Sivaram Hariharan a.k.a. Syd K talks about his thoughts behind his book Semmanthaka

Today we have Dr. Sivaram Hariharan known as Sydney Kishor by his fans to discuss more of his work his book Semmanthaka. The book holds a special place in his heart.

The tale of the Semmanthaka has always intrigued me, especially the way it has been narrated in our Hindu Puraanas – the fabulous properties of the gem, the way it enters the realm of humans, its subsequent disappearance, the epic quest and, its ultimate retrieval by Krishna.

In this work of fiction, I have used this very tale as the basis for a second quest, in modern times, for this immortal jewel; a jewel that yields gold on a daily basis. Those familiar with this tale from the Puraanas can refresh their memories, while those unfamiliar with it can enjoy uncovering it here.

The Hindu Puraanas are fascinating in the sense that how many ever times one narrates its many scintillating tales, the readers / listeners never lose their fascination for them. This is because these tales can be interpreted in myriad ways with varied inferences and conclusions, providing stimulating exercises in intellectual flexibility and out-of-the-box thinking.

The principal characters in this second quest are Dr Shiva Baalan, a marine archeologist of repute and his assistant Dr Yogi Yaadav, who are contracted by the avid treasure hunter cum corporate billionaire, Stalin Malhotra.

All through the narrative, I have used crucial incidents from the history of this ancient land.  Since it is a work of fiction, I have used an author’s prerogative to tweak these incidents to suit the plot.

As a passionate lover of wildlife, I have also included descriptions of animals and natural history that go with the geographic location of where the tale takes the reader.  Of these, the episode concerning lions is based on a real-life documentary on a male coalition in a pride that ruled over vast tracts of the Saabi Sands of the Southern African wilds. 

Those who have missed earlier threads on this book can check out book review (click here) and author interview (click here)

Book can be found at Amazon

Reviews from other readers can be found at Goodreads