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From the Publisher
A Conversation with Ashwin Sanghi
Q1. What inspired The Krishna Key?
A1. Ashwin Sanghi: After writing Chanakya’s Chant, I was looking for a story that I could sink my teeth into. At a friend’s house, someone mentioned to me the fact that the prophesized appearance of the tenth avatar of Vishnu Kalki was very similar to the apocalyptic prophecies of the Book of Revelation in the Bible. That got my brain into overdrive. I spent a week reading the Kalki Purana and there was no looking back.
Q2. What level of research went into crafting your latest novel?
A2. Ashwin Sanghi: The research was at several levels. First, I wanted to examine historical material that could tell us that Krishna existed, not merely as a mythological character, but as a historical one. Second, I wanted to examine the events of the Mahabharata in order to interpret them in a contemporary frame of reference. Finally, I needed to study archaeological evidence in relation to Dwarka. I ended up reading around fifty-three books, more than a hundred research papers and spent several weeks on travel.
Q3. A lot of writers, including you, have now started to give online trailers for their upcoming novels. What is the reason behind using an audio-visual medium to give a preview to a print form? And how successful do you think this strategy is?
A3. Ashwin Sanghi: The trend is catching on because publishing houses have limited marketing budgets to promote a specific title. The most cost-effective option is to promote a title online. Furthermore, there is a high degree of overlap between readers and surfers. Having a great video trailer is not good enough though. One needs to be active on social media to get people to see it. That is the bigger challenge.
Q4. Do you plan on sticking to the historical/mythological thriller genre?
A4. Ashwin Sanghi: No. I simply want to spin yet another good old-fashioned yarn. I want to narrate stories in which the twists and turns keep you glued to the novel till three in the morning. The premise of the story should be delicious bordering on outrageous perhaps but history, theology or mythology is not a prerequisite.
Q5. It is evident from your work, that a lot of time is spent in research before writing the book. How do you verify the authenticity of the material that you come across during your research? After all, history and mythology are two subjects where it is extremely difficult to filter opinion from original events.
A5. Ashwin Sanghi: Oh absolutely. I always try to find multiple sources for the same material. I also use the internet only as a starting point but eventually turn to published sources. Whenever I am unclear about a particular fact, I try to find an appropriate authority who can help me with my confusion. When needed, I also travel to make sure that I have a firsthand view of a given location or monument. Whenever I am dealing with works in languages that I do not understand, for example Sanskrit, Latin or Greek, I try to use the services of an expert translator.
Q6. Did you face any challenges while writing this book? Were there any controversies that arose because of the title or of the story?
A6. Ashwin Sanghi: There were none at all. I have come to the conclusion that book controversies rarely happen automatically. They tend to be created usually by authors or publishers themselves because they believe that it will sell the title better. I feel blessed that my readers seem to be happy to buy my books without any attached controversy.
Q7. Tell us a few things that you really like about The Krishna Key.
A7. Ashwin Sanghi: The fact that the book is divided into 108 chapters and each chapter starts with a paragraph about the life of Krishna. Even if you don’t read the rest of the story, the 108 paragraphs convey the entire story of Krishna’s life from birth till death. That’s one of the unique features of The Krishna Key. Besides that, my usual interplay of fact and fiction prevents most readers from knowing when they are moving from one to the other. The story is a tightly wound thriller plot with lots of twists and turns. Overall, this is a book that I would not write any other way.
Q8. How does it feel to be following up on a hugely popular Chanakya’s Chant and writing one of the most awaited and hugely anticipated books of the year?
A8. Ashwin Sanghi: In some ways, it’s much easier to write a book when one isn’t too successful because there aren’t any real expectations from the readership. My previous two books, The Rozabal Line and Chanakya’s Chant were extremely different books. Those who loved The Rozabal Line were expecting that I deliver more of the same whereas those who were enthused by Chanakya’s Chant wanted another story that was equally fast-paced and thrilling. I have therefore taken the approach that it is better to write from the heart without worrying about what expectations are. It’s the only way to remain creative and true to oneself.
Q9. Finally, with what expectations should an average Indian pick up The Krishna Key?
A9. Ashwin Sanghi: I would imagine that anyone picking up a book written by me would expect a fast-paced story that requires minimal effort to turn the pages. The reader would also be looking for some out-of-the-ordinary revelations along the way. I hope that The Krishna Key delivers on both counts.
ASIN : 9381626685
Publisher : Westland Limited (24 August 2012)
Language : English
Paperback : 485 pages
ISBN-10 : 9789381626689
ISBN-13 : 978-9381626689
Item Weight : 300 g
Dimensions : 12.9 x 3.1 x 19.8 cm
Country of Origin : India
Generic Name : Book