Arsenal of the Gods is a sweeping mythological thriller that blends ancient Indian wisdom with contemporary suspense. When Rudra disappears for eleven days and reappears thousands of kilometres away with no memory, he is thrust into a trail of Sanskrit riddles, secret societies, ancient temples, and a weapon powerful enough to alter the fate of the world. The novel travels across India’s sacred landscapes while questioning identity, destiny, and the thin line between myth and history.
We spoke with Ajeet Pratap Singh, engineer, chocolatier, and debut author, about the ideas, research, and philosophy behind Arsenal of the Gods.
Q1. What was the first spark that led to the creation of Arsenal of the Gods?
Answer by Ajeet Pratap Singh:
The first spark was curiosity—an almost uncomfortable curiosity about the silences in our epics. The Mahabharata speaks vividly about divine weapons, their catastrophic power, and the restraint required to wield them. Yet it never tells us what became of them after the war ended. As I explored ancient temples and studied their architecture, I began to wonder if those silences were intentional. That curiosity slowly evolved into a narrative about forgotten knowledge, guardians of truth, and the consequences of rediscovery.
Q2. You’ve chosen not to retell the Mahabharata but to extend it. What motivated this narrative decision?
Answer by Ajeet Pratap Singh:
Retelling the Mahabharata felt limiting because the epic already exists in perfection across countless versions. What fascinated me was the aftermath—the emotional, philosophical, and technological residue of such a colossal event. I wanted to respect the epic while allowing it to breathe into the present. Arsenal of the Gods asks what fragments of that world might have survived, and whether humanity was ever truly ready to inherit them.
Q3. Rudra’s lost eleven days are central to the mystery. What do they symbolize on a deeper level?
Answer by Ajeet Pratap Singh:
Those eleven days symbolize erasure—personal and collective. On one level, it’s about Rudra losing part of himself. On another, it reflects how civilizations forget, distort, or deliberately bury uncomfortable truths. Rudra’s journey to recover his memories mirrors our own journey to reconnect with heritage that has been diluted or dismissed as myth.
Q4. The novel is rooted in real Indian temples and landscapes. Why was authenticity so important?
Answer by Ajeet Pratap Singh:
Because India doesn’t need invented mythology—it already has layers of it embedded in stone. Temples are not random structures; they are mathematical, astronomical, and symbolic marvels. By grounding the story in real locations, I wanted readers to feel the unsettling possibility that these places were designed with purposes we no longer fully understand.
Q5. Sanskrit riddles and ancient inscriptions play a vital role in the plot. What drew you to this device?
Answer by Ajeet Pratap Singh:
Sanskrit is unique because meaning shifts with pronunciation, context, and intent. It mirrors how knowledge itself behaves—powerful yet dangerous when misunderstood. Using riddles allowed me to weave philosophy into action, encouraging readers to slow down and engage with the text intellectually, much like ancient seekers once did.
Q6. The Guruputras believe they are protecting the world. How do you view them as an author?
Answer by Ajeet Pratap Singh:
I view them with empathy and caution. History is filled with groups who believed secrecy was necessary for survival. The Guruputras represent that moral grey zone—where control is justified in the name of safety. Their presence forces readers to ask whether suppression of truth is ever ethical.
Q7. Why does the story insist that the weapon must be assembled before it can be destroyed?
Answer by Ajeet Pratap Singh:
Because destruction without understanding is reckless. This idea reflects a broader truth about humanity—we often rush to eliminate what we fear without comprehending it. The act of assembling the weapon symbolizes responsibility, self-awareness, and the painful necessity of confronting power before renouncing it.
Q8. Your background spans engineering, FMCG leadership, and chocolate-making. How did these experiences shape the novel?
Answer by Ajeet Pratap Singh:
Engineering gave me structure and logic, FMCG taught me narrative clarity and discipline, and chocolate-making taught me patience and experimentation. Writing Arsenal of the Gods required all three—precision in plotting, clarity in storytelling, and creativity in imagination.
Q9. The book raises a provocative question: Are epics memories or prophecies? What is your personal belief?
Answer by Ajeet Pratap Singh:
I believe epics are compressed knowledge systems—part memory, part warning. They preserve truths about human nature, power, and consequence. Whether they are prophecy depends on us. If we repeat the same mistakes, history inevitably returns wearing a familiar face.
Q10. What do you hope lingers with readers long after they finish Arsenal of the Gods?
Answer by Ajeet Pratap Singh:
I hope readers are left questioning—about mythology, about identity, and about how much we’ve forgotten in the name of progress. More than thrills, I wanted the book to ignite curiosity and respect for ancient wisdom, not as superstition, but as layered knowledge waiting to be re-examined.
Final Reflection
Arsenal of the Gods is a powerful blend of mythology, mystery, and modern urgency. Ajeet Pratap Singh’s debut doesn’t just entertain—it invites readers to rethink India’s epics as living legacies rather than relics of the past.