Meet Assam's Antar Atreya, the 24-year-old Former 'Atheist' Turned Mythological-Fiction Novelist

Guwahati, July 4, 2019:

India has the richest volume of myth and mythology which is inextricably woven into the very fabric of the great nation and the souls of its inhabitants, but how does one keep that mythology 'current' and, for the lack of a better word, 'trendy'? Well, ask Antar Atreya, Assam's young writing sensation whose book is generating buzz across the whole country!

The 24-year-old hailing from Tezpur in Assam has already carved a niche for himself as one of the burgeoning talents in the literary hemisphere of the country as he has proverbially blasted (!) onto the scene with one of the most-highly anticipated debut novels, 'The Chronicles of the Mortal Vishnu".

Recalling how he discovered his passion for writing in a candid chat with Inside Northeast, he says his parents too were fond of the letters. "I inherited the interest in writing from my parents. They both used to write poems for each other during their pre-wedding days", he says with a wry smile.

Antar further recalls an incident from his childhood which affirmed in him the power of the written word: "What made me certain about the power of words was when I was 9. I had a small quarrel with my then-bestfriend and we weren't talking. So, I wrote him a letter, in jumbled English, explaining him to put an end to our quarrel. Miraculously, the letter worked and I realized how powerful words are!"

[caption id="attachment_34787" align="alignnone" width="660"] Antar strikes a pose with his debut novel[/caption]

The young author made his foray into the world of literature at the tender age of 14. "When I was 14 years old, I wrote a book of short stories in horror and suspense genre...you know, the popular stuff. It was published in Assam and sold nearly 500 copies which motivated me to decide to become an author someday."

Although Antar Atreya's debut novel deals with the genre of 'Mythology' (which is seeing a resurgence in a post-'Immortals of Meluha' world), he shockingly reveals that not too long ago used to be an atheist!

He says that back in 2016, while he was dealing with several physical and mental and felt shrouded by 'darkness', he was introduced to the world of Yoga. "The interest in yoga, began my descent into ancient Hindu scriptures and concepts. I started reading about Hindu Mythology and found a wealth of knowledge in it. At the same time, I started watching historical and mythological shows which further made me delve deeply into the world of ancient Indian culture", he says.

Post its release in May, 2019, Antar's novel has enjoyed tremendous success. The debut novel has sold more than a thousand copies in 60 odd days and has been reviewed by many renowned publications.

The Mytho-fantasy fiction saga has been reviewed by Deccan Chronicle as "an imagery of an epic with scenes that will leave an impact", by The Asian Age as "a Detailed Chronicle with a gripping plot and potent characters where the detailing and description of every scene is amazing", by The Assam Tribune as "an epic tale' and by The Sentinel as "a must read fantasy".

Antar Atreya has also been featured on News Live channel, Ten News Video, Daily Hunt, Outlook India, Business Today, Telly Buzz, among others.

The book has received an incredible 4.4 stars on Amazon with nearly 100 reviews. Antar Atreya has become a YouTube sensation too as his romantic storytelling video 'Ghungrale Baal Wali Wo Ladki' has already garnered over 119,000 views.

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