Book Review – The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi

Book Review – The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi

The Krishna Key

Author:  Ashwin Sanghi

Publisher:  Westland

ISBN: 978-93-81626-68-9

Cover Price: Rs. 250/-

Pp:  470 pages

Genre: Fiction Thriller

About the Author, Ashwin Sanghi

This is the third book by Ashwin Sanghi, the author who published his first book, “The Rozabal Line” under the pseudonym of  ‘Shawn Haigins’, (incidentally an anagram of his name) and his second book under his own name,  “Chanakya’s Chant”  being a political fiction thriller based on the historical figure drawing parallels in his inimitable style that has become his hallmark in Indian literature.  I have read and reviewed his second book. My Book Review of "Chanakya’s Chant" can be read here.

More information about the author here: 

About the Book

  

“The Krishna Key” is a racy fictional account of a group of Indian academic scholars into varied fields such as history, archaeology, atomic research and deep sea exploration, who get associated into an alliance on account of a plan envisaged by, Anil Varshney, the one who apparently knew it all and wished to safeguard a secret uncovered by his explorative efforts from the clutches of vested interests.   But in this world in pursuit of quick riches and rare artefacts, Anil Varshneya is found dead – bled to death due to a stab wound in his left foot caused by a surgical scalpel.  The killer cares enough to leave behind a Sanskrit Shloka painted with the blood of the deceased and a mark stamped on his forehead – what would be a signature style for a series of killings of his trusted associates. 

Ravi Mohan Saini finds himself in all these places leaving his biological imprints like fingerprints and stuff at the scene of the crime and becomes a prime suspect in the eyes of the police.   Ravi now dodges the police, apparently with the help of his doctoral student, Priya and her father’s connections in the legal and police establishments only to walk into another scene of crime!   What are these killers seeking and what do the mysterious seals given by Anil Varshney to each of his four friends lead to?  Ravi has to his aid several clues in the form of shlokas and messages - all encoded by weird word play by the first-killed victim Anil which he now attempts to crack.  But each of the clues point to several possibilities!

Several conversations amongst the characters, about the possibilities of the secret key proving the existence of nuclear weapons in times of Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the enactment of the Mahabharata enthrall the reader all along.  The mysterious and magnificent Kailash – whether manmade or just a natural wonder, the existence of Dwarka, the city built by Krishna off the coast of Gujarat being proved by archaeological explorations all play a part in the intriguing mystery at hand.  The plot is quite complex with smugglers and crooked police officials pitching in the search for something that could potentially mean riches to be made!

But does the trail really lead to the riches as the money-obsessed world today knows it? Or do the clues lead to a better understanding of values and the philosophies as preached by Krishna when he narrated the Bhagwad Gita to Arjuna?  Do read this book to enjoy the mysteries, the potential possibilities as they present themselves and take the reader through monumental and historical exploration into the stories of the past. Stories that seem so real as one reads them. One ends up wondering which part of the book is really the fiction and which the fact? Incidentally, Krishna tells the story of his life on earth in a parallel tale running 108 chapters as the modern tale of pursuit of the ‘secret’ behind The Krishna Key unfolds before the reader.

The author has woven an intricately complex story into an un-put-down-able thriller that binds the reader unto the end. The narrative has been enriched with symbolisms, imagery and references from ancient Vedas, historical texts of other religions and cultures across the globe, research findings of experts - all in an effort to analyze the possibilities before narrowing down on the probable answers.  The various sources of the material researched and referred to in the book has been duly acknowledged in a listing provided at the end of the book.  Ashwin Sanghvi, with this book proves to be a worthy contender to be considered as the Indian equivalent of Dan Brown!

All in all, “The Krishna Key” is a must read – and certainly the best by this author so far!

Rating 5/5  

Blogger’s Post-Script:  The book was provided free by Blogadda under its Book Review Program seeking this review post.  This blogger is pleased at the new crop of books based on Indian Mythology written in a “sugar-coated” modern form of story telling by authors such as Ashwin Sanghi, Amish Tripathi and Devdutt Pattanaik and hopes that the trend is here , not just to stay, but to build into a crescendo!

