Book Review : 'Vanara : The Legend of Baali, Sugreeva and Tara' by Anand Neekantan

Anand Neelakantan has done it again. Now, he has written a book with so much distinction that it truly attempts to stand out from everything, already written about. The book is ‘Vanara  : The Legend of Baali, Sugreeva and Tara’ is the tale of the people of the Vana Nara tribe. Who were these people and how do they have a discrepancy and how will it show up in the epic?

Baali and Sugreeva were twins and actually were born to Ahalya and King Indra. The two grew up in Sage Gautama’s ashram. Ahalya who was accused of cheating on Sage Gautama, found out that Sugreeva told him of it and blamed Baali for it, since they both looked alike.

The two of them escape from the ashram. Asuras and Devas treat them as outcasts, people who cannot be touched, and made them slaves. So, it falls up on Baali to change the whole issue. Firstly, he refuses to accept that they are an untouchable caste and prefers that they be addressed by their true sense, and that is the Vana Nara tribe.

Amidst all this they meet Riksarajas, who is a eunuch and helps out Sugreeva by carrying him to Vaidya Sushena, who is the medicine man of the tribe. He now, calls himself the foster father of Baali and Sugreev. They also meet Tara, who is Vaidya Sushena’s daughter, and who brings them and feeds them medicine.

Sugreeva wanted to stay on as, since he considered himself in love with Tara. Believing in the Ayyan, or the supreme god Riksarajas, along with Baali and Sugreeva set off to the mountains. A time comes when Baali feels that Ayyan told him of a great tomorrow in his prayers. He felt that they must build a city by the river and call it Kishkinda, and they were Vanaras or the monkey people. They were the black skinned, broken, monkey people, said Ayyan to Baali, he claimed.

Baali also tells him of Tara and the fact that he wants to marry her, as soon as they return. And free the Vanaras, when they do return. For this purpose they go, firstly to Mahabali the Asura Emperor, where they stay on for five years.

Upon returning, Baali began building the city. But he was almost stalled everyplace. Firstly, there was the council of Vana Naras, who did not want Kishkinda and so they protested. But Tara wanted the city, and she called for the Vana Naras to put their pebbles under the Palmyra trees realised that most of the Vana Naras put their pebbles in Baali’s name.

Then it began, but they were objections and difficulties everywhere. In the meanwhile, Bali and Tara were to get married, and they managed this too, in spite of Sugreeva’s objection and all the difficulties, he put up. 

Anand Neelakantan

It is all up to how Neelakantan, tells this one. It was all the story of the three of them and their odd love stories. Then, the war between the Vana Naras, and then Ravana and Baali, then of course when Rama comes in and attacks Baali. With Hanuman matching up in between…

Of this mix and match story, stands out the fact that the Vanara story is so needed to complete the Ravan story, while it helps give the Ramayan, its true end. The caste system probably began in its true sense and never looks to end, even today, sadly. 

You can Buy the Book, right here.