Mahabharata focus of India’s first Twitter fiction book

After narrating the many twists and turns in the epic Mahabharata through 140-word tweets over four years, an Indian academic based at a British university is coming out with India's first Twitter fiction book next month: 'Epic Retold', merging new media with the old.

TwitterFiction is essentially works of fiction written and read on Twitter. The narrative is 'tweeted' by an author in 140 characters or less, for audiences who 'follow' the author, who consume it via their Twitter news feeds increasingly on mobile screens.

The book tells the familiar story of the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas, following the same plot and characters, but in several places, it moves away from Vyasa's Mahabharata and previous reinterpretations.

The story centres around Bhima's love for his first wife, Hidimbi, which governs much of his actions. Instances such as Bhima's meeting with Hanuman and the killing of Jayadratha at Kurukshetra, are recast to provide a new interpretation.

The first encounter of Bhima and Duryodhana.

I have guessed who he is. Duryodhana, Uncle Dritarashtra's son, eldest of the Kaurava brothers. He steps forward.

I stop. I do not smile.

'So you are the one,' he says, 'the Pandava born to destroy my clan!'

---

I feel my anger rising. I step towards him.

'Aside!' I say.

Duryodhana's eyes widen, the angry surprise of a palace prince unused to challenge. Then I see rage.

I do not wait. I push, my forehand against his gold-strung chest. I feel him resist, we strain for a split-second. He stumbles sideways.

Duryodhana is taller, bigger. But I am stronger - born to the forest, not to palace maids. I leave him against the wall.