With an abiding love for history since childhood, Ashoka Trilogy famed author Shreyas Bhave was inspired to take on the challenge of writing a fictionalized account based on the historical record, supplemented by rich folklore, which continues to surround the legendary figure of Ashoka. With the last edition of Ashoka Trilogy- The Nemesis of Kalinga, that was published in September 2019, Shreyas Bhave delves deep into his fascination with history and Ashoka in particular.
Graduated as an Electrical Engineer, Bhave was enchanted by Ashoka's stories after he visited Girnar Temple, he says,
I was once travelling to Girnar Temple in Junagadh which was constructed by Chandragupta’s empire. 7-8kms away from the temple there was an underground cave which was built by limestone. The intricacies in which the structure was built sparked my interest in the Chandragupta kingdom.
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He is popularly known for his trilogy but very few know that his debut book revolved around Subhash Chandra Bose- Prisoner of Yakutsk : The Subhash Chandra Bose Mystery Final Chapter. The book revolves around the set of seemingly unconnected disappearances that emerge to be woven into a single fabric as the answer to one leads to another. It takes the reader on a thrilling adventure to solve the greatest mystery the Indian nation has known.
This led to a series of 3 books viz The Prince of Pataliputra, Storm of Taxila and Nemesis of Kalinga as he firmly believes that one book can never do justice to Ashoka's valour.
On talking about his inspiration for historical fiction he responded,
I usually go back to old favourites or rediscover neglected writers. My favourite author in this genre is Bernard Cornwell and in India, its Shatrujeet Nath as his stories have many characters and tight plotlines.
Tips for aspiring authors?
Getting published is a slow procedure and the entire process takes about 2.5 years. From the ideation, writing process, editing to seeing your books on the stand; so the key is 'Have Patience'. However, just remember at the end of the day, Its totally worth the wait.
Apart from writing, Shreyas enjoys songwriting and composing music, sketching and watercolour painting. He enjoys hiking in many hill forts of Maharashtra, replete with history and ghosts of the past. After his degree in Electrical Engineering, he is one of India’s youngest experts on Railway Electrification PSI work. He also runs an entrepreneurial community at Our First Million which interviews people from diverse backgrounds and how they became successful, to be precise, how they earned their first million.
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