AMBA AND BHISHMA Author: ASHOK BANKER
About the Book
The book is a revelation of a rarely told tale of young Bhishma and princess Amba. It relates the circumstances which led to their meeting, their brief encounter and the times they spent together. The story starts with the marriage of Shantanu, the King of the Puru Dynasty with the fisher chief’s daughter Satyavati. It proceeds on to describe the mission of Bhishma to abduct the three princesses from a swayamwara, to bequeath them to his step brother Vichitravirya as his wives.
Amba happens to be one of the three princesses. She initially starts hating Bhishma but, his valor and his bravery endear him to her and she silently falls for him. But Bhishma’s lifelong long celibacy stands a great obstacle in the way of their love. The impending doom of their love story was apparent from the very beginning. Yet, Ashok K. Banker’s narration of their love story stands fascinatingly evocative. You can feel the chemistry brewing up between Amba and Bhishma. Herein, lies the uniqueness of this simple love story as narrated by Ashok K. Banker in his book Amba And Bhishma.
The very subtitle of the book ‘A love story that was never meant to be’ stands as a disclosure of Ashok’s story and of his book. The readers are made to trail on an unsuccessful love journey. The author has skillfully and beautifully weaved a tale of love of a bygone era through two beautiful and godlike characters Amba and Bhishma.
