Features

Shyam Selvadurai and his exploration of Yasodhara’s story

Published

10 months ago

2025/03/7

Thilina Walpola

Shyam Selvadurai

By Ifham Nizam

Shyam Selvadurai, an acclaimed writer known for his deep and nuanced portrayals of social justice, identity, and historical narratives, continues to push literary boundaries with his latest work, Mansions of the Moon. His storytelling has long been defined by an immersive approach, bringing to life historical and cultural contexts with an authenticity that captivates readers.

Selvadurai’s ability to weave historical accuracy with imaginative storytelling has cemented his place as a literary figure of significance. His works often explore themes of displacement, gender roles, and class struggles, but Mansions of the Moon marks a shift toward Buddhist philosophy and historical retelling, delving into the life of Yasodhara, the wife of Siddhartha Gautama. The novel challenges widely accepted narratives and presents Yasodhara as a strong, intelligent woman, shaped by the influences of the Pali canon and the Mahabharata‘s Draupadi.

In a conversation with The Island, Selvadurai shares insights into his creative process, the challenges of historical fiction, and the thematic depth of his latest work.

Excerpts of the Interview

Q: What inspired you to retell Yasodhara’s story from a feminist perspective?

A: Well, I didn’t think of it as a feminist perspective because certainly in Yasodhara’s time feminism would not have existed. So to have done it from a feminist perspective would have been an anachronism. What I was more interested in was trying to replicate the women that you find in the Pali canon who are very strong and are very smart too and have strong volition. You know, the ability to act is always there and then of course there is also Draupadi, the great heroine of the Mahabharata. So those are more my examples of what I wanted to do than approach her through a Western feminist point of view.

Q: How did you approach the balance between historical accuracy and creative license in the novel?

A: Well, always in order to create a period especially that’s so far back like 600 BCE, you are not going to get all the details. So you take what you can find and a lot of scholars have actually compiled the data from the Jataka stories and whatever, and so it’s there for you to look at. But then you make a leap of imagination too. So there’s a lot of going back and forth. I mean in the end, you have to feel like you’re there, right there present with Yasodhara. So in order to do that, there has to be some sort of creative license there. Also, we don’t really know that much about the lives of these people because the Pali canon is not really that interested in them pre-enlightenment. What they’re interested in is these people post-enlightenment. And also, as I say in my introduction, there are many fictional accounts of Yasodhara and Siddhartha’s life that are now taken to be fact.

Q: What challenges did you face in exploring the emotional and spiritual journey of Yasodhara?

A: I mean, I can’t think of any specific challenges because writing in itself is a challenge. You know this thing you have to do as a novelist which is immerse yourself in the world that you’re trying to create and in the character who’s the protagonist. That takes a lot of, frankly, emotional and spiritual exhaustion, especially for such a big novel.

Q: How does the cultural and religious context at the time influence the narrative?

A: What influences the structure of the narrative is more the Buddhist stories and the way in which they employ narrative tropes as a means to convey Buddhist concepts or as I like to think about them, Buddhist psychology. What I’m particularly interested in exploring through Mansions of the Moon and particularly through Yasodhara is the idea of moha, which is delusion—the idea that we are going to arrive at a place in our lives where everything is going to be absolutely perfect, but that’s wrong. Such a place does not exist. Such a utopia does not exist. And so we put ourselves through an enormous amount of stress, sadness, grief, and greed in order to achieve something that is illusory. That was what I was very interested in exploring through Yasodhara’s point of view.

Q: Did you discover anything surprising about Gautama Buddha or his family during your research?

A: No, I didn’t. What I found was in the Pali Canon, and perhaps I was a bit surprised to find out that the more common story of Prince Siddhartha not knowing that people got old, sick, or died until he was 29 was a comparatively recent invention. But it’s a great invention because, as I said, what really attracts me is this idea of how Buddhist narratives convey Buddhist concepts and psychology. In that sense, it’s a really elegant story.

Q: How does this novel connect to themes in your previous work?

A: It kind of doesn’t really. I mean it looks at social justice to some extent through the points of view of women and it examines injustices based on class, but really it’s just a different novel.

Q: What message do you hope readers take away from this retelling?

A: I don’t usually write with a message in mind. I write to tell a story and to invite readers into that story. I’ve already talked about moha and exploring it through Yasodhara’s journey, but other than that, I don’t like books that have a heavy message.

Q: Do you have any plans for upcoming novels or projects?

A: No, I never share what I’m working on until it’s done.