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

My Latest Best Blogposts

Dear Readers,

For the benefit of some newcomers to my blog, I am posting links to some of my best posts here.
Those of you who have been reading my posts may wish to read some of them again?!

Humorous Blogposts

'Apps'solutely Wonderful Event


From Apps-fixation to Apps-phyxiation

Anna-lysing the Situation

This ophi-whatever! 

My latest perkytweets

The Mis-interpretation of lucid dreams

My Paulished ArTicKle

More Perky Tweets

Language Posts

Now you too can Palinate!

IWOTY 2011


And finally my old best blogpost list is  here:

My earlier Best  Blogpost list

Let me now resist from the temptation to post all my posts here!

Do read them and leave a comment / feedback in the individual posts please!

(c) Gopinath Mavinkurve

'Apps'olutely Wonderful Event!

In my last post, this technologically-challenged blogger had described how one had been apps-fixated due to the charm of the enticing smartphones  finally resulting in my ‘apps-phyxiation’. If you haven’t read about this please do so before (or after) reading this post about my amazing experience and learning at the NokiaAppTasting event organized by Indiblogger, who turned 5 recently!


Blog aggregating platforms like Indiblogger are doing a great job trying to bring bloggers together! It is another matter that what may have really attracted us bloggers to the event could really be the wine, hors-de-ouvres and a good spread of delicious dishes that would be served ...

So when bloggers were asked are you a foodie or a techie, most of the participants admitted to being a foodie. A “foodie” to us Indians is hardly ever knowing much about the food or cuisines but just loving to eat anything on offer, as Vikas Khanna of the Masterchef fame learnt when he posed some tough questions to quiz participants at the event. Vikas, we learn is the “hottest” in US Kitchens after baking oven - and the tawa and bhatti he has taken to the US culinary landscape.

Apparently, Rajiv Makhni, the popular anchor of the TV shows ‘Cell Guru’, 'Gadget Guru' and 'NewsNet 3.0' possesed an ‘inbuilt app’, which he used to identify whether participants were ‘foodies’ or techies’! So when Vikas’s left-handed jibe sought to know how Rajiv could do  just that – he replied (unconvincingly though) that he could see it in their eyes. The truth, however was just a few inches below – right in the middle! The slim-fit Vikas further tested Rajiv’s inbuilt-app and asked him whether he was indeed a foodie or not – which caught Rajiv’s eyes looking elsewhere seeking answers. He could’ve tried out the sorting hat a-la-Harry Potter series, one thought!

The joie-de-vivre between these two achievers in their respective fields,, Rajiv Makhni and Vikas Khanna, was great - it kept the audience laughing all evening. Both were Amritsar-born and had made it big – a story one finds too often whether it is cricketers, Olympian medalists or TV celebrities who make it big from Tier III cities in India! The wine and starters kept coming to the table faster than the questions in the quiz – thanks to Nokia and Indiblogger – but the real treat was the apps showcased by Nokia. The ‘Nokia City Lens’ – a useful app which could tell you establishments like restaurants, hospitals, etc in any direction, the distance, its contact details, offers etc. could be a rage among youngsters! So also was Morfo, an app that morphed images with fun effects or the Charlie Chaplin like movie that one could produce faster than you could cook Maggie noodles!

Several great app ideas emerged from the participants – practical ones and some impractical ones (like mine) came forth. The one that could connect random folks for car-pooling was a great idea I thought - but the one took the prize was an app that could help young women to put together good qualities of their choice in a prospective partners/grooms - and another - that would allow Indians to vote from their smartphones won the contest prize.

Through one of the quiz questions, one learnt that Vikas had served the POTUS (President of the US) with a Vada-Pav in honour of Mumbai! I wondered whether the dish was explained to the guests thus: “Spicy potato fritters stuffed in Indian bread – Mumbai style”?  Vikas Khanna may have been disappointed with the answers to his quiz questions - especially the ones relating to Indian cuisine. But he was in for a surprise when the blind-folded soup-tasting contest yielded high scores! Just goes to prove that we Indian bloggers fare better when blind-folded, i guess?!?

