Discourses of Power and Resistance in Amish Tripathi’s The Immortals of Meluha

Abstract

This paper examines The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi as a mythological retelling that interrogates the intersections of literature, politics, and power. It explores how political authority in the novel seeks stability through ideological control, presenting obedience as virtue and dissent as disorder while marginalizing alternative voices. Through myth-making, surveillance, and rigid social stratification, the Meluhan state sustains hegemonic dominance, revealing the mechanisms through which power legitimizes itself. The paper analyzes the text as a narrative space where authority and resistance are simultaneously constructed and contested, by humanizing Shiva as a leader shaped by ethical dilemmas and political responsibility rather than as an unquestioned deity, the novel challenges traditional notions of divinely sanctioned rule. Furthermore, marginalized communities, such as the Nagas and Vikarmas, serve as sites of resistance that expose the contradictions in Meluha’s claim to moral superiority. Ultimately, the study positions the novel as a critical cultural text that reflects contemporary concerns about authoritarian governance and moral accountability, arguing that true legitimacy arises from ethical responsibility and inclusive leadership rather than rigid systems of control.