Yakshini by Neil d silva

Meenakshi is the youngest child of Shantaram and Renuka. Right from her childhood , meenu invites attention from men for her beauty. And right when men try to feed of their lust, she destroys them by making them like a vegetable or killing them.

For a lot of time her sisters and parents don't understand her behaviour. Meenakshi struggles to understand herself and fit in. With time everybody understands there is something wrong with her.

Men find her irresistible to the extent that a guy named Harikumar who was to marry her sister, ends up asking the hand of Meenakshi to her father.

With time, the whole family loses respect in the village because of Meenu's doings like the disappearence of one of the guys who forces on her.

So what makes her so special ?. Will Harikumar marry her?. Will she be able to lead a peaceful life?.

I loved the way story is interlinked with Indian folklore.Yakshini's are a part of Indian folklore and you might have seen them adorning various roles in movies or serials.The first sign of a Yakshini taking its form is when the nails start growing.

"Yakshinis are female deities, like demigods, with great wish-fulfilling powers. If a Yakshini blesses you, you get what your heart desires. But they are unpredictable. They can be good or bad."

Inappropriate looks/touch is something every living girl encounters atleast once in her life. The various incidents in the book made me look back at the ones in my own life where I felt powerless and couldn't react. I wish this form was a cloak every women could have to ward off such evils.

Yakshini's are associated with Ashoka trees. So the next time you stand somewhere near it and hear the leaves rustling, remember a Yakshini might be trying to talk to you. Just kidding. To sum it up, I loved it!