Q: Are there other historical or religious figures you are interested in exploring through fiction?

A: No, not at the moment.

Q: Which novels or pieces of literature have had the greatest influence on your writing?

A: There is no particular novel or piece of literature that has influenced me more than any other. When I conceive a novel, I look for a “mentor” writer who has tackled a similar area. For Mansions of the Moon, it was Mary Renault, who wrote extraordinary novels about ancient Greece with very little historical information available.

Q: Do you have a favourite book or author you revisit often?

A: No.

Q: What advice would you give aspiring writers, especially those exploring historical fiction?

A: Do your research to the point where you can create a credible world, then ignore it and write. Too much focus on historical details can bog down the plot and make the story pedantic. Keep the plot moving.

How do you see your work evolving over the next few years?

I have no idea. I just go from book to book. I always want to take on new writing adventures and explore different genres. Currently, I’m working on a young adult fantasy novel with strong Buddhist themes and South Asian folklore.

Are there any genres or themes you haven’t explored yet but would like to?

Not at the moment. Who knows what the future will bring?

What do you enjoy reading in your free time?

I read a lot—sometimes a novel a week. I read both for pleasure and to help with my writing. My reading choices are often guided by recommendations from other writers.

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Features

Maduro abduction marks dangerous aggravation of ‘world disorder’

Published

21 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Venezuelan President Maduro being taken to a court in New York

The abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US special forces on January 3rd and his coercive conveying to the US to stand trial over a number of allegations leveled against him by the Trump administration marks a dangerous degeneration of prevailing ‘world disorder’. While some cardinal principles in International Law have been blatantly violated by the US in the course of the operation the fallout for the world from the exceptionally sensational VVIP abduction could be grave.

Although controversial US military interventions the world over are not ‘news’ any longer, the abduction and hustling away of a head of government, seen as an enemy of the US, to stand trial on the latter soil amounts to a heavy-handed and arrogant rejection of the foundational principles of international law and order. It would seem, for instance, that the concept of national sovereignty is no longer applicable to the way in which the world’s foremost powers relate to the rest of the international community. Might is indeed right for the likes of the US and the Trump administration in particular is adamant in driving this point home to the world.

Chief spokesmen for the Trump administration have been at pains to point out that the abduction is not at variance with national security related provisions of the US Constitution. These provisions apparently bestow on the US President wide powers to protect US security and stability through courses of action that are seen as essential to further these ends but the fact is that International Law has been brazenly violated in the process in the Venezuelan case.

To be sure, this is not the first occasion on which a head of government has been abducted by US special forces in post-World War Two times and made to stand trial in the US, since such a development occurred in Panama in 1989, but the consequences for the world could be doubly grave as a result of such actions, considering the mounting ‘disorder’ confronting the world community.

Those sections opposed to the Maduro abduction in the US would do well to from now on seek ways of reconciling national security-related provisions in the US Constitution with the country’s wider international commitment to uphold international peace and law and order. No ambiguities could be permitted on this score.

While the arbitrary military action undertaken by the US to further its narrow interests at whatever cost calls for criticism, it would be only fair to point out that the US is not the only big power which has thus dangerously eroded the authority of International Law in recent times. Russia, for example, did just that when it violated the sovereignty of Ukraine by invading it two or more years ago on some nebulous, unconvincing grounds. Consequently, the Ukraine crisis too poses a grave threat to international peace.

It is relevant to mention in this connection that authoritarian rulers who hope to rule their countries in perpetuity as it were, usually end up, sooner rather than later, being a blight on their people. This is on account of the fact that they prove a major obstacle to the implementation of the democratic process which alone holds out the promise of the progressive empowerment of the people, whereas authoritarian rulers prefer to rule with an iron fist with a fixation about self-empowerment.

Nevertheless, regime-change, wherever it may occur, is a matter for the public concerned. In a functional democracy, it is the people, and the people only, who ‘make or break’ governments. From this viewpoint, Russia and Venezuela are most lacking. But externally induced, militarily mediated change is a gross abnormality in the world of democracy, which deserves decrying.

By way of damage control, the US could take the initiative to ensure that the democratic process, read as the full empowerment of ordinary people, takes hold in Venezuela. In this manner the US could help in stemming some of the destructive fallout from its abduction operation. Any attempts by the US to take possession of the national wealth of Venezuela at this juncture are bound to earn for it the condemnation of democratic opinion the world over.

