The Rise of Sivagami (Báhubali: Before the Beginning - Book 1) - Anand Neelakantan

Masterfully plotted and packed with high-octane action, this epic historical fantasy novel reveals the explosive, untold backstory of Queen Sivagami long before she ruled Mahishmathi.

When five-year-old Sivagami witnesses her father being branded a traitor and brutally executed by the Maharaja of Mahishmathi, an unyielding fire is lit within her. She vows to one day completely dismantle and destroy the kingdom. At seventeen, living as an orphan in the royal orphanage, she recovers a mysterious, hidden manuscript from the ruins of her crumbling ancestral mansion. Written in Paisachi, an ancient, forgotten language, the document contains a dark secret that could either clear her father’s tarnished name or condemn his memory forever.

Meanwhile, a young, proud, and fiercely idealistic slave named Kattappa finds himself bound by an absolute sense of duty to a spoiled, petulant prince. As he navigates the suffocating restrictions of his caste, he must also try to keep his rebellious brother from starting a mutiny—a brother who deeply resents their forced social position and passionately yearns for freedom.

As Sivagami risks everything to unravel the riddle of the manuscript, she discovers that the glittering empire of Mahishmathi is completely rotten within, teeming with deadly conspirators, palace intrigues, corrupt officials, and underground revolutionaries. An ambitious, ruthless nobleman will stop at nothing for power and gold. A secret sisterhood of elite warriors, led by a fierce seventy-year-old matriarch, is determined to crush the illegal slave trade. Out in the shadows, a displaced forest tribe, deeply resentful of having been driven away from their holy mountain centuries ago, is quietly preparing to wage a savage war against the crown.

From the brilliant mind of Anand Neelakantan, the bestselling author of Asura and the Ajaya series, comes The Rise of Sivagami. Serving as the official, blockbuster literary prequel to S.S. Rajamouli’s cinematic masterpiece Bāhubali, this is a staggering tale of dark political intrigue, epic revenge, crushing betrayal, and unforgettable characters.

Why This Epic Fantasy Prequel is an Essential Read:

• Official Bāhubali Canon: Written in close collaboration with director S.S. Rajamouli, providing the definitive, multi-layered history of the characters millions loved on screen.

• The Master of Anti-Hero Narratives: Features Anand Neelakantan’s signature style of subverting traditional power dynamics and exploring complex gray areas of justice, duty, and honor.

• Immersive World-Building: Constructs a breathtakingly detailed pre-movie universe filled with complex socio-political layers, ancient languages, and intense tactical battles.