The battle between Alexander and Porus forms the backdrop of Sarita Mandanna’s novel The War Elephants of Trigarta.
| Photo Credit: Wiki Commons
Sarita Mandanna, author of the 2010 book Tiger Hills, a bildungsroman set in 19th century Coorg, is back with two new books of historical fiction, The War Elephants of Trigarta and Secrets Among the Stars (Aleph Book Company). The difference is that this time, she is writing for a younger audience. The U.S.-based author talks about why she wants children to learn about Indian history, what it means to mix history and science with fiction in politically charged times, and resisting the temptation to write happy endings. Edited excerpts:
Author Sarita Mandanna
Your previous books, Tiger Hills and Good Hope Road (2015), are also works of historical fiction, but this is your first foray into writing for children. What inspired you to explore this new direction?
