Maharaja in Denims, a historical fiction, is an intriguing narrative of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, commonly known as the Lion of Punjab, through the eyes of a teenager named Hari, who believes he is a reincarnation of the maharaja. When Suzanne, Hari's girlfriend, attempts to decode Hari's past life through the practice of regression, as she is shocked to discover that Hari has had more than one tumultuous past lives. This changes both their lives forever. High on emotion, drama, politics and sex, the novel provides an insight into the history of Punjab and the tragic after-effects of the assassination of the former prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi. Interwoven throughout the unfolding of Hari and Suzanne's present-day story, are vignettes of Ranjit Singh's life and loves, valor and conquests. There is an astonishing revelation at the end, which is set in the future and yet, has a deep historical resonance.
Khushwant Singh is a renowned author with master craftsmanship in writing biographies and historical fiction. Three of his books, The Turbaned Tornado biography of oldest marathon runner Fauja Singh, Maharaja in Denims and The Opium Toffee, are being adapted into cinematic experiences, making him one of the fascinating contemporary authors of India. His biography of erstwhile royal and former Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh set new standards in writing biographies of Indian political giants.
Fearless, creative and suave, Khushwant Singh has worn many hats, including a journalist, columnist, TV host, editor and farmer. He is currently the State Information Commissioner, Punjab making him a unique blend of top administrative experience and creativity.
Starting off with a bow, this review is in the memory of the late author, Khushwant Singh, one of the most controversial as well as the greatest author of all times.
Maharaja in Denims, yes it’s quite a quirky title. The whole story revolves around Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the last ruler of Punjab, widely known as The Lion of Punjab as well as his son, Duleep Singh. The life and times of the Maharaja was represented to us in form of a young teenaged, posh Punjabi boy, Hari, who is the reincarnation of the Maharaja. Well psychologically speaking, it’s all about past life regression.
So many socio-political issues were brought up in this book, the political dogmas, Indira Gandhi's death followed by Hindu-Sikh blood bath, aftermath of 9/11 terrorist attack, and also the 26th November Mumbai terror attacks.
Yeah this book is kind of an eye-opener. The best thing about the book is that Khushwant Singh has mentioned about the deadly effects of Punjabi brain-drain and what will happen if employment opportunities are not restored in Punjab. Lots of information about a lot of political and historical events of our country, especially Punjab, Lahore and a little bit about Kashmir. Indeed, he has made this book in tribute to his Sikh brothers and sisters all over the world.
Well the surprise of the book is that it’s actually a very heart breaking love-story about Hari and his girlfriend Suzzane, which is definitely the USP of the book. This book is going to leave you teary eyed.
Well then in memory of Khushwant Singh, I do recommend this amazing book to everybody, because after reading this I realized one thing that Khushwant Singh's death is no doubt a great loss to the literary world of our country, India.
How would I rate the earlier Khushwant Singh? I would place him with greats like Manto and Rumi. How would I rate this Khushwant Singh? He knows how to hold a crowd's attention but is only average at telling the story. He can be placed in the same category as Chetan Bhagat. Make no mistake about it, this is not a literary masterpiece. In parts, the book doesn't even make much sense but, you still cannot put it down. The book starts with a love-making scene and the book seems to glorify promiscuity and silently endorses sexism. I would have called it liberal if the promiscuity was balanced but, while the male, Hari is shown to be aggressive and lustful gloriously, the female- Suzanne is completely devoted and admires the male chauvinism. It was slightly disturbing for me until I realized that the author is just presenting Maharaja Ranjit Singh with his flaws and not making any statements. The book does have an unapologetic Punjabi air about it which gets nauseating after a while.
I am not opposing the regional or religious pride of Punjabis. I think it is great that we have a group of people who are known for doing things wholeheartedly or not at all. I just think that it could have been given some variations. The stereotypes are too rigid and the book is laced with alcohol, sleaze, fast cars and pomp.
The book also deviates from its main plot to cover more history like Anti Sikh riots and the partition riots. It seems like the author had strong views about some events in history and instead of writing a newspaper column, he wrote a fictional book on it to reach a wider audience. In the process, he didn't care much about the art of story-telling. Parts of the book seem hurried but just because the book has so many interesting premises, I was able to finish it in one sitting. Also the fact that the book is less than 200 pages long helped.
