Book Review – The Ayodhya Alliance
I was in two minds; whether a book written a bestselling author who has already sold millions of copies of his work, needs a review? The Ayodhya Alliance is the latest offering by Ashwin Sanghi. Authors like him and Amish Tripathi are trailblazers in English literature who have popularized Bharatiya itihasa among the youth brought up on a sterile concoction of so-called secular education that basically negates any achievements of Bharatiya civilisation, and also its historicity. They have successfully aroused the curiosity GenZ in our itihasa and knowledge systems. Youth is their main reader. This is no mean achievement. Interestingly this duo was rejected multiple times by the publishers and had to self-publish their first works. Their success saw many writers join this club of Indian fiction based on our itihasa, Puranas and Vedas. Some good, some not so good; just riding the wave. Hence, it is obligatory for us to acknowledge their trailblazing efforts.
First book in the Bharat Series by Ashwin Sanghi was published in 2007. A period when Communist influenced Congress alliance UPA was in power. Its policies were controlled through an extra-constitutional body called NAC (National Advisory Council) dominated by Left and ultra-Left, and led by Sonia Gandhi. It was the peak of ‘secular politics’’- short hand for anti-Hindu narrative. It was the period when education was totally neutered and became amoral, churning out deracinated rootless young citizens. For most of the countries in the world and also Indian citizens, Bharat was looked through the narrow lenses of classical and tribal dance forms and arts, and classical music Narrative of Bharat created by the west was still the standard western set for us – fatalist people, seeped in orthodoxy who only focused on otherworldly pursuits, who had no scientific or technological achievements to their names. They even suppressed the Indians skills used by them, for example, ship building and wootz steel used for their crusades and wars. I am not even going to the worst description of Indians whose only claim to fame was casteism, widow burning etc. Ashwin Sanghi came up with Bharat series during those times.
Bharat series is not about glorification of ancient Bharat, nor about jingoism. It is about raising the curiosity of the reader about Bharat’s science and technology. He does not work on fables and myths. He researches and picks up on a particular aspect of Bharatiya civilization’s achievements in science and technology, presenting history in an interesting way. He then tosses up mind-boggling thrillers with facts woven into fiction. He creates such a fine alloy of a story that you cannot distinguish the metals used to create it; when real world meets fiction, or when fiction feels like real story. He is a rare writer who also gives sources from where he picked up those facts, to prove their authenticity.
The Ayodhya Alliance, like most of his works spans massive time-space, nearly 7000 years. The story moves back and forth in time. This time his story moves between ancient Korea, Thailand, Middle East, Europe, Maharashtra, Southern part of Bharat and Ayodhya, with stage set in modern-day South Korea and Bharat. Challenge in the story revolves around finding a right kind of metallic alloy that can withstand the newly discovered unbeatable destructive fire power of China. Just to add a little spoiler – the scientists are desperate to unravel the mystery - how could the technocrats of those times create the glorious Ellora caves in a given time frame with such a speed and accuracy? Did they use ordinary chisels and tools or did they have science that made these tools extraordinarily powerful? How could 2 lakh tons of hard stone be removed from the monolithic hill, carving it from top to bottom. How did those rocks turn so malleable that the sculptors could make them sing and dance to their tunes using their tools? Can the caves provide answers to the search for the ultimate alloy that can defend as well as destroy enemy armaments with precision?
The narration does not slacken anywhere. Chapters are small and move rapidly in every few pages, hence you are glued to the story. Writer’s arguments about science and metallurgy are compelling and raise your curiosity to go and check an encyclopedia. His ‘may be’ hypothesis make you open up your imagination. You imbibe the atmosphere of Pandian, Chola, and Chera period, you witness cultural and trade exchanges between various geographies of Bharat thousands of years back and feel the pulse of an integral civilisation existing since eons. This is the beauty of this novel.
This story is imagined and written with Indic focus. Unlike other novels of Ashwin Sanghi where the story plays out in other countries and geographies and Bharatiya knowledge system is the added element with occasional visit to Bharat, The Ayodhya Alliance is located in Bharat, while other civilizations, the lands linked with Bharat through Hindu and Bouddha dharma, and trade in case of Roman and Middle East civilizations appear come up as and when story demands it. It is a heady cocktail like all the novels of Ashwin Sanghi’s Bharat series. Though the story must have taken years of painstaking research and visits all over the world, the writer has been able to bring it to the present with newly rebuilt Ram Mandir with felicity of skilled artist.
Generally, the pace of Sanghi’s novels is frenetic, with stunning twists to the thriller with bodies falling like nine pins. In The Ayodhya Alliance you find the writing style a little different. It has his deep research and convincing power bridging fiction and history, spanning huge time lines but it does not have the earlier frenetic pace. The story moves at an easy pace, with less blood and thrills and chills. But it keeps you glued as it travels continents and remains a page turner like all his novels. Curiosity to find the where the writer is leading the reader, made me sit late for three nights. Epilogue is an epic visualization. Language is more poetic, carrying deeper emotions. May be the theme itself impacted the writer too. I think, readers are going to love The Ayodhya Alliance.
Ratan Sharda
15th July 2025
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