Book Review- "Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar Of Vishnu (Part 1)" By Kevin Missal

 

The Book: Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar Of Vishnu (Part 1)

The Author: Kevin Missal

Genre: Mythology

‘Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an upsurge in unrighteousness, at that time, I take birth again.’ – Lord Govind

Kalki – The Trilogy, is a set of fantasy-mythological novels based on the Kalki Purana. The author clarifies that the genre of the trilogy is more of fantasy and re-adaptation of the Kalki Purana rather than mythological. As the lockdown infused a keen interest of everyone in mythology, this trilogy continues to fuel that interest with a well-knitted story, strong characters, and a grand setup.

About The Author

Kevin Missal wrote his first book at the age of 14, and at 22, the St. Stephens graduate is a bestselling author and a full-time writer, with the books of the Kalki trilogy being runaway successes. The talented writer takes the inspiration to write these grounded fantasy books from the life of Kalki, the idea of Kaliyug, and other Mahabharata and Ramayana references. 

Kevin loves reading fantasy fiction and has always been a fan of mythology. His books have been featured in newspapers such as The Sunday Guardian, The New Indian Express, and Millennium Post.

Who is Kalki?

According to various scriptures like Mahabharata and the Kalki Puran, Kalki is said to be the pioneer of the Dharma of Kalyug, i.e. the hero of this age. According to the scriptures, Kalki will be the Avatar of Vishnu, i.e. the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who will fight the evil and unrighteous and reestablish Dharma in the world. 

About The Book

Kalki: The Protagonist 

The book begins by introducing the protagonist of the series, Kalki. Kalki, a village boy born in Sambhala, son of Vishnuyath and Sumati, has lived his whole life in the same village he was born in. His life revolved around the people of Sambhala, his family, and his childhood friend, Lakshmi. 

Since childhood, he has been shown as a carefree, outgoing, and athletic boy, in contrast with his brother Arjan Hari. Arjan, being the intellectual one, has an interest in everything and loves to help out his father on his farm. Unknown to what is about to hit them in the future, Kalki, Arjan, and Lakshmi are shown as the youth version of little kids going through life for a little time.

Kali: The “Anti-Hero”

Lord Kali, the said villain of this series, tends to conquer every battle he wins. A cunning and brutal leader, who uses political tactics to win over kings, doesn’t wish to rule any land but thrives on allies. With aim of inclusion of tribes all over the country, Kali wishes that no other tribe faces the dreadful days that he and his family did.

With the support of his adopted sister Durukti, who worships her brother and sides with him in everything he does, Kali grows stronger from city to city and kingdom to kingdom. 

The Plot

When Kali conquers the province of Keekatpur, Kalki sees the dark future of his village. But, Kali falls ill due to an unknown disease, which worries Durukti enough to travel to the ends of the earth to find a cure for his brother. Realizing, that the treatment might just be in Sambhala, Durukti declares war to obtain that as the cure is protected and worshipped by the villagers.

Kalki is told by an immortal who wields an axe that he is the Avatar of Vishnu, and requests him to travel North to learn the ways of an Avatar. He chooses to stay and fight with the villagers to protect the honour and glory of Sambhala. 

My View

The highlight of the book for me was its characters. Every character in this book tends to have a grey side. Sometimes, when reading the point of view of Kali, one ends up sympathizing with him. This shows the reality of Kalyug, how people cannot be categorized as good or bad so quickly. 

Also, unlike other books, the emphasis of the whole story does not revolve around Kalki and his journey. Every character has a different influence on the reader. The short-lived characters also tend to be an important part of the story, and chapter after chapter, the role of supporting characters becomes diverse. 

The story also trends towards being more relatable and realistic than just a fantasy. It shows war, loss of loved ones, denial, arrogance, and the point of realization. The hero is not shown almighty for the reader to not be able to relate with him, and the anti-hero is not shown all evil for the reader to banish his point of view from the story. 

Rating for Kalki- Avatar of Vishnu: 4/5 

Written By: Simran Mahon