences some of them being:

Only an honest evaluation of one's weaknesses followed by their mitigation can win the day.

The silence at dusk belied the exuberance of the dawn.

Sometimes the hypocritical nature of the world makes us immune to a rare sincere man.
- The Oath of Vayuputras

To possess an illusion is as good as to possess nothing.

The opposite of love is not hatred, the opposite of love is apathy.
-The Secret of Nagas

And the first rule of serendipity is that miracles come when we forget rational laws and have faith.

Death brings a final end to a souls aspirations. Ironically, However, it is the hovering imminence of the end itself which gives a soul the courage to challenge every constraint and express even a long denied dream.
-The Immortals of Meluha

The conversations between Vasudev Pandits and the Neelkanth aka Lord Shiva are very very thoughtfully written and are exhaustively explained with examples. I can particularly recall a conversation between Lord Shiva and the chief of Vasudevs Lord Gopal where Lord Gopal convinces Shiva that everything that has a begining is bound to end and to begin again. And it is the journey in between the two milestones that has to serve a purpose. This dichotomy operates at a universal level as well as at the microscopic level. It transcends the fabric of space and time, by which I mean, the journey can range from a picosecond to several aeons and it could span a microscopic grain of sand to a giant planetary system in a galaxy. When Shiva is still unconvinced and tries to dismiss this theory, Gopal persuades him with a simple illustration: that of the rain.
Water eventually returns to the course where it started from i.e. water bodies like rivers, seas, oceans etc. but in the journey, it flourishes the flora and fauna of the Earth. Without this cycle which according to Shiva would be pointless as the water ends up where it started from, life on Earth wouldn't be sustained. This simple example testifies the fact that everything in the universe that has a begining has an end, including the Universe itself. And when the purpose of that thing is served, it appears as a new thing to serve another purpose.
Another interesting conversation between Lord Manobhu and Lord Shiva sparks off in the Secret of Nagas where his uncle explains him the it is not the ramifications or the consequences ensuing an event matter but it's what your karma is that makes a great deal! What you chose to do in that event and does it align with your svadharma dictates how it is going to impact your life after that event culminates.
In conclusion, this three part series is a compelling mix of adventure, drama, politics and philosophy with excellent story-telling and the best part about it is that the author is considerate of the scientific intellect of the audience and doesn't presume anything or inexorably voice his opinions anywhere in the book. You are in for an adventurously insightful treat if you choose to read this book. He is rightly called the Tolkien of India!

...more

i think it is just brilliant

Jan 14, 2016 Akhila rated it really liked it

I resisted reading the Shiva Trilogy for a very long time. What people call mythology, I would like to term it as Itihasa-Purana, history that happened in ancient India in the beginning of time itself. Shiva is often referred to as Adiyogi. As a child, I was drawn to Shiva in school which stayed with me so far. He has been my favorite God, and I remember how I used to fast for him through school and college. As I grew up, I developed a deep sense of reverence for his entire family. I believed Sh I resisted reading the Shiva Trilogy for a very long time. What people call mythology, I would like to term it as Itihasa-Purana, history that happened in ancient India in the beginning of time itself. Shiva is often referred to as Adiyogi. As a child, I was drawn to Shiva in school which stayed with me so far. He has been my favorite God, and I remember how I used to fast for him through school and college. As I grew up, I developed a deep sense of reverence for his entire family. I believed Shiva was my trusted friend and Karthik as my Protector (naivete, hell ya). That reverence stalled me as I wasn't keen on befuddling the little knowledge I had with fiction (non-believers can stop reading at this point). Finally, I picked up the books on my stay-cation at home. I distinctly remember how hard I broke down when Ayurvati recognizes Shiva as the Neelkantha, the Saviour for the first time when he arrives in Meluha. I was on the treadmill and it was the early part of "The Immortals of Meluha". The three parts of the Trilogy are absolutely spell-binding, despite the play-up of stories and facts (again, since I am a believer)- Kali was made the twin sister and Veerbhadra as the trusted confidante, while they rose from the locks of Shiva's hair when he was in a rage after Sati's self-immolation; or the entire story of Ganesha's birth through a first husband, or how Karthik's birth was reduced (my biggest disappointment) to the most ordinary tale of simple child bearing. I always perceived Karthik's jananam as one of the most complex stories in Hindu mythology- borne of Parvati than born to her, with several purposes, apart from the most obvious one of slaying Tarakasura, leading to his avatara. As even Agni was not able to contain Shiva's Tejas, Ganga finally beholds him. Similarly, other stories such as that of Kritigga (from which Karthik's name is derived), Nagas, Somras etc. have been oversimplified. Well, in any case, I knew what I was reading.

