366:, has said that she began writing her novel on the Buddha in 1998, as the first step in a personal quest to understand India's forgotten social and political revolutions, the historical conditions in which these movements were born, what they achieved, and how these achievements tended to get lost over time in myth and legend. In a statement released about the book Kanekar says she has seen the Buddha as a "historical figure who lived in the foundational epoch of Indian civilisation, whose life and struggle are now almost completely lost in myth, and whose ideas evolved to mean very different things to different people, yet continue to resonate with an all-inclusive and rational message of peace even today, 2500 years after they were first propagated."
413:." But the writing became more difficult, and Kanekar took four years to complete the work. This leads to a "search for the Buddha and a struggle over the past". In Kanekar's words: "What really was the Buddha's message? Ascetic renunciation? Universal salvation? Passive disengagement? Tolerance—even of intolerance? If his message was a critique of violence, how did it come to be championed by the most successfully violent autocrats of ancient India? These are questions that begin to surface among the Buddha's followers, fearfully and then angrily, to be viciously debated even as
482:, is an attempt to strip away layer by layer such fanciful stories surrounding the Buddha and reveal him as an ordinary man who had an extraordinary approach to his problems. The novel has an interesting structure... Throughout the book Amita presents issues of ethics and socio economic relationships that are relevant even today. The narrative is rich in detail and every aspect of life in those ancient times stands out vividly before the reader."
27:
142:
307:, the book went into its second impression that year itself. A second edition was later published by Navayana (Delhi) in 2014. Her second book is an architectural guidebook, Portuguese Sea Forts of Goa, with Chaul, Korlai and Vasai (Jaico 2015). Her third book, Fear of Lions, is again historical fiction, set in Mughal Hindustan and published by
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Kanekar has said that "the experience of writing it has been very different from the first, mainly because there are far more historical records and sureties for the background of the Mughal period than the Buddha's time, but hardly any materials on the protagonists; these rebels are almost as
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watching generation." Kanekar has said: "The initial idea was to write a book about the Buddha; the choice of the novel-form came later." She describes herself as an "avid novel-reader". This was also because she wanted the book to "be read by as many people as possible, not only academics and
420:
Kanekar calls hers "a story about the Buddha and his disciples, among them an ordinary monk, one of the questioners, and an extraordinary king, who seemed to have all the answers". She says it is also about how the movement called Dhamma was born, spread, changed lives and got changed itself.
408:
She has said the work involved "intensive reading continued for over a year" before
Kanekar began to write, "diffidently, not sure at all about how it was going to turn out". Her goal was "to produce something readable, especially about a period so long ago, especially for a modern television
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the overlord of virtually the whole of India, hates the emperor intensely. Yet, to him
Emperor Ashoka, the "self-proclaimed Beloved of the Gods", entrusts the task of putting the Buddha's life and teachings down for posterity. Kanekar's story tells of an Emperor set on a new conquest—that of
340:, attempts to recover from the horror of war and destruction by writing the "deglorified and factual" story of the Buddha's life and teachings. This turns out to be a difficult, even dangerous exercise, for Upali is swimming against the tide, at a time when the Buddha's
459:
and the
Buddhist monk Upali... successfully captures the stress and strains of monastic life, and brings alive the centuries following the death of the Buddha. when his teachings were taking the form of a canonical corpus... While many historical fictions make only
354:
is a story of the Buddha and his disciples—among them an ordinary monk plagued by many questions, and an extraordinary king who seemed to have all the answers and was bent on unifying
Buddhism's many schools of thought and making Buddhism his state religion.
442:
said: "... the book draws from Indian history to such good effect that one can't help wondering if things actually did happen this way. Another interesting aspect of the book is the dismantling of each legend associated with the Buddha. Life in the
324:
is an epic story alternating between two narratives—the story of the Buddha himself, and his times, told not as frozen legend, but brought to life with historical detail and craftsmanship. The parallel narrative is that of the chronicler, Upali, a
547:, religious and gender divides. They rose in revolt in 1672 against the social oppression and economic exploitation of the time, and managed to set up their own administration in a few towns and villages south of
171:
was published by HarperCollins
Publishers and later again by Navayana. Kanekar's second book was a guidebook to Portuguese sea fort architecture of the Deccan, while her third was another novel,
447:
is also portrayed with an eye to historical accuracy. Quotes from
Ashokan edicts... which we know of as history but couldn't really relate to... now come alive with a new imagery..."
