Sati Series by Koral Dasgupta (Ahalya, Kunti, Draupadi, Mandodari, and Tara)

Book Series: Sati Series
Book Names: Ahalya, Kunti, Draupadi, Mandodari, and Tara (in that order)
Author: Koral Dasgupta
Genre: Mythology, Retellings, Fiction
Published by: Pan MacMillian in 2020, 2021,2022, 2023, 2024.
Other Books by the Author: Summer Holidays, Rasia: The Dance of Desire, Fall Winter Chronicles, and Power of a Common Man: connecting with consumers the SRK way. 

Book Review-

Sati Series I: AHALYA

This book is the first in the forthcoming Sati Series by the author. This 200-page book is a true resemblance of empowerment and strength, it talks about the power of women, her helplessness, her desires, and Sati’s journey of becoming an example of infidelity from being an epitome of purity.

Ahalya is the daughter of Brahma, and she is sent to earth as a form of perfection. But her curiosity and desire for love led her to the point where her husband Gautam cursed her for involving in a physical relationship & satiating her carnal desires with another man. but as much as it seems like a matter of infidelity; there’s a totally different truth of this from Ahalya’s perspective.

“These women wanted lovers. Not necessarily a husband. They desired that their virtues be explored, their beauty appreciated, their seduction gratified.”

With whom she was involved? Whom she loved? Who was Indra? Is her love for Indra impure? Does her loyalty to Gautam was wrong? Many questions will arise whilst reading, but more will get answered as you flip through the pages. 

The author has the art of playing with words and making her readers gasp at places. The book will keep you on edge and there is no way a reader can keep it down once they start reading it. The writer kept her reader indulged and totally absorbed in her writing.

This part of the series is empowering, resilient, strong, and a story of a woman’s purity, innocence, seduction, desire, and infidelity.

Sati Series II: KUNTI

Ahalya; as bold, seductive, empowering as it was, this second book by the author yet again mesmerized me to the extreme level. Kunti, one of the Pancha Satis is a fierce, brave, honest princess & an astrologer, her role in the epic Mahabharata is confined to her matriarchal position only, but this book talks about her eventful early life, about her love for devas, her intellect, unwanted motherhood and then abandonment of her child, her failed marriage and her determination to assemble her kingdom as a queen.

How Kunti is entwined between her desires, duties, love, and longing….

“Once you have let go of something, it won't ever come back to you in its entirety. Abandonment is unforgiving.”

Koral’s writing is passionate, bold & forthright. While reading this book, words flowed in my mind as someone is acting in a theatre and delivering their dialogues with utmost passion. Her art of presenting a straight-up fact with metaphorical speech is something to admire, as an aspiring writer myself.

Kunti’s known role in Indian literary imagination has made a huge leap through this book. The author’s approach toward feminist writing is so defined & concrete. I would blindly recommend these books to a mythological fiction fan and someone who simply admires the art of words. Yet again I am looking forward to reading rest 3 books in the series desperately, reading these types of books begins with huge excitement and ends with longing for more.

Sati Series III: DRAUPADI

The third book in the Sati Series, Draupadi is yet another artistic piece of words written by the author.
Draupadi, Krishnaa, Panchaali, Yagaseni, whichever name you want to call her, her story has traveled through generations by authors, filmmakers, historians, sociologists, etc, and yet everyone has a new thing to add, an existing thing to deny, and a new admiration for her in each of its forms.

Koraldas Gupta did a magnificent job of taking her readers through the life of Krishnaa through some random incidents of her life, which all combinedly resulted in the Mahabharat. What do you think? Why the war of Kurukshetra happened? Because of Panchaali’s rage? Because of the Pandav Brothers’ failure at Pachisi? Or was it just ‘vidhi ka vidhan’?

“One lifetime. So many memories. So many people to love. Only one heart.”

The majority of us always imagine Draupadi as a rageful person, a friend of Krishna, a lover to Arjun, a wife to five brothers, a daughter-in-law to Kunti, a mother, a sister, a daughter, but when did we imagine her as a woman, just her, without linking her with someone. The author in this book did just that, she talked about Draupadi, and maybe that is why, even after reading several books based on Panchaali’s life, I couldn’t put this book down.

With exceptional writing style, brilliant narrative, and remarkable perspective, this book is nothing less than the author’s past two books of the series- Ahalya and Kunti. Looking forward to reading the next two soon.