The great story telling, connecting the dots to popular beliefs and rituals and the plots twists are enough the sustain the interest of the reader and make up for the above. I made myself open to the books, and they are splendid work. The message on good and evil as one perceives it depending on whose side one is fighting is probably most relevant to our times. Acknowledgement of Kashi's superior architecture and city planning, Brighu Maharshi's divine knowledge, the true and deep love between Shiva and Sati, Ganesha's and Karthik's legendary respect for parents, Lord Ram as one of the greatest rulers, power of Brahmastra and Pashupatastra, Mesopotamian civilization, the rivers, the complex geography of Tsang-Po, Dandak, Panchavati, the sacred relevance of Shaktipeethas and many more keep the story tight.
I loved the distinction of Vasudevs (who reminded me of Illuminati) and Vayuputras the tribes of Vishnu and Rudra respectively how both act in determining what is the greatest good and when the greatest good turns evil (too much of anything is bad). I also expected the role of Vayuputras to be more detailed.

I fell in love with Shiva a thousand times more as I read the books and I am looking forward to read them all over again. His portrayal was the best.
The weakest point of the Trilogy is the oversimplified dialogue. Amish took calculated risks and did a clean job of tying them all together to connote history.

I shook in awe, swayed in emotion, cried in fragility and smiled intoxicatedly in elation as I indulged myself in these books.

...more

Oct 25, 2017 prathmesh rated it it was amazing

Amazing book, depicting gods in the character of humans to show the struggles they go through and become the person we imagine they might be was a wonderful experience to read.

Oct 21, 2017 Chetan Kudari rated it it was amazing

Great books. Must read. Hoping that these will come on screen similar to that of Bahubali movie series or Serial

Jun 16, 2017 Vartika Goyal rated it it was amazing

If you have interest in mythology, this book is perfect for you and if you don't like mythology, storyline is enough for keeping you engaged. I am not a very big fan of Indian writers but Amish Tripathi has attempted something very different which makes me appreciate him even more.

This is a fictional story that portrays Lord Shiva in a normal human being form. King Daksha represent him as a Lord Neelkanth to his people in order to fulfil his personal gain but it turns out differently. As story proceeds, few secrets discloses to Shiva which leads to lots of twists and turns making this book more interesting. Other characters also woven in a manner that justify there name, for example Goddess Kali and Lord Ganesh, we all know they look differently but Amish know how to fit them in a story.

This book gives new definition to evil. It deals with saying that extreme good turns into extreme evil. Best part is no character in the book is either good or bad, they react as per the situation. I would say it is a must read.

...more

Sep 10, 2017 Ayush rated it it was amazing

I believe Amish Tripathi, with this book has stepped into an uncharted territory. All the traits of the the mythological figure Lord Shiva have been well preserved minus the unlimited powers. This trilogy portrays a very strong message of how one's deeds determine how one is going to be know as, how it can ascend one to godhood. It also portrays how a man's virtues play an important role in life. The author's sense of perception of good and evil is something you will not see coming.
The books are I believe Amish Tripathi, with this book has stepped into an uncharted territory. All the traits of the the mythological figure Lord Shiva have been well preserved minus the unlimited powers. This trilogy portrays a very strong message of how one's deeds determine how one is going to be know as, how it can ascend one to godhood. It also portrays how a man's virtues play an important role in life. The author's sense of perception of good and evil is something you will not see coming.
The books are so enthralling that you will not be able to stop yourself from completing the trilogy in one go as you keep on asking yourself, "What is going to happen in the next book?".
All in all it proved out to be an indulging trilogy. ...more

