IBC Launches Dr Syd Kishore’s Semmanthaka In Coimbatore

Indic Book Club is delighted to host the launch of Semmanthaka: The Second Quest, a book by Dr. Syd Kishore. Semmanthaka will be launched by Swathy Rohit, founder SeekSia.com., at Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts & Science for Women, Coimbatore.

What fascinates Kishore about Semmanthaka? He says, “It is one of the most remarkable stories one can ever come across. It is mentioned in the Shreemadh Bhaagavatham. Lord Krishna is falsely accused of murder and robbery of the gem. He goes through immense hardship to clear his name. That was the first quest. This novel is the second quest for the jewel in modern times by Marine Archeologist Dr. Shiva Baalan, his enthusiastic assistant Dr. Yogi Yaadav and a professional treasure hunter Stalin Malhotra.”

Billionaire collector Stalin Malhotra hires renowned marine archeologist Dr. Balaan and his associate Yogi to find Semmanthaka, the legendary gem in Hindu mythology. It is an unusual mission for the two experts.

Their excavations off the Saurashtrian coast begin to reveal that Krishna's Dwaraka existed. Stalin’s focus is on the gem. He believes that the Semmanthaka must exist too. It is, after all, a gem that can make him richer than Kubera. At the same time, it is a cursed gem. A coveted gem that brings death and disaster. Stalin has a clue. The second quest for Semmanthaka begins.

Kishore’s treasure hunt lies in the text. Where did his hunger for Semmanthaka begin? “It comes from the original story in our sacred texts. These texts are infinite treasure trove of plots and ideas for any aspiring writer. You can interpret and rewrite the same plot in various ways.”

The search for the gem begins. The life-changing adventures for Dr Baalan and Yogi unfold. The treasure hunt, they realise, is vast. It is immense -- beyond their own current incarnation, in a race against time. They want to uncover some of the greatest secrets of Bharathavarsh and a great spiritual truth. They also want to save the planet.

Kishore wants to nurture a narrative through “knowledge built over the years in various fields”. He adds, “I’m a voracious reader of non-fiction. You need to be a huge eater of non-fiction to write good believable fiction.” His favourite character is Dr. Yogi Yaadav.

Seeking Semmanthaka is not easy. It comes when one does not want to. Dr Balaan and Yogi stand the test of faith against adharma. The lure of Semmanthaka is powerful and so is Kishore’s hunger for exploring our sacred texts.

When: Saturday, 29 July

Where: Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts and Science for Women, 395, Sarojini Naidu Road, Sidhapufur, Coimbatore - 641044

Join Indic Book Club and Kishore at the launch to know more about the quest for Semmanthaka.