Kamesh Ramakrishna is a software architect who has written his first novel called "The Last Kaurava", which reinterprets the Mahabharata through modern issues like refugees, environmental concerns, and population control. Ramakrishna drew inspiration from Peter Brook's adaptation of the epic, seeing it as a reflection of human history. He spent over two years researching and developing the plot, which focuses on a more human portrayal of Bhishma and sees the characters and events through today's challenges. Ramakrishna believes such problems are inherent to human societies and epics need only conform to the natural cycles of history.

1. » TODAY'S PAPER » METRO PLUS
Published: December 12, 2015 00:00 IST | Updated: December 12, 2015 02:03 IST December 12, 2015
On the Kaurava’s last stand
Saraswathy Nagarajan
WORDSMITHSoftware architect Kamesh Ramakrishna has turned author with his debut novel, (right) The Last Kaurava
Kamesh Ramakrishna talks about his first novel, The Last Kaurava
Kamesh Ramakrishna, a consulting software architect in Massachusetts, United States, combined his fascination for history, archaeology,
science and philosophy to write his first novel, The Last Kaurava , which interprets the Mahabharata through events that encompasses
environmental and sociological issues among other topics that are relevant to the present-day world. Kamesh, who hails from the city, is a
graduate of Indian Institute of Technology – Kanpur. Following his doctorate in computer science from Carnegie-Mellon University in
Pittsburgh, he worked as a professor and a software engineer.
Edited excerpts from an e-mail interview with the author who is now in India for the promotion of his book.
The Mahabharatha has been rewritten and reinterpreted many times and in many languages. What is it about the epic
that inspired you to come up with a new interpretation?
On the Kaurava’s last stand - Kochi - The Hindu http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus...
1 of 4 12/12/15, 9:54 AM

2. The Mahabharata is a microcosm – a reflection of the macrocosm that is the world we live in. It is one of the few texts that seem to grow in
complexity as one grows older – the version of a page I read as a child no longer exists when I read the same page as a young adult. Then you
have a family and the meaning of a page changes again.
I had almost forgotten about the Mahabharata, mislaid it in my mind, when I saw an abridged-for-film version of Peter Brook’s mammoth
nine-hour play. Its depiction of life in the forest at that early age in human history was more authentic than the equivalents in the 19th
century paintings of Raja Ravi Varma or the caricatured blood-and-gore of popular picture books.
Shorn of myths, miracles and divine avatars, your book reads like it has been seen through the prism of modern-day
events with several references to refugees, Draconian family planning measures, environmental concerns and so on. Was
that an effort to make the book relevant to the modern world or were you trying to indicate that such problems have
always been part of mankind’s journey on earth?
At one level of analysis, expulsion, followed by immigration, growth, environmental concerns, Draconian measures including ones for family
planning, followed by social breakdown IS the basic cycle of growth of ALL human societies. I do not have to put these into an epic-al story to
order to make it credible – instead, such problems are the warp and the weft of any epic of human history. Even an epic with magical and/or
divine imprimatur only becomes credible if it conforms to this cyclic narration of history. In short, I am not deliberately doing this, but it
happens of its own accord.
Is The Last Kaurava a warning to modern day readers about the consequences of ignoring the environment and trying to
go against the laws of nature?
At every step of the development of our society, we can ask ourselves ‘why’? Not all the answers will cast blame on the humans involved or
on their human nature. If humans were not responsible for at least one of these answers, there is no story.
What I have written is a novel, a work of fiction. Our modern era faces an environmental crisis of unprecedented magnitude and it is
probably inevitable that anything I’ve written touches on or reflects this crisis (or anybody else for that matter).
How long did it take for the research and writing?
For the longest time, I have been an avid student of history, anthropology, archaeology, myth and legends, science and philosophy. And the
interconnection between these disciplines. I love story-telling!
I can say without hesitation that this novel, a work of fiction using characters from the Mahabharata, is based on a plot that crystallised
about two-and-a-half years ago – I can probably pinpoint the first version to the week, if not the day, of 2013 that it came to me.
Your book hinges on the story of an all too human Bhishma, with human failings and strengths. Is he your favourite
character in the epic?
I am drawn to the characters who are important, but whose personal narrative and emotions are not well developed. Bhishma, Satyavati,
Drona, Kunti, Pandu, Dhritarashtra, … the list of interesting characters is long. But “interesting” is not the same as “favourite”!
Why was Bhishma at the head of this list? He is the only character who spans the entire period of time, from the relationship between
Shantanu and Ganga, Devavrat’s mother, to the days after the war when a dying Bhishma lectures Yudhishthira about the duties of a king.
Is there another book in the pipeline?
This is such a difficult question. The Last Kaurava is my first novel. In the long years of doing research, of discovering that I had to re-learn
the writing of fiction, I must have written four of five unfinished versions of Mahabharata. I attended writing workshops and found that
the Mahabharata was not suitable fodder if I wanted feedback on my writing style, so I have unfinished novels in other genres – horror,
science fiction/fantasy, murder mystery, “ethnic”, even a thriller based on another Mahabharata character. I tried short vignettes – these I
put up for sale on Kindle and got some positive feedback that kept me going.
One online support group that was an enormous aid was the ‘Mahabharata study-group’, a Yahoo-based group whose members have a
wide range of expertise, a wide range of beliefs, and a wide range of approaches to the epic. I have found it to be an inexhaustible source of
knowledge and insight into the Mahabharata.
The Mahabharata is a microcosm – a reflection of the macrocosm that is the world we live in
FROM AROUND THE WEB
On the Kaurava’s last stand - Kochi - The Hindu http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus...
2 of 4 12/12/15, 9:54 AM

3. MORE FROM THE HINDU
Recommended by
Printable version | Dec 12, 2015 9:53:26 AM | http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/on-the-kauravas-
last-stand/article7977827.ece
© The Hindu
close
Recent Article in METRO PLUS
Packing a punch
Prize-winning author Khyrunnisa A’s Butterfingers series for children, is a blend of sports, fun and humour »
The Hindu: Home | Today's Paper | News | National | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | thREAD | Features | Sci-Tech |
In 2 Easy Steps Save Upto 80,000
On Your Home Loan EMI
bigdecisions.com | Smarter decisions |
Financial tools | Blog
12 Ways to Conduct an Elegant
Wedding without the High Costs
scripbox
59 Countries every Indian can visit
without a visa!
Whatever
See why the next big thing is now,
smaller.
Intel India
Unique Method May Regrow Lost
Hair
Lifestyle Journal
Anniversary? Make the perfect Gift
for your husband!
LiveInStyle.com
5 Lakh to 1 Crore in 10 years
scripbox
Kareena Kapoor is SLAYING us with
her hotness - view pics!
Bollywood Life
In fashion in Mollywood
25/11/2015
There’s no looking back
05/12/2015
‘I was never brought up like the son
of a star’
01/12/2015
Rajinikant calls off birthday
celebrations
08/12/2015
On the Kaurava’s last stand - Kochi - The Hindu http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus...
3 of 4 12/12/15, 9:54 AM

4. Entertainment |
The Site: | About Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contacts | Archive | Subscribe | RSS Feeds | Site Map
Group Sites: The Hindu | தி இந்து | Business Line | BL on Campus | Sportstarlive | Frontline | The Hindu Centre | RoofandFloor |
Publications | eBooks | Images | Classifieds |
Comments to: web.thehindu@thehindu.co.in Copyright© 2015, The Hindu
On the Kaurava’s last stand - Kochi - The Hindu http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus...
4 of 4 12/12/15, 9:54 AM