A celebration of valour

Amarinder Gill

This is the second book in the Ashoka trilogy. The historical saga of the fate of the Mauryan kingdom continues in the present narrative. The Pashtuns have rebelled in Gandahar and on the orders of Samrat Bindusara, Ashoka has been sent, along with crown prince Sushim, to quell the uprising. In the brutally ravaged Taxila, Ashoka sees more than a mere rebellion. He smells a plot guided by the invisible Greek hand of Seleucus Nicator. The amatyas accompanying the entourage lack any fighting skills. It is Ashoka and his team of highly trained warriors who put up a good fight and crush the revolt. The bestiality and gruesome killings mentioned in this tale echo with reality. The Mauryan prince’s rise as a warrior is celebrated in this book.

In Patliputra, Bindusara is presented as a leader, guided by his ever-scheming Khorasani wife, Noor. Harem intrigues form a major part of the plot. Ashoka, fighting in far away Taxila, is accused of treason. Circumstances force the nonagenarian Kautilya to come out of retirement and have a word with the Samrat, but to no avail.

The book delves into the declining influence of Kautilya in the Mauryan court. The Brahamanical order and associated politics have been brought to the fore by the writer. One cannot delineate the relationship between Kautilya and his pupil Ashoka and the guru-shishya tradition.

The characterisation is excellent with crown prince Sushim being presented as the epitome of moral corruption and gluttony, a weakling and totally unfit to occupy the throne. Bindusara appears as an incompetent ruler concerned less with administration and interested more in his harem and its inmates. While a war is being waged between Patliputra and the 16 kingdoms of the Deccan, the emperor himself does not take part in the battle, but rather views from afar, seated on his royal platform. This sequel gives a good insight into the clearly demarcated caste hierarchy that prevailed during the ancient times. Reinforcing stereotypes, Ashok Banker presents the Pashtuns as highly outlandish and barbaric.

It is a compelling read which uses history and fiction to deepen the understanding of life under the Mauryas. It also presents an insightful analysis of the intrigues of the harem where the sharp, observant eyes of Bindusara’s favourite queen Noor Khorasan miss nothing. As in the first book of the trilogy, the struggle for status quo continues between the Queen Mother Apama and Noor Khorasan. In Taxila, as Ashoka is betrayed by his own lieutenant while his mother awaits a brutal fate, the reader is left wanting to know more.

The narrative brings alive the social and political life of an era gone by. It highlights the Mauryans as heroes and conquerors. Ashoka: Satrap of Taxila is a brilliantly written novel. The author has used a clever mix of history and fiction to weave a vivid story. It is a fast paced novel which cannot be put down easily. In his inimitable style, Banker is able to build up a tension that holds the interest of the reader.