The parts about past life regression are slightly unbelievable. Not because they are unscientific but because of the abundance of cliches and predictability. The book stands tall on its content but fails when it comes to story-weaving. Also, the description of Hari- the teenager as a sleazeball and Suzanne as a devoted lover for no apparent reason- is slightly off-putting. I think the Maharaja deserved a better eulogy than this. It's a treat for the restless readers though- interesting bits from history in a capsule, plus sex.
The language is simple and lucid. Nothing will make you pause and ponder. Hence the reading speed. The cover art is intriguing. It is one of the good things about the book. There is an unnecessary suspense built around the fact whether Hari is really Maharaja Ranjit Singhji's reincarnation or not. You are almost confused why the author wanted you to be confused about Hari's genuineness.
First things first… the first two things that I liked about this book… the title and the cover design. The title of the book, Maharaja in Denims, is simply apt and the cover design is absolutely gorgeous and compliments the title completely.
Maharaja in Denims is a historical fiction with a novel story line. Hari, a 19 year old college student suddenly discovers that he is a reincarnation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Lion of Punjab and the founder of the Sikh Empire. He gets flashes of information about the life and times of the Sikh ruler without ever knowing anything about him. His girlfriend, Suzanne who is a student of Psychology helps him recover memories of his past life or reincarnations through regression technique.
Maharaja in Denims connects the past and the present with the story of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s life, loves, rule, battles and times along with the current love story of Hari.
The book deals with a lot of insights on the culture, lifestyle, people, trends, traditions and issues of Punjab. Being a Punjabi, I could relate to all that and simply enjoyed the dialogues in Punjabi (No, they are not too many and of course, they are translated in English too). It brings to the fore the increasing trend of Sikhs with shorn hair (cut-surds), affluent kids with SUVs and expensive motorbikes, the skewed male-female ratio in the state, preference of weekend get-aways in Himachal, dollar dreams of the youth, UK-based second generation NRIs, deaths of farmers due to pesticides, drug addiction along with the killing of the Sikhs after Indira Gandhi’s assassination, the politics of votes and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
The language is impeccable and the narrative is smooth. Though I think that the historical reference of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was a bit too much and Hari’s future life progression somehow appeared unrealistic.
The climax of the book came with an unexpected twist which is tinged with tragedy and was also a bit dramatic. But guess, that is needed to make the book ‘work’.
Maharaja in Denims’ by Khushwant Singh, the cover perfectly supports the content of the book. The way this book has been presented to its readers, it surely grabs the spot light. After reading the blurb I can very easily say that this book has something very interesting to offer.
Let me start from the cover, a talwar holding boy wearing a denim jean under the gown of a Maharaja, perfectly reflects that the main protagonist Hari Sandhu is not just a rich guy but the reincarnation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The soothing yellow back ground with the combination of black makes this book an automatic choice for readers. A job well done by the cover designer, Wasim Helal.
After opening the book, the wonderful font and the quality of the paper will raise readers urge to read the book. The book surprisingly starts with a love-making scene and from the very first page of the book, it starts to become interesting. The story unfolds around Hari, when he started blabbering about the sher-e-punjab Ranjit Singh in the history class, even on his first date with the psychology student Suzanne. The writer has very efficiently distributed the chapters in such a way that any reader can’t suppress the immediate urge to read the next chapter.
It is the story of what how Hari’s and Suzanne’s life is turned when the images of his past life keeps coming and going in Hari’s mind at starts to lay more impact on their lives. At times, readers could find this book a bit stretched when the writer was describing the history of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, but this writer’s wonderful narrative style makes up for this. The very well described theories of reincarnation, acts as the cherry on the cake. The writer has chosen his words wisely, which added to the glamour of the book. The surprise elements and the unexpected end makes this book a must read for all book lovers. I would like to give it a 4 out of 5.
Maharaja in Denims is a strange book. It straddles history as well as the present in a story that blends time in a seamless cocktail. A cocktail of pride, violence and turbulence; a cocktail that brings Punjab to you with all its complexities.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh evokes awe and inspiration to the present generation of Sikhs (All else in India seem to have forgotten him); and 1984 evokes anger and sadness. The author weaves the story in an out of the two major milestones of Sikh history, all the while bringing to life the emotions and struggles of the protagonist.
