Book excerpt: Urmila is an alternative narrative of the Ramayana, the story of the abandoned throne of Ayodhya, the bonds of sisterhood and the anxieties of a multi-racial, multi-cultural Bharat with matriarchal influences from the east. It's an ancient epic set in a fantasy world with modern values and political tensions between kingdoms that mirror the geo-politics of the modern world and its leaders. It follows a reluctant princess, the heir to the throne of Mithila who constantly questions her credentials and ability to rule and is always looking for ways to shrug out of those responsibilities. She's a strong, resolute and independent, always under the shadow of her older sister. Urmila, unlike her sister with her divine roots, is human, with fears and weaknesses that are human as is the way she deals with them, which makes for a relatable protagonist. It's mythology with a twist, where the route is the same, but the actions and motivations of characters make for a very different flavour.