Aug 06, 2017 Ram rated it it was amazing

I sacrificed sleep to finish the three books this week. Started as a casual read after recommendation from a friend whose choice I respect. Boy was he right! Couldn't put it down. The author's 'informed imagination' (as I put in my amazon review a few minutes ago) engaged me as an Indian who experiences significant conflict trying to reconcile scientific reason and the Hindu way of life that I grew up in. Kudos to the author who has woven a story that isn't dissimilar to a broad narrative I allo I sacrificed sleep to finish the three books this week. Started as a casual read after recommendation from a friend whose choice I respect. Boy was he right! Couldn't put it down. The author's 'informed imagination' (as I put in my amazon review a few minutes ago) engaged me as an Indian who experiences significant conflict trying to reconcile scientific reason and the Hindu way of life that I grew up in. Kudos to the author who has woven a story that isn't dissimilar to a broad narrative I allowed myself to imagine when such conflicts arose inside. ...more

Mar 09, 2017 Mysticpalak rated it it was amazing

What has intrigued me the most about this book is the depiction of a powerful deity, Lord Shiva, in the most human way possible. It offers a whole new perspective to the Hindu mythology and how indeed the greatness of such a being eventually led him to be worshipped through time immemorial. Har Har Mahadev!

Despite all the amazing reviews this series had, I was very skeptical about reading it because of my disappointment with other Indian authors; but I am glad I finally read it. It provided a different perspective to the one of the greatest tales in Indian mythology, which is very refreshing! It does not really deviate from the stories we all grew up with, but still is unique in it's own way. Despite all the amazing reviews this series had, I was very skeptical about reading it because of my disappointment with other Indian authors; but I am glad I finally read it. It provided a different perspective to the one of the greatest tales in Indian mythology, which is very refreshing! It does not really deviate from the stories we all grew up with, but still is unique in it's own way. ...more

If you are an Amish Tripathi fan , sorry to disappoint you but I did not liked the series much😶. I believe it is over hyped as there are so many great books in the same gener🤷🏻‍♀️. It may be good or even great for beginners but not for me..😅 I did like the book but not much... Due to the hype.. I had way too many expectations and they were not fulfilled.😕😔
(please don't kill me for this review😑😥) If you are an Amish Tripathi fan , sorry to disappoint you but I did not liked the series much😶. I believe it is over hyped as there are so many great books in the same gener🤷🏻‍♀️. It may be good or even great for beginners but not for me..😅 I did like the book but not much... Due to the hype.. I had way too many expectations and they were not fulfilled.😕😔
(please don't kill me for this review😑😥) ...more

Dec 23, 2016 Uma Manickam rated it it was amazing

A nice mythological fiction. Filled with lots of science and basic essence of life !! It keeps you engaged !!
One strong (I feel so) quote from the book: " There's nothing universal. Good and bad are two sides of the same coin, it all depends on the perspective you choose to see" A nice mythological fiction. Filled with lots of science and basic essence of life !! It keeps you engaged !!
One strong (I feel so) quote from the book: " There's nothing universal. Good and bad are two sides of the same coin, it all depends on the perspective you choose to see" ...more

Jun 29, 2017 Nikita rated it it was amazing

My favourite series till date. Absolutely loved it for refreshing view of the stories we have heard since childhood. All the characters are so human and totally believable and the events leading them to become what they become is a treat to visualize by ourselves.

Jul 26, 2017 Shuvam Dam rated it really liked it

Interesting take on Indian mythology with a deliberate modern twist but in certain parts has the feel of a overtly simplistic teenage love story.

Jun 20, 2021 Aanya Jain rated it really liked it

The books were released back in 2010, 2011, and 2013 by the author Amish Tripathi. However, the popularity hasn't gone an inch down. The collection is a mythological fiction, where the core lies in - what if Shiva is born as a man - a human being and then discovers himself as Mahadev. The nuances of Good Vs Evil.

