Amish Tripathi stopped off at the DNA Delhi office on a whistle-stop promotional tour for his next release, 'Sita - Warrior of Mithila', the second of the five-part Ram Chandra series. 'Scion of Ikshvaku', the first book in that series had been published two years ago and sold hugely, like Tripathi's three Meluha books earlier — cementing his reputation as India's most bankable author.
You've spoken about how you drew inspiration for your portrayal of Sita as warrior princess, so different from the subdued-wife image, from earlier versions of the Ramayana. How did you research on this, how many Ramayanas did you read?
I never research while writing a book. But over the past 20-30 years I must have read 15-20 versions of the Ramayana and heard many more. There are the Southeast Asian versions and in India, the Valmiki Ramayana, Ramcharitmanas, Kamba Ramayanam, Anand Ramayana, Adbhut Ramayana, Gond Ramayani, Ramayana Darshanam, the Assamese version, the Bengali version, etc. And all of them have their own interpretations.
What does the Ramayana mean to you? Do you recall the first time you heard it?
As someone once said, in India no one reads the Ramayana, it's in our bones. I can't remember the first time I heard the Ramayana. I must have been three or four. I come from a traditional family. At home the Ramayana was told to us, not in one go, but few incidents from it. We would ask what was the meaning of it, and they would discuss it with us. On Sundays, my grandfather babaji who lived in Benaras would take us to the ghats. He would carry a Ramayana with him, read three pages from it and then explain.
Do you read Sanskrit?
Not as well as my grandfather. The problem with us kids is that we don't listen to our elders when we should. Baba would keep telling us — learn Sanskrit. You shouldn't be learning our ancient culture through English, or Hindi. I wish I'd learnt from him.
You are known for your innovative marketing of books. Do you still feel the need for such hard sell?
I strongly believe that during a book launch phase, it is my duty to support the publisher, he is investing lot of money. A book doesn't sell itself. In some ways, I think, authors who refuse to put in that effort for their publisher are being unprofessional.
Even those written by Amish Tripathi?
Of course not. You should never have that arrogance. And it will not work that way. If I don't do anything it will not sell.
Unlike other writers, you haven't positioned yourself as a public intellectual, appearing on TV debates and writing newspaper columns.
I believe, my core task in between books is to read, write and travel.
In between books one should be below the radar, I don't go on TV panel discussions. I say no to 90-95 per cent of invitations I get, even articles. I write when I have something to say, I send an article. I never comment on politics, nor take political sides.
The Ramayana, however has been deeply politicised in recent times. What's your view on that?
It is unfair to judge Ramayana by what has happened in the last 30-40 years. It's a text that has been a lifeblood of our society for millennia. I am focussed on what it means to us.
