The Curse of Nalanda
BLURB
Devahuti, a young widow who lived in the times of Nalanda, is burnt to death in a big fire in the university. People said History would never forgive her for the disaster that destroyed Nalanda, blaming her for the fire. She carried the Curse of Nalanda.
A TV journalist, Chandni, gets an opportunity to cover a big international summit in London. However, when she lands there, she gets embroiled in a terrible terror plot.
The lives of two women are similar, they are betrayed by the people they loved and trusted. But, how are they connected and what is their reality. Will they be able to restore their faith, will they be able to reclaim their lives?
RECOMMENDATIONS
'Manna Bahadur has always written in a manner that not only spells intrigue but also heats up the atmosphere several degrees higher. This story juxtaposes fact with fiction, the ancient with the modern, love with danger, and relationships with detachment. The whole suspense and adventure is built around two very strong women who exist in two different eras- Devahuti ‘of debatable values, who loved talking to students and sharing their knowledge’, in a time when girls were considered outcasts for intellectual discourse; and Chandni the journalist, intelligent, and a little too liberal-minded. I loved the two women – full of gumption and so much chutzpah! This is a book that you would want to eat, to pray, to love! It is unputdownable!'
- Anita Karwal
IAS. Principal Secretary, Gujarat; Author and Columnist DNA
"Author Manaa Bahadur mines the backyards of her childhood, reaching into the past, to the fiery conflagration of Nalanda no less, shuttling back and forth between that time of terror, and the present, to spin a yarn shuttling between two timelines. In one, the bold and spritely child-widow Devahuti contends with the acts of a rampaging Bakhtiyar Khilji. In the other, TV journalist Chandni finds herself embroiled in mysteries beyond breaking news. Between an imagined history and a contemporary take on writing it on the run, what's on offer is a fast-paced thriller, spiked with intrigue and drama."
- Siddhartha Basu,
Quiz Master, Actor, Director - Producer of Kaun Banega Crorepati
About the Author
Manna Bahadur is a former TV presenter, who had written and compeered various Doordarshan programs from 1978 to 1990, including the famous Saptahiki. She has written serial & documentary scripts, and conceptualized many programs for Doordarshan. She has written several books including The Dance of Death, published by Penguin in 2012, Dhoop—Chanh, a book of poems published 2009, Neelanjana, a novel, published 2007, Aks Mere Jazbaat Ke, a book of poems, sher-o-shairi and ghazals published in 2006.