Sameer Gudhate presents the Book Review of The Ayodhya Alliance by Ashwin Sanghi

Do you remember that childhood evenings spent listening to tales from the Ramayana or Mahabharata? Stories of epic wars, hidden weapons, whispered secrets. Now imagine someone picking up one of those stories, brushing the dust off, adding a layer of science and sprinkling in some international espionage. That, in a nutshell, is The Ayodhya Alliance — Ashwin Sanghi’s latest and perhaps most ambitious thriller yet.

If you’ve read Chanakya’s Chant or The Krishna Key, you already know Sanghi’s signature style — where ancient Indian wisdom meets modern-day mystery. He's often called India's Dan Brown, but I think that undersells what he truly does. While Brown sticks mostly to Western symbols and churches, Sanghi boldly mines Indian mythology, history, and philosophy — bringing a whole new cultural texture to the thriller genre.

The plot begins with a gripping legend — Ravana, moments before his death, reveals a secret to Lakshman. Fast forward thousands of years, and India stands on the edge of a defence crisis. Aditya Pillai, a powerful industrialist with deep ties to the country's defence sector, joins forces with Somi Kim, a brilliant South Korean technocrat. Together, they unravel a trail that connects Ayodhya to Kailasa, Damascus to Korea — chasing the ancient and elusive Dvaitalingam, an artifact of metallurgical power that could shift the global balance.

It’s a heady mix of fact, fiction, and the fantastic — but what truly makes this stand out is how seamlessly Sanghi blends all three.

Sanghi’s chapters are quick — almost like scenes in a high-stakes series. Just when you settle into one timeline, bam! You’re taken centuries back or thousands of miles away. This might sound disorienting, but he makes it work beautifully. His language is accessible but not simplistic. He respects the reader’s intelligence, offering up verses, scientific theories, and philosophical musings, without making you feel lost.

Aditya isn’t your typical action hero. He’s cerebral, broken in places, yet deeply committed. Somi is a standout — no-nonsense, fiercely intelligent, and not relegated to a love interest. Their relationship is rooted in mutual respect, and that’s refreshing.

What fascinated me more, though, were the ideas. The Dvaitalingam isn’t just a mystical object — it symbolizes balance, unity, and power. Sanghi cleverly uses it as a metaphor for our times — where dualities clash constantly: tradition vs. technology, nationalism vs. globalization, myth vs. science.

There’s a LOT going on. We jump between the past — with ancient Indian empires, metallurgical marvels, and intercontinental trade — and the present-day race against time. But the structure is clean, and each timeline enhances the other. The pace rarely lags, and the stakes keep escalating till the very end.

Beyond the thrills, this is a book about knowledge — how we preserve it, forget it, rediscover it. It questions who controls history, and what gets erased when civilizations fall. It also celebrates cultural cooperation — especially the India-Korea connection, which was a pleasant surprise.

There’s a scene where Aditya reflects on his personal loss, tying it to his professional duty — and it hit me unexpectedly hard. For a thriller, The Ayodhya Alliance has its emotional highs. It made me proud, intrigued, and — honestly — a bit nostalgic for the history lessons we never had in school.

The world-building in The Ayodhya Alliance is rich, layered, and entirely believable, pulling readers into a narrative that feels both ancient and urgent. Sanghi’s impeccable research shines through on every page, whether he’s decoding Sanskrit verses or detailing the science of ancient metallurgy. What truly sets the book apart is its conceptual depth — the way it gracefully balances mythology, geopolitics, and cutting-edge science without ever feeling overwhelmed. The pacing is brisk but never rushed, maintaining tension while allowing room for reflection and discovery.

Sometimes, the technical exposition (especially on metallurgy) slows down the tempo. And if you’ve read Sanghi before, you might predict the clue-hunt format. But the freshness of the content makes up for it.

As someone who genuinely enjoys exploring the intersection of science and culture, this book felt like it was written with readers like me in mind — the endlessly curious, deeply rooted in heritage, and always asking what if?

The Ayodhya Alliance is a powerful addition to the Bharat Series. It’s not just a thriller — it’s a tribute to a civilisation’s forgotten glory. I’d wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who loves fast-paced fiction but craves something deeper beneath the surface.

Now excuse me while I go brush up on ancient metallurgy — Sanghi's made it weirdly fascinating.

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