The Goddess of the Himavan
About
A young peasant by the name of Harinder lost his family in an avalanche up in the mountains. After an arduous time trying to escape the rubble and stones, he manages to make his way to the Kingdom of Hintrupate, wedged between a hidden valley and a veiled part of the mountain.
As he enters the Kingdom, he hears someone singing. The melodious voice encapsulates him and he follows its trail which leads him to the beautiful Princess Marianetta, a woman of great valor, strength, generosity, and love.
Unknown to him, she Is the adopted daughter of the Maharaja of Hintrupate’s son, Prince Abuvaya.
He sees her bathing in the river with two other maidens. He watches them from afar while listening to the lovely maiden sing, and feeling tired falls asleep in his hidden spot.
The next morning, he wakes up to her singing again. He follows its trail and sees the three women by the rice fields, sitting with some workers, separating the chaff from rice.
One of the maidens spotted him hiding and watching them. When she questions him, he reveals that he is new to the Kingdom and is looking for a place to stay.
Princess Marianetta orders him to follow them back to the palace. She would seek the consent of the King to let him work for his keep on the palatial grounds. The King who adores his granddaughter gives his consent for the peasant to work there.
Read what happens when Harinder enters the palace grounds. How he meets the King who issues a challenge to prosper a barren land, so he can become a subject of the mighty Kingdom. Will Harinder be able to succeed in doing the almost impossible and reap the profits of the land?
He falls in love with the beautiful princess. It goes against the Kingdom’s law for a commoner like him to harbor feelings for royalty. Would his love for the princess get him into trouble with the King? Would the princess love him in return?
Then there is the dream Harinder had about the flautist and the nightingale...
Praise for this book
A creative masterpiece in storytelling technique. A beautifully illustrated captivating and heartwarming read.
I can honestly say that I enjoyed this book a lot. It reads like a fairy tale for young adults with a terrific sense of story. I found myself wanting to get back to reading this book whenever I was forced to take a break. Marienetta and Harinder are sympathetic characters that the reader wants to root for. Her background as an orphan and his as a tragedy-stricken commoner makes us strongly wish for them to get together. Strong stuff.
I thought the king going through such lengths for such a person of low standing as Harinder stretched plausibility but somehow I eventually did buy it. Why shouldn’t a king care for a commoner? If he cared enough to take in Marienetta as an orphan then it’s certainly within his character to commit such an extraordinary act for someone such as Harinder. Anyway, it enhanced the fairy tale aesthetic of the story at-large.
The pacing was brisk and this worked in most places. A worthwhile read that can be finished in one sitting…