For me, it was an occasion to meet fellow-bloggers and twitter friends, who had been interacting online for several years, but had never met in person before. It was the most important reason why I made it to this one, my first bloggers’ meet!  That is what I told them at dinner with my mouth stuffed like never before as I left the venue with the complimentary T-shirt from Nokia and Indiblogger! (Nokia and Indiblogger - Thanks for everything).

And just in case they did not get what I was saying at dinner at this event – I thought I would post this here.

Ok – not really – it is for the Nokia Pureview prize for the best post about the event, really! 

So if Indiblogger goes:      Who? Who?? Who??? Who????
I would go:                        Me! Me!! Me!!! Meeee!!!!

Apps-fixation to Apps-phyxiation!

Having been fortunate enough to have landed a job in a progressive manufacturing organization that opted for computerization quite early in my career, it would seem strange to find oneself struggling to cope with features of the smart phone. My early tech-savviness may have helped me to learn how to use the features offered by the early versions of the cell phones, but “smart phones” are highly evolved species, I guess. I avoided the touch-screen variety and settled for the simplest form masquerading as a ‘smartphone’. It comes with a QWERTY-keypad and is the most affordable one available in the marketplace – just so that I can keep a tab on my emails to perform my professional duties. But this ‘smart’ move turned out to be the last ‘smart’ thing i ever did on my own – apparently.


Thereafter, my smartphone took over my mind and life - it decided all that I would do or would not. Can’t blame one’s spouse for the envy and hatred, can you? Smart phones possess all the qualities that are necessary to capture the owner’s attention all day - a worthy candidate of being the “Woh” in a potential remake of the old Hindi movie “Pati, Patni aur Woh”! Unlike the earlier mobiles I had purchased, this one was pre-loaded with some ‘apps’! Apps is short for ‘applications’, for the uninitiated. Basically, they are attractive looking icons that are extremely seductive – you end up clicking on these icons and believing that they will do wonders for you! One small problem: one doesn’t exactly know what they do!?! Several hours were spent exploring the features that came with the phone –but there still are several icons that one has yet to figure out the purpose or utility of, even to this day. I tried looking for a book titled “How to use a smartphone for dummies” - but to no avail.

The GPS app meant for navigation was the first to catch my fancy. On my way to office, I tried it out – and was amazed at the results! I would never be lost, I told myself! Until a business meeting scheduled at an unknown location really tested the app – “Darn! If only I had asked the corner paanwala for directions”, I muttered to myself as I rushed in over half an hour late! That did not discourage me to make the ‘smart’ gadget work wonders for me – I had to catch up with my friends and colleagues who were way ahead with their gizmos. I began reading articles in newspapers, magazines and websites about the wonderful apps that could tell me where to go if I craved for a Japanese sushi or a Mediterranean meal in Mumbai or the closest place i could have a sauna – all of which never really need!

Soon enough, I was apps-fixated! Newspaper supplements featured reviews of various apps, like book and film reviews - that could drive away mosquitoes; one that puts one to sleep; can monitor your morning walk; suggest you a better posture to avoid back pain and also claim to read minds! My search for the ‘app’ of my eyes led me to hours of online surfing on online stores of my mobile phone manufacturer and service provider. The result - a big fat bill for the first month! I didn’t need an app to tell me my heart had skipped some beats on seeing the damage to my finances!

A quick trip to the service center revealed that I had not got the “right data package” for my (rising) surfing needs, so one had to subscribe to a suitable data package to handle heavier downloads! That done, one was ready to surf the web again without worry of high bills, one thought! I began posting tweets and updated my FB status from my new smartphone – but soon, mysterious pop-up messages kept popping up! “Try highly rated apps?”

