Ajita

About the Book

Based on the life of Caravaka philosopher Ajita, narrated in parallel with the modern-day life story of Moksh, a college professor.

It is the fifth century. Ajita, a curious young boy, is endlessly fascinated by ants. How do they know where to seek food? How do they move in such orderly fashion? Do they communicate? These questions ignite his lifelong pursuit of knowledge. In the course of Ajita's evolution into a philosopher of the Cārvāka school, his life crosses paths with many interesting characters: from Emperor Ajatashatru to Makkhali Goshala, Mahavira and the Buddha.

A vast span of time away, Moksh Malhar, a contemporary academic, is battling the shadows of his past. To cope, he seeks solace in books, ideas and philosophy, where he finds himself drawn to Cārvāka philosophy and the life of its foremost thinker, Ajita. As the immersion deepens further and further still, Moksh finds the boundaries of space and time beginning to blur.

Two stories, which loop into each other like a Möbius strip, are set out in twenty-six chapters, with each chapter omitting one letter of the alphabet. This is a finely crafted book that will draw you into a mesmerising vortex of form, philosophy, ideas and language.

About the Author

A theoretical particle physicist, K. Sridhar has lived and worked in Bombay for most of his life before moving to Bangalore. He has published a book on physics and one on science education, besides many research papers on physics as well as philosophy. He also reviews art shows.

His first book, Twice Written, was published in 2011. Ajita is his second novel.