Sati Series IV: MANDODARI

The previous books in the Sati Series were Ahalya, Kunti, and Draupadi; in which the author did a remarkable job, of bringing out the infamous sides of Ahalya and Kunti and while Draupadi is a known character she exceptionally presented her character in Mahabharat with a perspective that is not often heard or read. With Mandodari, Koral Dasgupta bought out the highly skilled and talented side of otherwise discussed as just a beautiful wife of Ramayan’s antagonist Ravan.

Mandodari, who is known for her arts of illusions has many more talents than just that, and Lankesh saw that, he gave Mandodari the dream of having a kingdom of her own, where she will decide what and how will things happen. Initially, she loved the idea of Ravan Rajya and dedicated herself to making it true, but after the arrival of Sita in Ashoka Vatika, her songs & praises about Ram Rajya placed Mandodari in a state of pondering.
 

"Sita always converged to this – her Ram Rajya. The concept seemed so spotless and impressive that it sounded practically arduous! Like Ravan Raj, Ram Rajya also spoke of dissolving the disparity between the Mortals and the Immortals.

Acceptance was their way, rejection was ours. Ram Rajya believed in the superiority of celestials. Ravan Raj considered such devotion as a complete lack of self-esteem."

The author builds a narrative that makes Ram Rajya and Ravan Rajya run parallel, in which the great intellectual Ravan is consumed by power & ego, Mandodari has the wisdom to know the difference between right and wrong but her loyalty remains intact with the Lankesh. While reading this book, I got to see the side of the Queen of Lanka who is mostly limited to being a wife, but her mastermind tactics rebuilt and saved Lanka quite a few times.

Koral Dasgupta has a way of bringing out the most empowering sides of mythological females who are otherwise known as daughters of kings, queens of kings, or mothers of great warriors, leaving aside their individual identities.

Sati Series V: TARA

Ahalya, Kunti, Draupadi, Mandodari, and Tara- the Pancha Kanyas from the Hindu Epics. In this five-book series from the Hindu epic, the author initially acquainted her readers with female cognizance in mythology, which quickly transforms into intimacy.

Tara- the monkey queen of Kishkindha, Bali’s wife, Sugreev’s friend, and Angad’s mother. Her story has been vague in the legendary tales of Ramayana, but this book will lead your way to the role of animal societies in it. From being the notorious disappointing daughter to her father to falling into a marriage of political alliance, falling in love, developing a friendship, and when one incident changes everything, she becomes the queen of her forest kingdom. The book is a perfect balance between comedy & tragedy, joy & pain, stupidity & wisdom, dispute & negotiation, and loyalty & politics of humans and animals.

"I was a miser- an amateur in love yet arrogantly selective."

Dwindling between her husband Bali’s firm belief in animal wisdom and Sugreev’s likeness for human rationality, Tara who has a secret bond with her forest kingdom, steers her way to peace & dignity. The link between both realms, humans, and animals will bring a devastating conclusion to Tara’s joyful life, where she has to choose the next step even before comprehending the hard blow.

Her friendship with Sugreev & Ruma, her constant love & hate relationship with Bali, her acquaintance with Sita, the conversations she had with Bali after he died, Indra’s role from another realm, the jealousy that was a part of her whole married life, and the finale to that is shocking. This final part of Koral Dasgupta’s stunning Sati Series like all others is emotional and hooking, but its ending is exceptional.

P.S: It was hard to create a picture of Tara as a Monkey Queen, watching too many myth shows has limited my imagination to male monkeys only. 

About the Author: An author, entrepreneur, and painter, Koral Dasgupta has written many books apart from this sati series, from non-fiction academic books to mythology fiction. She has founded www.tellmeyourstory.biz , which executes extensive learning programs leveraging literature, inspiring social engagements & behavioral changes. She conducts programs and workshops for writing as well. She was listed under the Women of Wonder (WOW) series in Outlook Business in 2019.
Her Sati Series is exceptionally famous, AHALYA was shortlisted for the AutHER Awards (best fiction and popular choice categories) in 2020-21. KUNTI is shortlisted for the Valley of Words Awards, Dehradun Literature Festival, 2022.

External Links: IG Reel
                            Tara Quote Reel
                            Unwrapping Book Reel
                            Mandodari Book Review
                            Draupadi Book Review
                            Kunti Book Review
                            Ahalya Book Review
                            Author Website