‘The Greatest Battle of Culture’ is a heart-warming saga of love of one’s culture and traditions, conflicts over supremacy, and cultural upheaval leading to exodus, set against the backdrop of one of history’s most critical encounters – The Aryans and the Harappans. This epic tale spans generations, chronicling the struggles and victories of the diverse cultures and civilizations of these clans as they clash and converge, over personal and professional ambitions.
1. Can you tell us a little bit about your book? Why did you choose this genre and what’s the story behind the title?
My novella ‘The Greatest Battle of Culture’ is a story about Harappan civilization that existed 3500 years ago and their encounter with Aryan civilization. It revolves around how both cultures started to clash, assimilate and bring a transformation that we see today one way or the other. I had fascination to understand how Hinduism evolved from a historical perspective. I tried to explain this with a very interesting story that revolves around close to life characters with an engaging and intriguing narration.
2. What inspired you to write this story? How did you find the resources and research material for your book?
A few years ago, I used to take my kids to Balagokulam at a local Hindu temple here in the US. There they used to learn epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. One day, there was a discussion amongst the parents on how we can engage our kids better to learn more about our culture and religion especially for older kids. I suggested that perhaps we should explain how our culture evolved from a historical perspective. But then I realized that there were no such books on the topic. I thought to myself why shouldn’t I write a book on this topic. Thus, the idea for the novel was born. Around the same time, I came to know about the widely publicized genome study of 4500-year-old skeleton from Rakhigarhi. I read the book ‘Who We Are and How We Got Here’ written by David Reich. This book inspired me to write the novella. I read several books on Indus Valley Civilization and tried to understand how it was like to live back in 1500 BCE. I focused on how things might have evolved from a cultural and scientific perspective.
3. What was the most challenging aspect of writing this book? How did you overcome it?
I would say that coming up with a compelling plot that spans multiple generations was most challenging for me initially. I pondered on this for a few months and finally everything came together one day. It was like a bulb lighted up suddenly. I am glad I took time to develop the story.
4. Are there any particular authors or books that have influenced the book?
Yes, I used to read a lot of fiction during my college days. I was a fan of Telugu writer ‘Yandamuri Veerendranath’. I read almost all his novels. He is a very good at story-telling with intriguing plots. My favourite novel was ‘Anando Brahma’ because of its compelling story and poetic narrative. I think his writing style influenced me to some extent.
5. What role did editing play in the writing process? How did you decide when the manuscript was ready for publication?
I took the help of my friends, my wife, and my father. They read the manuscript and gave me some important suggestions. My target audience was teenagers and young adults here in the US, India, and all over the world. I added the element of thrill while also making it intellectually stimulating even for older adults. After several rounds of suggestions and rewriting, I felt that it was ready for publication.
6. Do you have any upcoming projects or ideas for future books that you’d like to share with your readers?
Not at this moment. I like science and history by nature. So, if I write another book, it will be something around these topics.
7. In the age of digital publishing and social media, how do you engage with your readers and promote your work?
I think Instagram has the potential to reach a wider audience. I use my Instagram account to reach out to the readers. I have shared several reviews of my book. I plan to continue doing this.
8. How do you balance your writing career with other aspects of your life, such as work and family?
I work in IT industry as a Business Analysis Lead. Luckily, my day-to-day work involves a lot of analytical thinking and writing the documents which I enjoy very much. My kids have grown up relatively and I think I was able to focus on my first novella because of that.
9. What’s the pen ultimate takeaway for readers reading your book?
I would say that it’s the changing nature of our culture over the time. Nothing is set in stone, and everything evolves over the period. All the hydrogen atoms in our body were created few thousand years after the Big Bang. Universe has evolved continuously after that, producing life on Earth. As humans, what unites us is the love and compassion towards others regardless of their background or cultural beliefs. We made tremendous progress in the last few thousand years improving the living standards for almost everyone. I believe that scientific approach and critical thinking are crucial to continue this progress.
10. What’s the one advice you’d like to share with aspiring writers of the genre?
I would just tell them to read a lot on the topic they are interested in. Also, take time to come up with your story. Be patient and persuasive because it’s a long process.
Panigrahi Bethi is a multifaceted individual with a successful career in IT and a passion for writing. After completing the master’s degree in engineering from JNTU, Hyderabad, he joined the IT sector and migrated to the USA. While in college, he published several short stories, showcasing his talent and creativity. He was inspired to write the novella ‘The Greatest Battle of Culture’ after studying the genome research of Indus Valley people that was published by various scientists. His other interests include exploring astrophysics and human psychology. He currently resides in Fishers, Indiana, with his wife and two sons.
Explore the ancient Aryan and Harappan worlds in ‘The Greatest Battle of Culture.