Likewise, the US needs to exert all its influence to ensure that the rights of ordinary Ukrainians are protected. It will need to ensure this while exploring ways of stopping further incursions into Ukrainian territory by Russia’s invading forces. It will need to do this in collaboration with the EU which is putting its best foot forward to end the Ukraine blood-letting.

Meanwhile, the repercussions that the Maduro abduction could have on the global South would need to be watched with some concern by the international community. Here too the EU could prove a positive influence since it is doubtful whether the UN would be enabled by the big powers to carry out the responsibilities that devolve on it with the required effectiveness.

What needs to be specifically watched is the ‘copycat effect’ that could manifest among those less democratically inclined Southern rulers who would be inspired by the Trump administration to take the law into their hands, so to speak, and act with callous disregard for the sovereign rights of their smaller and more vulnerable neighbours.

Democratic opinion the world over would need to think of systems of checks and balances that could contain such power abuse by Southern autocratic rulers in particular. The UN and democracy-supportive organizations, such as the EU, could prove suitable partners in these efforts.

All in all it is international lawlessness that needs managing effectively from now on. If President Trump carries out his threat to over-run other countries as well in the manner in which he ran rough-shod over Venezuela, there is unlikely to remain even a semblance of international order, considering that anarchy would be receiving a strong fillip from the US, ‘The World’s Mightiest Democracy’.

What is also of note is that identity politics in particularly the South would be unprecedentedly energized. The narrative that ‘the Great Satan’ is running amok would win considerable validity among the theocracies of the Middle East and set the stage for a resurgence of religious fanaticism and invigorated armed resistance to the US. The Trump administration needs to stop in its tracks and weigh the pros and cons of its current foreign policy initiatives.

Features

Pure Christmas magic and joy at British School

Published

21 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Students of The British High School in Colombo in action at the fashion show

The British School in Colombo (BSC) hosted its Annual Christmas Carnival 2025, ‘Gingerbread Wonderland’, which was a huge success, with the students themseles in the spotlight, managing stalls and volunteering.

The event, organised by the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), featured a variety of activities, including: Games and rides for all ages, Food stalls offering delicious treats, Drinks and refreshments, Trade booths showcasing local products, and Live music and entertainment.

The carnival was held at the school premises, providing a fun and festive atmosphere for students, parents, and the community to enjoy.

The halls of the BSC were filled with pure Christmas magic and joy with the students and the staff putting on a tremendous display.

Among the highlights was the dazzling fashion show with the students doing the needful, and they were very impressive.

The students themselves were eagerly looking forward to displaying their modelling technique and, I’m told, they enjoyed the moment they had to step on the ramp.

The event supported communities affected by the recent floods, with surplus proceeds going to flood-relief efforts.

Features

Glowing younger looking skin

Published

21 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Hi! This week I’m giving you some beauty tips so that you could look forward to enjoying 2026 with a glowing younger looking skin.

Face wash for natural beauty

* Avocado:

Take the pulp, make a paste of it and apply on your face. Leave it on for five minutes and then wash it with normal water.

* Cucumber:

Just rub some cucumber slices on your face for 02-03 minutes to cleanse the oil naturally. Wash off with plain water.

* Buttermilk:

Apply all over your face and leave it to dry, then wash it with normal water (works for mixed to oily skin).

Face scrub for natural beauty

Take 01-02 strawberries, 02 pieces of kiwis or 02 cubes of watermelons. Mash any single fruit and apply on your face. Then massage or scrub it slowly for at least 3-5 minutes in circular motions. Then wash it thoroughly with normal or cold water. You can make use of different fruits during different seasons, and see what suits you best! Follow with a natural face mask.

Face Masks

* Papaya and Honey:

Take two pieces of papaya (peeled) and mash them to make a paste. Apply evenly on your face and leave it for 30 minutes and then wash it with cold water.

Papaya is just not a fruit but one of the best natural remedies for good health and glowing younger looking skin. It also helps in reducing pimples and scars. You can also add honey (optional) to the mixture which helps massage and makes your skin glow.

* Banana:

Put a few slices of banana, 01 teaspoon of honey (optional), in a bowl, and mash them nicely. Apply on your face, and massage it gently all over the face for at least 05 minutes. Then wash it off with normal water. For an instant glow on your face, this facemask is a great idea to try!

* Carrot:

Make a paste using 01 carrot (steamed) by mixing it with milk or honey and apply on your face and neck evenly. Let it dry for 15-20 minutes and then wash it with cold water. Carrots work really well for your skin as they have many vitamins and minerals, which give instant shine and younger-looking skin.