Not willing to be out-smarted by these new smart devices, I hurriedly clicked “No” each time it appeared. But who was I to take these decisions? My trusted ‘smartphone’ always did that for me, having completely surrendered to it, isn’t it? Within minutes, I got an SMS: “Thank you for downloading Top Ten Android games, you have been charged Rs. 99/- for the same”. But I had not requested for any games download - and did not know what to do! Was there an app to tell me what I should do should an unrequested download be forced down my throat? Over the weekend I received several dozen SMSes “thanking” me for downloading games, puzzles, online-tutorials, matrimonial services, marriage counseling advice, career guidance tips, astrologer’s advice, numerologist’s suggestions, IQ/EQ tests, stock tips – all of which I did not seek - nor order – and certainly did not intend to pay for!

Then it dawned on me: My smart-phone works for my service provider! I switched off my smartphone - I sensed that I was completely apps-phyxiated – a feeling of suffocation caused by apps! But had to switch it on again for I could not live without it either! I sent out SOS messages to my friends on WhatsApp – the latest addicting messaging service only to be advised more apps! An imaginary ad flashed through my mind: That of aged-looking Ranbir Kapoor look-alike serving me an exotic dish at a café, that I had not ordered at all and coming with a hefty bill for it! I rushed to the service providers “gallery” with only one last request: “Could I please have just this one final app : ‘ShutApp’?!” - with the hope that it would shut all other apps with just one click and return my life back to me!

Blogger's Post-Script:  After a brief period of  "app-detox" forced upon me by my service provider's malfunction, I am back to my mobile-surfing in moderation.  The invitation from Indiblogger to participate in an app-tasting event is too tempting to resist! Hope to see you all there!

Parting Shot: Mamata Bannerjee is the latest to have an app custom-made for herself:  It's called "Spot-the- Maoist" app!

SMJ - A Bitter Pill for Docs!

Some years ago, a colleague mentioned to us, that both the print and electronic media largely focused on the negative aspects of our life and society in general and that there was a need for some newspaper or channel to feature only good, positive stories. Picking on these cues, some TV channels have begun featuring programs like ‘Positive India’ and ‘Real Heroes’. The website “The Better India” brings several positive stories on a regular basis. I love these features! These developments partially fulfill the wishes of our old colleague who would like to read positive stories happening around us.

When we read these stories, we find that standing up against our societal norms to bring about the much-needed changes in our society is not an easy task. These heroes have to struggle against all the odds and hurdles that the high and mighty throw at them. Several hardships have to be endured to bring about these change in the mindset of people before they get their success. With the growing trend in reality TV shows, would then one want another show to bring into focus our weakness, drawbacks, idiosyncrasies, the strange remnants of our past mores? Yet Aamir Khan’s ‘Satyameva Jayate’ does just that – but with a purpose – to unshackle the Indian minds of our stereotyped preset response to all our problems - by perpetually being in denial!
Although the reality show ‘Satyameva Jayate’ (SMJ) has been lauded for its efforts to bring to the fore such perverse anti-social and criminal practices as female foeticide, child sex abuse and dowry harassments in its first three episodes, the fourth episode which dwelt on the subject of ‘intentional malpractices’ of doctors seems to have ruffled the feathers of the medical fraternity.  So we have an issue at hand with the 4th episode of SMJ! Reportedly, the doctors are up in arms (albeit without their scalpels) to protest against ‘the manner in which the show has painted all doctors with the same brush and tarnished their image’. Some doctors have also raised several questions about the veracity of facts presented in the show. This post does not wish to go into the correctness of the information, but to dwell about the main allegation cited above.

So has Aamir really painted all doctors with the same brush and tarnished their image?

Aamir had been careful enough to mention the following:

1. The show is not about medical negligence – everybody makes mistakes and this episode will not bring out any case about the harm caused due to medical negligence.

2. The show is only about bad intent.

3. There are doctors who do good service and do not indulge in any malpractices nor do phenomenal work in the interest of the society.

4. The aggrieved patients on the show are fighting legal battles and being subjudice, the show does not intend to influence the court proceedings.

5. Dr. Devi Shetty has been honoured for his innovative scheme for the poor in the show.


In view of the above, how then, one wonders, does the 4th episode be said to ‘paint all doctors with the same brush and tarnish their image’?

