Author : Kiran Nagarkar
Award for this Book : Sahitya Academy Award
Other books by Author:
1. Ravan and Eddie
2. Extras : *ing Ravan & Eddie
3. God’s Little Soldiers
4. Seven Sixes are Forty –Three
5. Bombay
6. Black Tulip and Bed Time Story: A Play
About the Book: A Historical Fiction set in the early 16th Century of Rajput kingdom of Mewar, India. According to the author, he had started with a fiction but to put some geographical accuracy in his story, he started his research and ended in this beautiful life story of a fictional character Maharaj Kumar. This character is based on the real life ruler Bhojraj Singh, son of famous Rajput king Rana Sangram Singh or Rana Sanga. The character of his wife, who is known as Little Saint in this story is based on and resembles the wife of Bhojraj, Mira Bai.
The book is written from the perspective of the narrator, i.e., Maharaj Kumar himself. Here Little Saint is shown having jealousy for her husband's second wife and behaving in childish manners many a times. But in Indian history Mira Bai was considered as one of the pillars of the Bhakti Movement in India and many legends are attached to her, making her Divine. She was a devotee of Lord Krishna and there are little known facts about her.
In the Book, The History is depicted beautifully.
Rajput kingdoms, the internal politics of the Palaces, power of moneylenders in small Rajput kingdoms of that time, values and honours of Rajputs, Hindu Muslim disturbances, attackes of Mughals and battles, the Society of that time and the fight of a Crown Prince for his right, his sacrifices, his love for his wife; who considered Lord Krishna her husband, the struggle of the prince to change the old habits and values of Rajputs in battlefield. His calling himself a cuckold in spite of his courage and thus this title of book.
My Take: While took the book in my hands, I thought it to be a fiction set in Rajput Kingdom. I don't like a fiction which seems like real and plays with the historical facts. But when started reading it, I came to know about the research gone in writing the book. And how I learnt some more reading about Rajputs and their history. Mesmerizing and captivating novel.
