The Chronicles of Hanuman - The Great Monkey God

Shubha Vilas is really a wordsmith. His last book I read was self-help book Open Eyed Meditation which took a permanent place in my favourite book list. His 'The Chronicles of Hanuman", a wonderful collection of tales, could be a perfect gift for any age person. Author has magnificently bundled wit-wisdom & adventure filled stories of Hanuman with deep messages.

Blurb of the book

Lord Hanuman, the Monkey God and one of the most fascinating characters in the Ramayana, personifies the true superhero-philosopher. He is Lord Rama’s most trusted ally who embodies the virtues of a sincere devotee, the fearless fighter who sets the city of Lanka ablaze with his burning tail, the humble messenger who informs Mother Sita of Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana, the noble fellow warrior who uproots Dronagiri, a mountain of herbs, to save Lakshmana’s life. Above all, he is a perfect blend of intelligence and humility. The Chronicles of Hanuman, an engaging and inspiring bildungsroman of the Monkey God, is also replete with interesting folk tales, local lore about Hanuman temples across India and Hanuman prayers, making this book a reader’s delight.

Well it is a collection of short stories, so I won't be able to brief about stories individually. The author has made sure to divide short stories into four sections.

1. Stories from Ramayana. These stories are taken from either Valamiki or Tulsi Ramayana. It's not complete Ramayana, but a collection of stories (in chronological order) where Hanuman's role or presence made difference.
2. Folklore from various culture of Indian states. These stories are from different ages, starting from Ramayana to Mogul times.
3. This part has covered famous Hanuman temples in India. It also tells story behind these temples.
4. The last part covers lines from various Hindu religious literature and explains meaning of each line. At last, Hanuman Chalisa with proper meaning of each stanza was given.

The best thing was the learning provided at the end of each story. Each line is candidate for a good motivational quote. Author Shubha Vilas know very well how to maintain readers interest while delivering a message. Pace of the book is smooth and fast enough to finish book in one sitting.

Talking about ratings.

1. Cover - 3.5 / 5 
2. Characters - 5 / 5 (How can I judge character of Ramayana?)
3. Content - 3.5 / 5 (I was expecting more)
4. Overall - 3.75 / 5

Book can be found at - Amazon & Flipkart
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads