His first book, Immortals of Meluha, took the nation by storm. For the first time, we had someone who was writing about Indian mythology, its Gods and their stories, which were not dreary or, shall we say, ‘uncool’. Youngsters, hooked on to various devices, let go of their obsession for them, and picked up the book for a change. To say that they were impressed not only by the author, but by Indian lore, would be an understatement. Even the elders, who might have read the original tomes, became avid fans of the gripping retelling of the stories.
Banker turned author Amish Tripathi left them yearning for more. He obliged his fans by writing prolifically, and after he had done with the hip and happening version of Lord Shiva, he turned to Lord Rama and introduced the equally riveting Ramachandra series.
In this candid chat, complete with his dimpled smile, he talks about his adventurous writing journey…
How does it feel now to be the author of a fastest growing series? Did you expect this windfall?
Not at all. I am living a dream, don’t wake me up!
Leaving a cushy job to venture into book writing, not everyone can take that gamble. What was the moment when you decided to take that step?
Actually, it was a very pragmatic decision. I resigned from my job only with my 2nd book, when my royalty cheque became more than my salary. I come from a humble family background and cannot afford to be irresponsible with my career decisions! 😊
Are you a religious person? Do you pray and go to temples?
Yes. I am a very proud devotee of Lord Shiva. I wear an ‘Om NamahShivaya’kada. I wear a Rudraaksh mala. I do the MahaMrityunjay jap every morning. I visit a Lord Shiva temple close to my house regularly. I follow the rituals that give me peace. I don’t follow rituals that I do not believe in. For example, I do not pour milk on the Shiva Linga. I buy a packet of milk and gift it to beggars outside the temple. At the same time, I will not judge those who do choose to follow rituals that I may not follow. To each his own.
Have you always been a writer?
No. I have always been a voracious reader. But, I never thought I was going to be a writer. In fact, Immortals of Meluha (my first book) is the first piece of fiction I had ever written in my life!
What do you make of literary festivals?
Initially, when the Litfests were just taking off, I was hopeful that this would become another channel to sell books and increase the reading habit among Indians. Regrettably, it has not really worked out that way. I have been told that there are nearly 100 Litfests in India every year. And book sales at these Litfests are nothing to write home about. They have become PR events in themselves, where, sadly, many controversies tend to be generated. I wish the Litfests would get back to the core mission that many of them were begun with, i.e., encourage the reading habit and sell books.
There were talks about one of your books being made into a movie? What is the current status?
I will certainly tell you when we are close to making an announcement.
