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Revisiting an Epic

By RAMNATH N PAI RAIKAR on May 08, 2015

Spiritual seeker Shubha Vilas discusses the second edition of his series on the mythological epic Ramayana with Ramnath N Pai Raikar

Ramayana: The Game of Life series, which started with the book titled ‘Rise of the Sun Prince’, now has a second volume – ‘Shattered Dreams’.

Shubha Vilas, a spiritual seeker and a motivational speaker of Goan origin, simplified the story of Ram and Sita by striking a balance between the content of the epic and its packaging while retaining its essence and values. He speaks about his new book in the series and its various facets.

Now that Shattered Dreams, the second volume in the Ramayana - The Game of Life series, is out, tell us how difficult it was to write compared to the first volume.

After writing each book, I am left with the same experience that I haven’t actually written it. Realistically, writing has never been a pressure in terms of ideas or content, but the concern has always been time. Most of my writing happens in between my constant travels, talks and meetings. The greatest encouragement in writing however, has been the intensely positive feedback from thousands of readers from across the world.

You have mentioned in the Author’s Note that the second volume begins with a bewildering dilemma and ends with a riddle. The book begins with the preparations for coronation of Rama, where the first volume ended, and concludes with an interaction between Sita and Anasuya. Is there any specific reason for designing the structure of the epic in this particular way in the second volume?

A good novel is exciting to read from the first to the last page. When the books are in a series, it’s best that it ends in a cliff-hanger. The original narration of the Ramayana is very gripping and quite exciting.

Every heart is looking for an exciting story and every mind is looking for enlightening wisdom. The Ramayana has both. My role is to present all these facets of the Ramayana in the best possible way.

Read the full article in 'Viva Goa' magazine copy.
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