Read this for increasing your world-view of Punjab and Punjabis; and read it foremost for enhancing your horizons, and for pondering if the world that we live in is indeed a continuum of time. And read it for an exciting and intriguing story that is gripping to the end.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh's reign has been very well described of. Tales of reincarnation is something the book boasts of! Its a must read for all those who love to read history! for a detailed review- please visit- http://vanyasnotebook.blogspot.in/201...
After such a long time read a really intriguing book by an Indian author, was just hoping it to be better than books by chetan bhagat. it was wayyyy better , loved it how it unfolded in the end Cheers for good writing Mr Khushwant Singh
The title is as catchy as the blurb and if you are into fast reads with an interesting and new storyline this one is highly recommend.
Hari comes from a classic rich Punjabi family, yeah, all that "extra dollops of ghee and at least five SUVs parked outside a mansion fit for a Prince" type of family, his father is a landlord the loud boisterous Punjabis' with their overflowing hearts of gold. And quite recently Hari has been seeing flashes of his past life; he calls out the names of women he doesn't know during classes. And then Suzanne walks into his life just when he broke up with his girlfriend after he called out a woman's name (while they were making love) which was not his girlfriend's name...😂🤣😂😂 just imagine the poor guy's face, how'd he have felt, he didn't even know anyone with that name and got a slap instead of kisses😂
The next few chapters are more involved with Hari wooing Suzanne, "the modern steamy teenage romance😍💕💌💬💝", not knowing that she is his ex-girlfriend's bestfriend. I love the melodrama🤭
Little by little the story unfolds, the flashes of his past life are getting more frequent, Hari describes his dreams to Suzanne. She is head over heels in love with him and has decided to help him and because she is studying psychology.
What's most important?! Well that would be the parts where Maharaja Ranjit Singh overpowers Hari's mind, and the author narrates the tales that run way back in time. The vivid descriptions of the life he led, and lesser known facts about him, the impressively well-stocked harem; it is a very well researched book.
The narrative is lucid and gripping along with dashes of choicest Punjabi and Hindi proverbs and cusswords😂, a few chapters in and I was totally hooked, I stayed up reading this even though I had an exam the next day😅
*************REVIEW******************* Title : Maharaja in Denims Author: Khushwant Singh Pages: 184 Language: English Publisher: Manjul Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. ********************************** Maharaja in Denims, a historical fiction, is an intriguing narrative of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, commonly known as the Lion of Punjab, through the eyes of a teenager named Hari, who believes he is a reincarnation of the Maharaja. When Suzanne, Hari's girlfriend, attempts to decode Hari's past life through the practice of regression, as she is shocked to discover that Hari has had more than one tumultuous past lives. Interwoven throughout the unfolding of Hari and Suzanne's present-day story, are vignettes of Ranjit Singh's life and loves, valor and conquests. There is an astonishing revelation at the end, which is set in the future and yet, has a deep historical resonance. * It's a very racy read of reincarnations, the story juggling from past to present to future again. It covers many political history with interesting twists. A must read if you are into rebirths. If not, then too its a nice story written by the literary @ertblog
The novel starts with the ever exciting life of a rich lad in Chandigarh (a text book example of the Kaka culture in Punjab). The journey takes us to and fro through antiquity and modern times in the form of the protagonist's dreamy flashbacks. The minute details of the Maharaja's lifestyle, his thought process, political acumen and fashion of running the mighty kingdom of Punjab have been deftly put forth by the author. I loved how he has shed light on the historical struggles of Punjab and Delhi Sikh Pogrom of October 1984. I was moved when the protagonist gets emotional after seeing the belongings of Sher-e-Punjab at a museum in London and feels devastated in Thetford (place that holds the remnants of Maharaja Duleep Singh.) I am glad that an informal bibliography has been given at the end, which makes me proud to see that the Lion of Punjab left a big impression on the western world. Over all a very nice read, but I got bored after reading 30% of the monograph and struggled through to reach 50% of the script, from here on the pace picks up and its a page turner till the end.
I picked up Maharaja in Denims after hearing that Twenty21 Studios and Intelliflicks Studios are co-producing one of the first AI-generated feature films based on it. Naturally, the buzz pulled me in.
The story follows Hari, a Chandigarh teen who believes he is the reincarnation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and also recalls memories of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. This mix of past life regression, history, and politics makes for an unusual premise. The book ambitiously weaves in events like 9/11, 26/11, and Punjab’s legacy, but the execution often feels rushed.