If the medical fraternity wants to come clean on the ‘cut system’ from specialists, diagnostic centres and pharma companies, several measures need to be taken by them collectively before they can prove or disprove this allegation! Dr Devi Shetty, when asked about this malpractice says “There is no denying this, but it is not rampant as yet, and before it becomes rampant, measures should be taken”.

There are several measures like spreading the awareness about generic medicines that the medical associations can undertake for the benefit of the public at large. There is very little information on this subject now! Why don’t the public at large know why the generic drugs are not prescribed and only branded medicine are?! There may be issues involved, but is it not for the same bodies that came up in arms to help the public understand the subject better?

Instead of cracking down on malpractices in medical education, can we continue to live in denial of these facts and continue to make medical practice a business due to the steep amounts to be invested upfront than ever before! Is it not time to clean up the Augean stables – or is it already too late?

This post began with these questions in my mind – Why do we focus on negative aspects of our society and not the positives? Why do we need another reality show that brings out our dirty linen in a TV show that enters our living rooms every Sunday? Why don’t we only read/listen about the good positive developments and not about the tragic, sad stories?

And the answer lies in this – That we live in denial, disown our shortcomings and would love to believe that all is well, push our troubles under the carpet and hope they vanish without so much as having to deal with it.

Many say what SMJ tells us is nothing new - but the fact is that reality shows like SMJ bring them out for us to ponder, compelling us to rethink and correct ourselves.

SMJ episode 4 proved to be a bitter pill for the medical fraternity. Would it continue to live in denial or quickly realize that something needs to be done to save the situation – have a hard look at whatever issues that really exist and deal with them with determination?

Only time will tell.

Blogger’s Post-script: One would have liked if two issues that face the general public great difficulties in respect of doctors -


1. Why do all doctors take holidays on Sundays? Where does one go if an illness comes a-calling on this day of rest and recuperation? Can some doctor be available in every region (in turns) or they can observe different days off so someone is available?


2. Why do doctors refuse house visits, even for ailing Senior Citizens, who can’t come to their dispensaries?

Pain Killers needed

Many years ago, a close friend’s father complained of unbearable pain in the lower back region, that needed medical treatment. His family doctor advised him to see a neurosurgeon and hinted at a possible surgery that could mitigate his pain. When I recommended him to talk to a neurosurgeon I knew, he readily agreed to consult him. This neurosurgeon went through his X-Ray and Scan reports and advised him against any surgery! “If you do undergo this operation your lower-back pain will go. But chances are that you may develop pain higher up your spine after the surgery. You also face risks associated with any surgery and here we are talking about neuro-surgery!”

So, for my friend’s dad, it was back to physiotherapy, painkillers and oodles of prayers!


Economic experts talk today like that neurosurgeon did several years ago.  Spiralling inflation, the Rupee falling, lower growth rates, no investors coming to India, no jobs for youngsters - we have more pains than one can ever imagine! If you don’t like the hike in the petrol prices, who do you think pays for the import bill, if the petrol prices aren’t hiked? Taxpayers! And that includes Income Tax payers and those that (fortunately or unfortunately) don’t have to pay Income Tax. Because those that who don’t have to pay Income Tax have to pay all the Indirect Taxes – Excise Duty, VAT/Sales Tax, Entertainment Tax, Octroi, Customs Duties on all goods that are purchased by us folks.

Some years ago, when a fellow-blogger and old friend invited me for a long drive to meet up some interesting folks, he broached the topic about why the Government controls Petrol prices? “Why subsidize the rich – just allow market forces to determine the price of petrol and if they can afford it they will drive their gas guzzlers and if they don’t, junk ‘em! Do you know the more we drive around and consume petrol the more benefits we get from the heavily subsidized petrol prices?”

The Government apparently was planning this - to decontrol Petrol prices – which they seemingly did some years later. Seemingly, because the Oil Marketing companies cannot just raise the prices – the telephone caller at the other end (read: Petroleum Minister) ought to give consent. But what options does the Government have? If the prices are not increased, the OMCs will take a hit. If the duties are reduced the fiscal deficit of the Govt. will increase. If the fiscal deficit increases, the Rupee will fall further. Investors will avoid coming to India… Gosh! My friend’s dad was certainly in better shape!

