Hindu mythology has been one of the most interesting topics for readers around the country. The sole reason is that the stories are fascinating and change from one region to another in terms of folklore and tradition, starting the reader on a fresh journey.

Such is the book Prem Purana by Usha Narayanan.

As the name suggests, it has three mythological love stories. The story of Ganesha, Buddhi, Siddhi, Riddhi, tells how the elephant headed god fell in love with Brahma’s three daughters and had to woo them. The three siblings, though identical, were miles apart from one another in terms of nature and behavior and Ganesha had to pave a way to their hearts.

The story of Raavan and Mandodari is going to fascinate you, for it has scenes that a reader would have probably not encountered before. It is the story of a vile asura falling in love with an apsara, and there are many twists and turns in the story.

The story of Nala and Damayanti, which has been a significant love story of all times, has also been included in this anthology: The love that went against all Gods and won for eternity.

The best thing in the book is synchronization; the book speaks of events that are written in the scriptures and quite efficiently the events are fitted into the stories, with no loose ends, making it one hell of a believable story. It leaves you wondering whether it’s really a work of fiction or cleverly assembled from the Puranas that we youngsters turn a blind eye to.

There are action sequences that are written with such elaboration that the reader gets a clear picture of everything. For example, there is a sequence where Ganesha is required to fight someone. Here each blow that the God receives and each blow that he gives is visualized by the reader.

The author is well informed about the puranas and that’s a cherry on the top. This book is a clear example of stories that prove the existence of devotion as a form of love. Love so pure that it makes the one in front of you change their path. Love that finds a way to express itself, love that is untamed and ready to even fight the Gods.

Usha Narayanan’s language is both easy and adds to the vocabulary; she doesn’t use words that would make you reach for a dictionary to understand every single line, but she does make sure that you get to learn new words. I must say, the book is a treat, both for beginners and seasoned reader.

The love stories are highly graceful and anyone who has not been reading romance lately should definitely try this out. The cover portrays a man and a woman embracing each other. It is well designed, attracts the attention of a reader, in a single glance.

The title is a perfect match for the content.

4.5 stars

The book has become one of my best reads of 2017 and would stay as my recommendation for romance seekers.
Read review online here