Too much lust, scattered history, and uneven pacing dilute the impact, though Singh’s effort to reimagine Ranjit Singh in today’s times is worth noting. The twist at the end surprises but doesn’t fully satisfy.
Overall, it’s a quick read—more intriguing for its premise than for polished storytelling.
"All mortals have to die, but whether it was a life well lived is what mattered."
Can anyone portray the Partition of India better than Khushwant Singh! I think not! His perfect pitch switching between ancient and modern Punjab and India, snippets from history all weaved into the rich heritage, bravery and pride of Punjab is a winning combination. What more can one ask for! A must read!
Pros: Amazing, awesome, excellent book - I totally loved it and the ending is the raison 'd etre on an otherwise great book. Cons: pedestrian level of English A few mistakes in word usage here or there.
Seldom, I have come across a book which I don’t feel like keeping aside. If a book holds my interest then a door bell is as annoying as the whistle of my pressure cooker.
This book is a tale of contemporary love blended with the life and times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The whole idea is executed with a twist, and that is Past Life Regression.
This book is an eye opener to the disturbing history of Punjab. As the writer is a journalist, and a successful large farm owner from Punjab, he has closely observed the life and youth of Punjab. Through this book he gives a message to the youth, that they should study, work hard and do something in their life, instead of being the puppets to the political devils of their state.. He has also talked about the political dogmas of Punjab, and has interwoven it with the life of the protagonist Hari.
Cover to Cover
The plot is interesting and the writer has used a smart way to introduce us to the lion of Punjab. He has aroused the curiosity by crisscrossing the libido of Maharaja Ranjit Singh with the testosterones of today’s youth and the protagonist Hari.
Interwoven throughout the unfolding of Hari and Suzanne’s present day story are vignettes of Ranjit Singh’s life and loves, valour and conquests. When Suzanne helps Hari uncover the secrets of his past life, they stumble upon people and incidents that link the present day to the turbulent and disturbing history of Punjab.
The protagonist Hari Singh Sandhu belongs to a well off family of Chandigarh. He is an aimless teenager, drives a high end SUV, and to him school text books act as a safety cover for porn magazines. But, something was different about Hari. Scenes would flash in his mind, seemingly from another life, of some king's existence. In a history class he comes to know that he is getting flashes of none other than Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He shares this with his girl friend Suzanne, who is studying psychology, and has deep interest in PLR. She manages to convince Hari for going through Past Life Regression. From here the story picks up speed.
The writer in few lines explains beautifully about PLR, and how effortlessly he connects Hari’s past with Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 84 riots, and 26/11 terror attack. In short, Hari has multiple past which makes this story all the more interesting for the readers.
The character of both the teenager Hari and Suzanne is well defined. Suzanne, who is college girl, falls for Hari, partially because he is rich, and partially because he is 'The Man' in bed as per her best friend.
The usage of Punjabi dialogues makes the narration very catchy. Finally, Cheers!! To Wasim Helal.. He made the crooked legs of Ranjit Singh shine in style in Jeans. The wise choice of yellow color in the background, the sword and the shawl adds to the whole catchy effect of the cover.
What it has in store?
It is a tale of love, intrigue and passion! It is for sure bold, racy and a reader doesn’t want to sleep over the book without knowing the end.
Somehow though, so much of information is given about Maharaja Ranjit Singh's life that a reader who doesn’t like history will get bored. But if history is your thing then lucid narration makes it easy for a reader to move on.
This book is a 100 meters dash with a message which is meant for Punjab, but overall it is meant for the youth of our country. The author emphasizes the fact that our ignorance and neglect of our ability gives rise to the political dogmas and exploitative politicians.
I wonder if the book will appeal similarly to all or especially to these with links to Punjab. Until and unless, someone or their family has really passed through the blood drain of Punjab, or heard the stories, it is going to be difficult for them to relate to it and get the real meaning out of it.?
My heart always leapt in my throat when Hari went through PLR. I was much intrigued by Maharaja Ranjit Singh'S life and the concept of PLR that, I really wanted to know what happened in the end.