“So where do you want your pain?” is the question the Government is asking us all. 
The power of Democracy - you get to choose!

And whatever your answer is, the pain will only increase unless the Government curtails its wasteful spending and have a re-look at its subsidies and its beneficiaries. Unlike the Surgeon (who had not been the cause of the pain), the Government in this instance IS the cause of the economic pains – ill-conceived Yojanas, badly-monitored disbursements of government goodies, inaction against misuse of MNREGA funds and wide-scale looting activities, employing an army of inefficient government workers AND several such black holes in our government schemes. These ARE the cause of the pain.

And since people have already lost hopes that the Government will indeed act - or act in our interest if it at all acts, we find ourselves sending SMS jokes about petrol price hikes - maybe to put back the smile on our long faces. And the UPA-II government thinks we are happy about them completing 3 years of its term!

Blogger's Post-Script:  Some of us are also happy and smiling because we have bought a diesel car and not a petrol one!  Take that!  So why crib about Government policies - just learn to use it to your advantage. And keep smiling!

Free Speech - Don't ban bans!

Some people in our country believe in free speech.

Well, I would prefer to be paid.

Jokes apart, free speech is important. How good an idea would it be to keep our thoughts to ourselves and not express them? So we have many amongst us sharing our thoughts with the rest of the world - some in text and some endowed with artistic abilities express it through their drawings and cartoons. RK Laxman’s cartoons in the Times of India was something I never missed reading ever since I was in school. If I knew what was happening in my world, it was perhaps because of my addiction to relish its daily offerings. If I don’t understand it, I would ask my grand-aunt, who brought me up, while my parents were away at work. From her I would know how this miniature piece of brushwork talked volumes of our lives and the times in which we lived!

My grand-aunt - I called her ‘Mami’ - would read all the editorials and opinion pieces and keep abreast of what was happening in our country. If at all she would get angry, it would be after she read these columns. She had not completed her matriculation, but had an opinion about everything that was happening around us! Oh wait - this post is not about her - it is about having an opinion and voicing it. Had it not been for the recent uproar in the Parliament about Shankar’s cartoon in the Textbooks, I would never have known that Shankar was the pioneer in the field of cartooning in the early years of India and not RK Laxman. I would also not have known that his cartoons, amongst others have made it to the textbooks in India!

I don’t know what contribution the communists have made for the betterment of our country, but I must thank them for all this uproar about a cartoon hitting at the slow progress in regard to the penning of India’s Constitution in Nehru’s time as early as in 2012! But wait – if you hear them out, it is that it featured in the Textbooks five years ago that they are upset about! What I am upset about is – why didn’t we celebrate this FIVE years ago? Cartoons in our textbooks was unthinkable! If some spirited folks have convinced the NCERT to feature several such cartoons in our textbooks, I think it is indeed a silent revolution in the field of education that desperately needs to change. Kudos to NCERT all those who made this possible.

I don’t really care if the ‘Snail cartoon’ stays or is pulled out from the textbooks due to the pressures from the easily offended sensibilities housed in narrow minds. What I am concerned about is whether the teachers to whom the students turn to (like I did my ‘Mami’), know so much about the context against which these cartoons were created in those days? Do young minds relate to the times that existed then? Could they draw parallels to those incidents with what is happening today or would they conclude that ‘nothing at all has changed’? Except, of course, the players in the game of politics?

There is a website which is appealing to the public to ban bans of all kinds! But those who want bans are only expressing their opinions and I don’t want them to voice their opinions to ban anything. I strongly oppose the move to ban bans! They are so very educative, entertaining and offer our people our moments of truth – of the true nature of our people. From what we want and what we don’t!

Blogger’s Post-Script: While the recent controversy brought the spotlight on humour, would it be possible that some of our humorous blogposts feature in a Textbook some day soon? OK maybe 50 years hence? Ok I cant forget that Snail!