How to write a story connecting the past with the present, using science, history and mythology
There is a thin line between mythology and history.
Did Alexander the Great really exist or is he just a mythological figure?
Surprising question? Not really. There is absolutely no archaeological evidence to prove that Alexander the Great existed. We have the writings of Plutarch, Arrian and Strabo - all respected historians - who wrote about him around 300 to 400 years after Alexander had died. On the basis of their writing, we accept Alexander as a historical figure.
Asoka the Great was considered to be a mythological figure until 1837, when James Prinsep first deciphered Asoka’s edicts and identified him as a historical figure.
There is a fine line between mythology and history. Years ago, I read a bunch of very well-written and scientifically researched books, which propagated the theory that all mythology is based on a kernel of history which has been embellished through centuries of retelling. This intrigued me. Was it possible that some of the characters in the Mahabharata really existed and that some of the events described in the epic actually happened? I always wanted to explore this possibility through fiction.
In 2006, I set out to write a story for my seven-year-old daughter who is deeply interested in mythology and history. I decided to use this opportunity to fictionalise mythology. There were a couple of options available to me. I could have written a fictional fantasy story, inspired by the Mahabharata, setting the plot in an imaginary, fantasy world, like JRR Tolkien was inspired by Nordic and British mythology, which found expression in The Lord of the Rings. Or, I could write a fictional retelling of the events in the Mahabharata, setting the story in ancient times and using characters from the epic to flesh out the story.
I had already written a story for my daughter, in 2003, which was set in a fantasy world and was inspired by Indian mythology. So, I decided against the first option.
And the second option didn’t appeal to me because I wanted to explore a scientific explanation for some of the stories in the Mahabharata. My intent was to write a story that was based on the premise that the mythology of the Mahabharata could have been based on events and concepts that can be explained using real scientific facts, not science fiction or speculation.
So, I decided to write a story that was set in present times and which connected the past and the present, using science, history and mythology.
Little did I know what I had taken on. I had to first read the Mahabharata thoroughly - not an easy task since I don’t know Sanskrit and the epic has one lakh shlokas, of which the Kurukshetra war and its origins form a very small part. I also had to research history and science and validate the scientific theory I created with an expert to ensure that I was not entering the realm of science fiction, where a lot of the science is speculative and does not exist in reality.
Over a period of two years, I wrote and narrated this story to my daughter and, in 2008, my first book – The Mahabharata Secret – was born. It was an exhilarating experience to write the next two books which formed a part of The Mahabharata Quest series and explored international mythological links with Indian mythology. I found it amazing to find connections between Greek and Indian mythology (in The Alexander Secret) and Irish and Welsh mythology and Indian mythology (in The Secret of the Druids).
Not only are there similarities between the Greek gods and the Vedic devas, but there is a goddess in Irish mythology who is also mentioned in the Mahabharata - the spelling and pronunciation of the name is the same in both places; and I also discovered deep links between the Druids of Britain and the Mahabharata. Once the facts regarding the connections were researched and validated, it was not difficult to fictionalise the links between historical figures like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar and the mythological links, and create a plot set in modern times in a thriller format.
While the earlier series continues, I am now exploring the fictionalisation of Indian mythology in a format that does not exist today in Indian writing. My new series – The Pataala Prophecy – is written as a fantasy thriller set in present times, but it brings together the mythological and philosophical elements of the ancient texts in a tale of mystery, adventure and secrets from the past, with suspense to keep readers guessing till the end.
It was not easy to write the new book - to keep the fantasy real and believable and to convince readers that the ideas presented in the book, while fictional, are also possible. That, I believe, is the biggest challenge for any writer fictionalising mythology.