The Hidden Hindu is a trilogy of science fiction thrillers interwoven with mythology and adventure. Indian mythology has shaped the culture, traditions, and values of the society. If you enjoy reading science fiction and Indian mythology, ‘The Hidden Hindu’ is a perfect match for you.

Story of The Hidden Hindu

Book One of The Hidden Hindu

• Pages – 256 
• Publisher – Penguin
• Date of publication – February 2022
• Genre – Historical fiction/Thriller
• Stars – 4.5 out of 5 stars

The book cover is attractive and showcases a favourable recommendation by the renowned author Anand Nilekantan. 

This series begins with a twenty-one-year-old boy named Prithvi trying to find an Aghori named Om Shastri. 

Aghoris are strong, fearless devotees of the Hindu God, Lord Shiva. They perform rituals and spiritual practices that are tough and not performed by common folks.

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Om Shastri, an ageless Aghori, is believed to be living since the beginning of the four yugas of Hinduism. He is said to have witnessed the time of Ramayan and Mahabharat.  

Tracing Om Shastri back more than 200 years, some people transport him to a secret island to find more details from him. The Aghori is drugged and hypnotised so that he speaks secrets of the past. 

Read about the secrets that Om Shastri reveals in this mysterious science fiction/mythological adventure story. 

Book Two of The Hidden Hindu

• Pages – 250
• Publisher – Penguin
• Year of publication – August 2022
• Genre – A mix of Thriller, Historical, Science fiction, and Mythology
• Stars – 4.5 out of 5

Om Shastri doesn’t know the complete details of times gone by. Yet, he has mighty beings supporting him. 

The magical herb of Mritsanjeevani is in the hands of the wrong people after the first battle is lost. Consuming mritsanjeevani is known to grant immortality and heal diseases. 

Even as the gods and demons continue to be very powerful, they seek mritsanjeevani. Everybody searches the mysterious verse with a hidden agenda. 

So, you will read about various people such as Ashwatthama, Parashurama, Nagendra and his supporters Parimal and LSD, and many others. 

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You will read about Satya Yug, Treta Yug, Dwapar Yug and Kali Yug. 

The story begins in 2020 during the pandemic yet the narrative goes in different eras and time zones. You will visit the extinct land of the past that have legendary serpents, curses and cures. 

The narrative could overwhelm you because it travels back and forth from the present to the ancient, medieval and recent history. Not only this, but the geographic location also changes widely. 

Even then, you will enjoy reading the book simply because it is an exciting rollercoaster narrative. 

The Hidden Hindu Book 3

• Pages – 256
• Publisher – Penguin 
• Year of Publication – April 2023
• Genre – A mix of science, mythology, history, adventure fiction
• Stars – 4.5 out of 5

The quest is finding the secret of the complete verse to immortality, getting more powerful, finding answers and solving the mystery. However, some verses of mritsanjeevani were missing.

Either Nagendra or Om is Devdhwaja but nobody knows yet. While Parimal and LSD have trouble trusting each other, Nagendra comes back from the dead unhurt and stronger than ever. 

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Parashurama and Kripacharya are stuck in the past of the collapsed Om, and Vrishkapi is facing death. What about Milarepa? 

The powerful Ashwatthama doesn’t know what’s going on, but the other immortals are destroyed from all sides. 

Where are the rest of the words? Will Nagendra find all of them and finish the verse, or will the immortals stop him? Find out about the strange story of the immortals who are running out of time.

 Some of the names you will read about in the series,

• Kripacharya
• Parashurama
• Ashwatthama
• Om Shastri
• Devdhwaja
• Ved Vyasa
• Prithvi
• Mrs.  Batra
• Nagendra
• Vrishkapi
• Parimal
• Shukracharya
• LSD

About Author Akshat Gupta

The author’s fascination with the existence of immortals and the concept of immortality drove him to write the book. He promises that ‘The Hidden Hindu’ will be a captivating read until the very end. 

Apart from being a fiction writer, author Akshat Gupta is also a lyricist, historian and screenwriter.

Akshat Gupta had yet to publish famous Indian stories before he began his writing journey with The Hidden Hindu. 

As a child, he was passionate about listening to mythological stories and often wondered about immortal beings from Indian Hindu religious stories. So, what made him write this hit combination of mythology-history-adventure-science fiction?

Originally, Akshat Gupta is from Indore and has a family-owned restaurant business which he was involved in before he moved to Mumbai to pursue his career as a writer.

Akshat Gupta was married and has a son from the marriage. Good times took a turn when the couple parted ways. The separation took a toll when Akshat plunged into self destructive sorrow.

After Akshat recovered from the event, he started writing stories so his son could read them and know more about his father.

Akshat was influenced by Hindu stories, so he wrote about the Hindu gods but added various other elements in his unique story. 

Initially, publishers refused to publish Akshat Gupta’s book, which is why he self-published his literary work.

Eventually, his book reached Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni and impressed him with it’s storytelling. Subsequently, Dhoni took over the visual rights of the novel. After this, Penguin Publishers offered to publish his book.

The author’s journey from self-publishing to partnering with Penguin Publications has been exhilarating and exhausting. His message to readers is to have patience, perseverance, and faith.

Screen Adaptation and Expectations:

The visual rights of the book are acquired for screen adaptation by Dhoni Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. The author has high expectations for the project and believes in the team’s ability to bring his vision to life.

FAQ’s:

What are Immortal Aghori Om Shastri’s beliefs on Bose?

The book revolves around a mysterious and immortal Aghori named Om Shastri who possesses unbelievable secrets. 

Aghori Om Shastri claimed that Bose was still alive, living under a different name. Shahista was surprised when Om claimed Bose was still alive and living under a different name.

Om talks about Subhash Chandra Bose’s mysterious existence. Om believes that Bose is immortal. 

Shahista questioned Om’s belief in Bose’s survival, though Om explained that he knew Bose from the time of Mahabharata.

Om Shastri is being questioned by seven experts and reveals startling facts under the narco test. One of his revelations is his encounters with Lord Rama and Lord Krishna

Om’s revelations defy the laws of mortality and he is in search of other immortals.

What is the confusion surrounding Ashwatthama?

Abhilash claimed that Om was referring to Ashwatthama. Ashwatthama, who Lord Krishna cursed, is immortal. 

Shahista struggled to comprehend the significance of Ashwatthama. Abhilash explained the role of Ashwatthama in the context.

Shahista asked about the search for Parashuram. The group discussed the possible identities of Vishnu Gupta.

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Conclusion

The Hidden Hindu, book 1-3, is a multilayered impressive novel thats a combination of several elements. You will find some archeological information, history and mythology interspersed in-between the fast paced racy narrative.

Historical figures, celestial beings from religious texts, Hindu yugas, and more, are all interwoven in a mix. So there is mythology, science fiction, and fantasy in this thriller. It’s an enjoyable novel if you enjoy reading the genre. 

It combines Hindu mythology with science fiction and explores the concept of immortality. The book follows a rollercoaster ride through the past, present, and future.

The popularity of mythology books is attributed to their connection to the long history of Indian culture. The book combines Hindu mythology with science fiction.

If you already know or don’t know much of Hindu mythology, either way, read the series like a novel simply because it’s a mix of various elements.

Watch “The Hidden Hindu” author Akshat Gupta’s Instagram story.

In his interviews, author Akshat Gupta talks about his life and work.