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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
I had extremely high expectations from “Daughters of the Sun”, and found it slightly underwhelming. I have heard Ira Mukhoty speak, especially on Akbar’s mother, and perhaps what I expected was the definitive Mughal “Her-story”. What I got instead was a retelling of 200 years of Mughal history which didn’t overlook the royal women like normal history books do.
The expectation mismatch was one of perspective. Like every other book on the period, this too spoke of how Humayun went into exile in the mountains of Afghanistan accompanied by his haram. What I wanted to read, instead, was that the haram accompanied Humayun in his exile, and how they reacted to it. Similarly, I would have liked to hear about the Battle of Chausa from the perspective of Humayun’s wife, Bega Begum, who witnessed the rout and spent a few days in Sher Shah Suri’s captivity before being returned to her husband.
I also subconsciously expected something that fictionalised history to make it more accessible to readers- a story of the people, rather than just the flow of history. This was not that book- this is a purely historical account of the Mughal reign.
Having said that, Ira Mukhoty has done a fabulous job of tracing the evolving consciousness of the Mughal women. From the fiery and independent women who roamed the vales and hills with the rest of the camp, to the growing “Rajastani culture” of women staying behind veils, to the women who chose to leave their mark on history with their buildings and their books.
Though a lot has been written about Jahanara, her sister Roshanara is often relegated to a walk-on part. This is the first time, I was forced to look at Roshanara with empathy- of how she lived her entire life in the shadow of her older sister, and of how despite being loyal to Aurangzeb, he continued to hold Jahanara in highest regard.
Though I was personally a little let down by the book, I still give it 5 stars, because I cannot hold the book hostage to my own expectations.
It is beautifully written- some of the passages are so lyrical, you go back to them just to feel the words wash over you. It is well researched and presented in a manner that makes you feel you are witnessing events as they unfold. It presents 200 years of history in an accessible manner, quite different from the litany of dates and names that we are used to.
And I do hope that someday, Ira Mukhoty writes another book on 200 years of Mughal history told through the perspective of the nine Padshah Begums.
The expectation mismatch was one of perspective. Like every other book on the period, this too spoke of how Humayun went into exile in the mountains of Afghanistan accompanied by his haram. What I wanted to read, instead, was that the haram accompanied Humayun in his exile, and how they reacted to it. Similarly, I would have liked to hear about the Battle of Chausa from the perspective of Humayun’s wife, Bega Begum, who witnessed the rout and spent a few days in Sher Shah Suri’s captivity before being returned to her husband.
I also subconsciously expected something that fictionalised history to make it more accessible to readers- a story of the people, rather than just the flow of history. This was not that book- this is a purely historical account of the Mughal reign.
Having said that, Ira Mukhoty has done a fabulous job of tracing the evolving consciousness of the Mughal women. From the fiery and independent women who roamed the vales and hills with the rest of the camp, to the growing “Rajastani culture” of women staying behind veils, to the women who chose to leave their mark on history with their buildings and their books.
Though a lot has been written about Jahanara, her sister Roshanara is often relegated to a walk-on part. This is the first time, I was forced to look at Roshanara with empathy- of how she lived her entire life in the shadow of her older sister, and of how despite being loyal to Aurangzeb, he continued to hold Jahanara in highest regard.
Though I was personally a little let down by the book, I still give it 5 stars, because I cannot hold the book hostage to my own expectations.
It is beautifully written- some of the passages are so lyrical, you go back to them just to feel the words wash over you. It is well researched and presented in a manner that makes you feel you are witnessing events as they unfold. It presents 200 years of history in an accessible manner, quite different from the litany of dates and names that we are used to.
And I do hope that someday, Ira Mukhoty writes another book on 200 years of Mughal history told through the perspective of the nine Padshah Begums.
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
fast-paced
A wonderful book about the excesses and the opulence of one of the most magnificent empires the world will ever bear witness to. And to understand this great time through the eyes of the women of the day was truly a novel experience. I was personally astonished by the influence some of the women had and more surprising was the fact that a good number of them were not even from the royal family.
But alas, all things must come to an end I guess. The most poignant line of the book revealing how far the fortunes of the empire and of its women had fallen is perfectly captured by the author Ira Mukhotz as she writes, " What remains is not even a shadow. It is the regret that is felt on waking from a dream".
But alas, all things must come to an end I guess. The most poignant line of the book revealing how far the fortunes of the empire and of its women had fallen is perfectly captured by the author Ira Mukhotz as she writes, " What remains is not even a shadow. It is the regret that is felt on waking from a dream".
informative
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
informative
reflective
slow-paced