Abhijeeth Hiliyana is not just your typical engineer; he's a man driven by a profound passion for storytelling. Despite his academic background, boasting a master's degree in computer science from the University of Florida, Abhijeeth's true calling lies in the realm of narrative and creativity.
From a young age, Abhijeeth found himself captivated by the rich tapestry of Indian mythology and history. This fascination became the cornerstone of his literary endeavors, where he utilizes the power of writing to give life to his imagination and express his deepest insights.
His current literary focus centers around the illustrious Vijayanagara Empire, a subject that has enraptured his attention with its grandeur and complexity. Abhijeeth's extensive research and dedication culminated in the publication of a compelling duology that delves into the life and times of Krishnadevaraya, the most celebrated emperor of the Vijayanagara dynasty.
However, Abhijeeth's exploration of this fascinating era doesn't end there. His insatiable thirst for knowledge and his commitment to historical accuracy have led him to embark on a new literary venture. Currently based in Australia, Abhijeeth is pouring his heart and soul into his latest book, "The Fall of an Empire: The Final Days of the Vijayanagara Kingdom."
This forthcoming work promises to be a meticulously crafted historical narrative, offering readers a vivid and immersive glimpse into the twilight years of the Vijayanagara Empire following Krishnadevaraya's reign. Through Abhijeeth's expert storytelling and exhaustive research, readers can expect to be transported back in time to witness the political intrigue, cultural upheaval, and inevitable decline of a once-mighty empire.
In addition to his writing pursuits, Abhijeeth remains an avid reader, constantly seeking inspiration and knowledge from a wide array of sources. His dedication to his craft and his unwavering passion for storytelling serve as a testament to his commitment to both the literary arts and the preservation of history.
As Abhijeeth continues to weave his narratives and unravel the mysteries of the past, he remains a beacon of creativity and insight in the literary world, enriching readers' lives with his unique blend of imagination and intellect.
1. Can you tell us about your journey from being an engineer to becoming a storyteller? How did your passion for storytelling evolve?
>I was infected by the storytelling bug quite young in my life. I was a voracious reader when I was young, reading novels and comics for hours everyday. For me it seemed natural to take the next step from reading stories to creating my own stories. My audience in those days was my younger brother who listened to my stories with great patience and interest. It is probably thanks to him and my family that my passion for writing remained always in the background even as I studied engineering. It was during my masters that I started to write my first novel. A high fantasy story inspired by Indian mythology.
2. What inspired you to pursue a master's degree in computer science, and how does your engineering background influence your writing?
>As an engineer I wanted to expand my knowledge and my horizons which made me pursue my masters in computer science.
Creativity is a field that involves suspension of disbelief while engineering as a field is grounded in reality. As a student of both I think writing reflects my background. My novels involve a significant amount of research both with respect to historical fiction and fantasy novels which means many of my characters come across as more grounded and relatable to normal life.
3. Your interest in Indian mythology and history is evident in your work. What draws you to these subjects, and how do they inspire your storytelling?
>Once again I would admit that it is mainly a result of the kind of stories I read when I was younger. One of my favourite books was the Chandamama series whose stories my mother would read out to me almost weekly. My favourite were the magical stories that told stories of different worlds and characters but all related in some way to Indian mythology. As I got older I watched Ramayana and Mahabharata on DD national both piquing my interest. My interest in history was once again due to reading a great number of history books dealing with the history of different countries of the world, including India. As an effect of my interests, my novels are steeped in Indian mythology and history. My first novel was a story set in an alternate Manvantara where Asuras still walked the world during Kali Yuga. My interest in history has led me to try to capture the world of Vijayanagara as accurately as possible.
4. Could you share with us the process of researching and writing your duology on the life of Krishnadevaraya? What challenges did you encounter during this process?