It was early this year when I started reading the first book in the trilogy - Immortals of Meluha. The book is an opening to the wide world of Shiva and how he is recognized as Neelkant

It was early this year when I started reading the first book in the trilogy - Immortals of Meluha. The book is an opening to the wide world of Shiva and how he is recognized as Neelkanth. The story takes place in the land of Meluha - a land established by Lord Ram centuries ago. The inhabitants are called "Suryavanshii" they follow a disciplined life with rules and regulations and that is why their life in melba is almost immaculate. This extensively speaks about the elixir - "Somras". Now, we have also introduced the "Nagas" - they often attack Meluha. Now, the only way to fight against the Nagas is the emergence of a Hero - Neelkanth - Shiva. This book basically gives the theme of good fighting against evil. However, that is what you think while reading. The occasions are winded so beautifully that it leads to a certain point where your mind is blown. You are shaken, you have your hands on your mouth, and you can't believe what you just read. Amish Tripathi leaves the readers so hooked to his books that you are bound to pick up the next book as quickly as you are done reading this one.

The Second book - The Secret of the Nagas. With each book, you might feel things are kept pretty straightforward. You read it as it still does not allow you to leave a single page. Despite your apprehensions this book nowhere becomes monotonous. And then you might feel that if things get along the same way on the next page - Bam! Your mind is blown just like WHAAAT???? NOOOOO….WHAT???? HOW???? After living this moment of surprise/shock and letting out such expressions - I cried. There goes on so much on two sides that you start linking certain incidents. And at the end of the book - "to be continued" just makes you run for the third one! Yet, again - Amish Tripathi leaves you in the middle of a revelation that you need to know HOW!

The Third book: The last book in this trilogy - The Oath of the Vayuputras - is my favorite of all. Imagine - each book left me shocked and surprised and whatnot - but this becomes my favorite. I have heard a lot of people saying this will completely shatter your thoughts - I DISAGREE. How can you not let things wind up and in such a way? It is mostly about the war and that Shiva has found the evil and now he needs to fight against the evil and people supporting it. Definitely, the book also lets you think that for Good to exist there has to be evil. The balance is how the universe works. And maybe that is where people felt "ouch!". Where I feel quite the opposite. This book teaches me so many life lessons, changes my perception to an extent, and I am now anxious to read the Ramayan series" - Ram, Sita, Raavan".

The description of each character is so beautifully written that you eventually can describe each person in your own words. With each happening, you might also be able to guess what the person would do. There are certain points where you will laugh, you feel mushy with Shiva and Sati romance, you feel angry with the "Lords" and kings deeds and yet calling it their Dharma. So to sum it up - The Shiva Trilogy will stay with you - teach you so much, bring out a different perspective to life, in general, and these are definitely a page-turner for me. I had never read mythology fiction before - not that I remember.

...more

Apr 16, 2019 Kiran Shelke rated it really liked it

We all grew up watching Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana and Mahabharata. We were fascinated to see the magical arrows that could spit the fire or make the clouds pour rain. There was no limit for the imagination. We never thought about it scientifically, rather practically, and it wasn't meant to be! But you can find most amazing practical explanations about the ancient weapons, architecture, food and drinks in Amish Tripathi's The Shiva Trilogy along with the journey of a tribal man that makes him th We all grew up watching Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana and Mahabharata. We were fascinated to see the magical arrows that could spit the fire or make the clouds pour rain. There was no limit for the imagination. We never thought about it scientifically, rather practically, and it wasn't meant to be! But you can find most amazing practical explanations about the ancient weapons, architecture, food and drinks in Amish Tripathi's The Shiva Trilogy along with the journey of a tribal man that makes him the 'Mahadev' the God of the Gods.
It is a series of books which can be a treat for the mythology lovers like me. I love and worship Shiva but never had a practical approach about his existence. The writer makes the reader imagine the situations in the cold Himalayan weather the difficulties of survival there and defines the phyical and mental structure of the man called Shiva who is a mere tribal head and later has migrated to a vast and most powerful kingdom of Meluha with his tribe.
Meluhans are in the search of the saviour who would sort out their existential problems and help them through the difficult and shrewd time. They find Shiva's neck becoming blue after consuming 'somras' (a potion that makes the person immortal.) This is the sign of the next saviour, the Meluhans were waiting for, the Neelakantha.
Meluhans are the Suryavanshis, the decedents of lord Ram who abide by the specific set of rule in their life and their sworn enemies are the Chandravanshis who also happen to be the decedents of lord Ram but have different style of living which do not force them abide by any rules. Shiva finds out that everyone including Chandravanshis are loving him and is obliged to him
The story runs through the Shiva's love, evil practices in the societies, absconded children and reaches the nuclear reactor and the nuclear weapons also known as Brahmastra. Shiva travels extensively throughout India in search of evil and finally faces the war with the same people who adored him.
Many of the names in the books are familiar to me like Sati (the daughter of Daksh), Nandi (Shiva's devout follower), Ganesha (Shiva's adopted son), Kali (Sati's estranged sister in the book) and many more. The aspect that makes the books immensely interesting is getting explanations to all the imagined characters, situations and unimaginable weapons getting imaginable explanations. The first book picks up the pace and grabs the reader's attention. The second and the third book may feel a little dragged. There is a lot of elaborate descriptions of the plot and different landscapes in India but I found more focus on the north. If you want to take the gist of the books there is majorly one message and that is 'too much of good is Evil.'
In the first book, the immortals of Meluha, Shiva meets his love of the life and also meluhans find Neelakantha, the saviour of the India in him. He then moves in the search of the evil which makes him come into the contact of Nagas, the abandoned people where he finds out that those are not the true evil and they join hands in the second book, The secret of Nagas. Finally in the third book, the oath of the Vayuputras, he has to confront the evil that resides in the heart and mind of the people and has to destroy it through a massive war. Later, when he has won and lost at the same time, He leaves for his original home and spends rest of the life in the Himalayas. ...more

