Inspired by author J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, a visually challenged 18-year-old from a farmer's family in Gokavaram of East Godavari district, has spent seven years of his life writing Pharaoh and the King, a story based on Indian and Egyptian mythology.

Viswanath Venkat Dasari, a second year student of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies, Nuziveedu, suffers from Nystagmus and Photophobia — his eyes cannot focus clearly on any object for more than a second.

Inspired

Ever since Ms. Rowling's 5 edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix hit the stores, Venkat began to weave a tale around the mythological stories he had heard during his childhood from his mother Satya, father Radhakrishna and grandfather, J. Harinath Babu.

As Telugu had been his medium of instruction, he took the help of his English teacher, K.V. Buchibapanna, and others, for proof-reading and corrections. He initially wrote by hand, and later, started using MAGIc, a screen-enlargement software, given to him by the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, and began keying the story of Pharoah and the King.

Multiple themes

The 276-page book, set in the backdrop of Delhi, London, Cairo and Giza, tells the story of a man who saves the world from evil. It takes the reader back in time to an ancient civilisation full of mystery, adventure, menace, righteousness, the supernatural and occult culture. The story revolves around a mystical being, Vivékadeva, who is set up against a villain who robs ancient treasures from around the world and wants to misuse Cosmic energy drawn from the Pyramids.

Victorious hero

The hero has been an atheist ever since he lost his beloved ones. But his experiences take him on the path of self-realisation. The bad guy tries to deceive the hero, giving him the hope that he can find his beloved ones if he will help him in his quest for spiritual riches. But, with the help of a younger brother, the villain is defied and Vivékadeva saves the world.

Venkat took help from his younger sister, Sija, in writing the script.

The book was published by AuthorHouse, U.K. Priced at $19.95, the book was released in the United States and the United Kingdom.