>Indian history is extremely complex and complicated with paucity of accurate sources and even when sources are found they are open to interpretation. With that being the case I decided to expand my scope of sources and research. I started with reading books of Vijayanagara history written by authors like Henry Heras, Henry Sewell, Venkataramanayya and others. I supplemented it by reading newer authors like Eaton, Burton Stein and others. As I read through these sources with sometimes conflicting accounts, I managed to form what I felt was a reasonable storyline that would retell the story of great Krishnadevaraya. However the story of Krishandevaraya was not just of the emperor but of a man who probably grew up during the turbulent decades of 1490 and 1500 and as such I have tried to imagine the challenges that he would have faced in his attempts to restore the empire to its glory.
5. The Vijayanagara empire is a fascinating period in Indian history. What captivates you the most about this empire, and why did you choose it as the backdrop for your new book?
>As you rightly noted, the Vijayanagara empire is truly fascinating. It was an empire that kind of formed a bridge, between the culture of the Hoysalas, Kakatiyas and other states whose culture in some ways it managed to preserve. At the same time the kings of the empire were forward thinking enough to adopt portions of the culture of their neighbours the Bahmani Sultanate. What came out was a sophisticated state that provided stability for South India for nearly two centuries. My interest in Vijayanagara started when I first visited Hampi, I was spellbound by its grandeur and sheer scale of the architecture. I also learnt the final fate of the great empire and this made me go deeper into the history of Vijayanagara. The fact that there were few if any books written about this time period made me interested in writing the story of Krishnadevaraya and Vijayanagara empire.
6. "The Fall of an Empire: The final days of the Vijayanagara Kingdom" sounds intriguing. What inspired you to delve into this particular aspect of Vijayanagara history?
>The story of fall of Vijayanagara is heavily tied with the story of Ramaraya. He was the son-in-law of Krishandevaraya and he was blamed for being responsible for the downfall of Vijayanagara. However, the history of Vijayanagara's fall is more complex and Ramaraya himself was a multifaceted man. He was a brilliant politician and general who was responsible for making Vijayanagara the single most powerful kingdom of India during his reign but his miscalculation with respect to Shahi kingdoms would lead to his ultimate downfall and destruction of Vijayanagara. It was to me both a tragic tale and a cautionary one as Ramaraya through his actions became the empire's greatest hero but also its greatest villain. It was the story of this complex character that made me delve into this particular aspect of Vijayanagara history.
7. Historical accuracy is crucial in writing historical narratives. How do you ensure that your portrayal of events and characters remains faithful to the historical record while also engaging readers?
>As I mentioned in one of the answers, it's extremely hard to get one hundred percent historical accuracy as Indian history suffers from an under-representation of authentic historical sources. As such my approach was to study as many books based on the history of Vijayanagara written by authors from all sides of the intellectual spectrum. This, I feel, has allowed my stories to retain their historical accuracy to a great extent. At the same time, I have, like many writers, taken a few liberties with respect to the personal lives of my heroes, like Krishnadevaraya and Ramaraya as this lack of sources allows us to craft an engaging yet plausible story of these rulers which surely helped to shape their reign.
8. As an avid reader yourself, are there any authors or books that have significantly influenced your writing style or approach to storytelling?
>One of my favourite authors is Steven Erikson, the creator of the Malazan book of the fallen series. I am impressed by the scale and depth of his world building as well as his attention to detail. I have tried to include elements of his world building style in my own works. The second author that inspires me is Brandon Sanderson whose three laws of magic inspired me to keep my stories and characters grounded. As Sanderson says, "Weaknesses, limits and costs are more interesting than powers". It is a tip I feel all writers should consider when writing fantasy.
9. Being based in Australia, do you find any challenges or advantages in writing about Indian history and culture while living abroad?
>Not much considering how connected the world has become, I feel location does not matter for storytelling.
10. What do you hope readers will take away from "The Fall of an Empire"? And do you have any upcoming projects or topics that you're excited to explore in your future writing?
>My biggest hope is that the readers of my book will learn about the glory of the Vijayanagara empire. We must also understand that the story of Ramaraya was not one dimensional; he was both as I mentioned earlier a hero and a villian who lived in a complex world. His story, his struggles and his final fate are part of the history of our country. A history that each one one should be proud of exploring further. Right now I am in between works, currently doing preliminary research on the period after the fall of the Gupta empire.
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