White Mughals

Book : White Mughals
Author : William Dalrymple
Other Books by Author : 
01. In Xanadu : A Quest
02. City of Djinns
03. The Age of Kali
04. From the Holy Mountain
05. Intrepid Arabia
06. The Last Mughal (Review available)
07. Edge of Faith
08. Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India
09. Tacticks: Scholars Choice Edition
10. World Monuments

About the Book: This is the romantic and ultimately tragic tale of a passionate love affair of James Achilles Kirkpatrick and Khair-un-Nissa. He was the British Resident at the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad and she was the great-niece of the Nizam's Prime Minister and a descendant of the Prophet. Kirkpatrick, while on Indian duty, fell in love with Khair and overcame many obstacles to marry her—but she was locked away in purdah and engaged to a local nobleman. Eventually, while remaining Resident, Kirkpatrick converted to Islam. A true and captivating story.

Here we discover a world almost entirely unexplored by history, where Britishers acquired Mughal religion, culture and preferred to settle amongst Indians. 

This book is the product of five years' writing and extensive research. It involves secret assignments, court drama, harem politics, religious and family disputes, then society. On another level, the story is about trade, military and political dealings. Author has researched through letters, diaries, reports, and dispatches to England. Out of these sources he draws a fascinating picture. He talks about the racist attitude of the British ruling class towards mixed race off springs. The 'white Mughals' who wore local dress and adopted Indian ways were a source of embarrassments to successive colonial administrations. 

My Take: In the background of an unusual love story, we find a new perspective to the British Raj. How young boys were sent in the British Army and how the Mughal grandeur attracted them. For me a book to cherish.