521:(Jaico 2015), one of the series on the architectural heritage of the Deccan brought out by the Deccan Heritage Foundation. Most of the photographs in the book are by Surendra Kumar.
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Kanekar's first novel is set in 256 BCE (before current era), some three centuries after the death of Buddha and four years since the "terrible battle of
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in 2019. She has also published scholarly papers on architectural history, and writes regular newspaper columns on architecture, history, and politics.
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In her book, Upali's chronicle—a deglorified, fictional account of the life of Buddha—alternates with that of Upali's own life during the reign of
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and other locations in Goa, as also centres for adult and vocational education for women, before her death in 1978. Mitra was married to the late
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rises to glorious imperial patronage, a patronage that will sustain it for over a millennium and reach it to half the world's populace."
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is poised to rise to immense imperial patronage and splendour under
Emperor Ashoka. This is a patronage that will sustain
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India in 2005, and priced at Rs 395 (in India). Printed Pages: 447. First edition paperback new 13 cm x 20 cm.
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and including both these parallel narratives with a wealth of historical detail and philosophical debate.
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was jailed twice by the then
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for over a millennium and help it reach out to half the world's populace.
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Her latest book is a novel, another work of historical fiction,
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from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially
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The
Portuguese Sea Forts of Goa, with Chaul, Korlai and Vasai
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The
Portuguese Sea Forts of Goa, with Chaul, Korlai and Vasai
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magazine from New Delhi wrote: "Amita Kanekar's novel about
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Kanekar's second book was an architectural guidebook,
300:, has earned favourable reviews. Published in 2005 by
217:Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture
215:where she taught architectural history at the
266:, member of the Goa legislative assembly and
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539:. The rebels were 17th century followers of
793:Academic staff of the University of Mumbai
668:Outlook, India review (needs registration)
58:about living persons that is unsourced or
478:commented: "Amita Kanekar's debut novel,
129:Learn how and when to remove this message
788:American women writers of Indian descent
393:vacation, under the initial guidance of
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743:Madras Courier review of Fear of Lions
703:Blog reference to A Spoke in the Wheel
280:campaign to open temples to all in Goa
728:Mumbai Mirror review of Fear of Lions
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778:American novelists of Indian descent
385:Research for her novel began at the
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813:21st-century Indian women writers
748:Frontline review of Fear of Lions
733:The Hindu review of Fear of Lions
698:Blog link to A Spoke in the Wheel
358:Kanekar, who teaches comparative
647:, review of A Spoke in the Wheel
507:LCCN 2005323538 OCLC # 60862064
290:Kanekar's first novel about the
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389:in New Delhi over one extended
693:Post on soc.culture.indian.goa
559:unknown and unheard-of as the
495:by Amita Kanekar is published
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803:21st-century Indian novelists
738:Raiot review of Fear of Lions
399:Centre for Historical Studies
589:. 2 May 2005. Archived from
551:before being crushed by the
274:'s maternal uncle, the late
36:biography of a living person
828:21st-century American women
678:The Buddhist Channel review
387:Jawaharlal Nehru University
185:Goa College of Architecture
63:must be removed immediately
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713:Excerpt from Fear of Lions
436:Indian national newspaper
329:living in the time of the
823:American women academics
783:American women novelists
242:. Her maternal aunt was
723:review of Fear of Lions
395:Prof. Kunal Chakraborty
278:was also active in the
225:Comparative Mythologies
162:architectural historian
818:Women writers from Goa
808:Indian women novelists
164:, whose well-received
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50:Please help by adding
207:in 1965 and lived in
177:architectural history
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673:Indiaclub.com review
492:A Spoke in the Wheel
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364:University of Mumbai
352:A Spoke in the Wheel
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56:Contentious material
708:Reference on Goanet
663:, Chandigarh review
798:People from Margao
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645:The Hindu
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