Jan 09, 2019 Nisha Puranik rated it really liked it

The Universe bows to Lord Shiva.
I bow to Lord Shiva.

This is how Amish Tripathi starts the epic journey of The Shiva Trilogy and every book in the series. The first book is The Immortals of Meluha followed by The Secret of Nagas and the final one, The Oath of Vayuputras. All the three are worth reading.

I always love to read alternate theories about a single well known story. It makes you think if a story can be written even in this way. When a popular story is told and retold for generations, i

The Universe bows to Lord Shiva.
I bow to Lord Shiva.

I always love to read alternate theories about a single well known story. It makes you think if a story can be written even in this way. When a popular story is told and retold for generations, it is very hard for anyone to deviate from it and form an altogether different story. Amish has not only done that, but has handled it very well.

This is the story of Shiva, who from a simple tribal leader in Tibet, rose to the level of god, rose to become a Mahadev. This theory in itself is so simply amazing, that just like Vishnu has ten avatars, even Mahadev has his own avatars and two of his manifestations are mentioned in the series and they are Lord Rudra, the previous Mahadev and Lord Neelkanth a.k.a Shiva, the present one. You will find all the familier characters in the book and they are linked perfectly to each other as they actually are in the mythology. You will come across Sati, Ganesh, Kartik, Kali, Daksha, Parvateshwar, Veerabhadra, Nandi, Krittika and so many others. Lord Ram is depicted as the ruler of Meluha, who ruled many years ago and everyone followed the path shown by him, that is, the path of Dharma.

The first book is about Shiva becoming the Neelkanth, falling in love with Sati and marrying her and a few wars. In the second, Kartik is born, few more wars and the secret of Nagas is revealed (No, I'm not telling what it is). Third mostly is war and ends with Shiva living at the base of Mount Kailash with his family.

I congratulate Amish for coming up with such a fresh concept and thank him for not clinging to the same old love stories again. Even the book covers are a treat for the eyes.

In the end, Amish states that the world was destroyed at some point and rejuvenated again. The people weren't as able as their ancestors. The work done by some of the prominent ancestors was so amazing that they couldn't believe that it could be real and made them gods. It is, though a very vague assumption, a possibility, isn't it?

...more

Amish is an IIM (Kolkata) educated, banker turned award-winning author. The success of his debut book, The Immortals of Meluha (Book 1 of the Shiva Trilogy), encouraged him to give up a fourteen-year-old career in financial services to focus on writing. He is passionate about history, mythology and philosophy, finding beauty and meaning in all world religions.

His 7 books have sold over 5 million

His 7 books have sold over 5 million copies and been translated into 19 Indian & international languages. His Shiva Trilogy is the fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history while his Ram Chandra Series is the second fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history.

In 2019, Amish was appointed to a diplomatic role as Director , The Nehru Centre in London, India's premier cultural centre abroad.

...more