Krishna: A Journey Within

As much as I love Hindu mythology, the Mahabharata and always try to read as many retellings of the epic as I can, it's always surprising when I discover something I didn't know by an Indian author. So when I first saw some of the artwork from Abhishek Singh's graphic novel Namaha shared by Shveta Thakrar on Twitter, I was slack jawed with awe because it was just so unexpected and stunning. And when I got the opportunity to read Krishna, I couldn't let it go.

The art style here is very very unique and as someone who is not very acquainted with the medium of comics or animation, I can't really tell you what this style alludes to or resembles. I just found it utterly captivating, and the colors used are so bright and vibrant that I kept gaping at them and had to immediately show it to my family and also recommend to my friends. I particularly adored the panels depicting the cities of Vrindavan, Mathura and Hastinapura. And the ones where we get to see His divine form are transcendent. My only minor complaint would be that I found the female characters' portrayal a little uncomfortable. While the colors are so joyful, the writing has more of a melancholic air to it, with Lord Krishna contemplating over his own life and actions. The story itself concentrates on just two important chapters of Lord Krishna's life, which just left me wanting more.

In the end, if you have a love for Hindu mythology and stunning artwork, this is the book for you. It's not something you should read if you wanna know Lord Krishna's story, but if you wanna experience a little of Him and His divinity through a visual medium. It'll also make for a great addition to any collection, and I hope I'll be able to buy it one day along with the author's other works. For now, I'll probably just go back to it and look at the art some more.