Overall the book is like a roller coaster ride, and the end surprised me, but at the same time it was finally disheartening. I found disconnect with the author’s vision. Keeping in mind the suspense of the story, I will not say a word about it, but end was written with the mindset of 1930’s.. In 2014, no girl will ever do what has been shown…
With a title as interesting as ‘Maharaja in Denims’, you would be tempted to go for the novel. After all, isn't curiosity a major factor that affects a reader’s decision in picking up a book? The cover pic complements the title well, illustrating a jeans clad Maharaja holding a sword. Based on the backdrop of the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who reincarnates in the form of Hari, a young college going teen, this book sure promises some adventures and urges the readers to opt for this historical fiction that takes place in modern world.
Past life regression is what takes the story forward. Hari often sees glimpses of his previous births, which points to the belief that he was Maharaja Ranjit Singh in one of his past lives, the founder of the Sikh empire. Suzanne, his girl-friend, decides to help him by delving deeper into the mysteries of his previous births, and takes the aid of past life regression therapy. However, after each session, the mystery deepens, and flashes of several past lives come knocking into their present, affecting them in ways more than one.
Along with Hari and Suzanne’s love story, the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh also unfolds, taking us on a tour of the country a couple of centuries back. Not only are his exploits and bravery documented, but his sexual adventures and lust too have been given prominence in this book. Somehow, the flirtatious nature of Hari and his desire to get up, close and personal with every girl he meets and finds attractive has been linked to this attribute of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Often, this hinders the flow and makes the plot drab at places, as the same sexual under currents keep appearing now and again, making it a tad bit monotonous.
The story is well researched and it shows in the snippets of information that the author has put through. The struggle and hardship faced by people, and specially the Sikhs, in times past and present, often leaves a deep impression on your mind. The state of Punjab itself has been portrayed as a major character in the story, and one navigates through the turmoil and disturbances that the city has often witnessed.
Hari is the protagonist in the piece. However, more than the characterization, the emphasis has been laid on the story and the plot development, which is a good thing. However, the author has tried to bring in too much of historical information in the book, which at times makes one feel as if they are coming straight from the school books. Perhaps, a bit of trimming would have made the story tighter and crisper.
Khushwant Singh attempts a genre that’s not easy to execute. Bringing history to light often needs a lot of reflection and visual imagery. The author does a pretty decent job in this front. However, I often felt that perhaps a better work could have been done with the book. As mentioned before, too much of sexual references and historical information stall the pace of the narrative, and better handling of these matters would have resulted in a tighter script.
Nevertheless, for all lovers of historical fiction, this book will serve its purpose in keeping them engaged. If you fall into this category, then you can surely pick up a copy and have a go.
I picked up this book on my travels, partly because of the fascinating cover and secondly the title was very catchy, loved the cover! Now it didn't disappoint at all as i finished reading it way before i landed to my destination(7 hrs flight), so it is that engaging! Maharaja in denims is surprisingly iconoclastic as much as an unputdownable read that challenges perceptions. However, The story centres around young and charming Hari, who has visuals of his past and future life memories and is believed to be the reincarnation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It represents Maharaja Ranjit Singh in its full glory-Decadent or chivalrous, full of colour and the most powerful king in India. It further introduces his girlfriend Suzanne, who helps him with his turgid past life regressions and how these sessions and bonding with suzanne takes Hari on a journey of self-exploration. As their lives weave together more tightly, the story takes us on emotional roller coaster ride- passion, love and trauma. Its a modern day fiction with historical narrative and urges one to read more on Maharaja Ranjit Singh! The author's voice in this book speak volumes, he has touched on some major issues and has thoroughly researched his story. The story is set in Chandigarh city, with its complicated social mores, parties, obsessions with class and money and full glamour! Its moves to England and then onto Mumbai. The end of the story was quite unexpected and a bit sad but i guess thats how the story unfolds. A triumphant, singular collection deserving of every accolade it has received. A great read so would highly recommend it!
The cover page is perfect. I really fell in love with it. The title is equally interesting and unique. And, the book blurb is brief and intriguing. The story begins with a bang, straight to the plot.
The narrative is simple and lucid. I liked the way in which the author has integrated history to the present. The idea of reincarnation is well-established in a very convincing manner. The past life regression sessions brings Goosebumps.
I also liked the climax. It is unexpected.
The story amazes us. It makes us wonder about the capacity of human mind. This plot re-emphasizes the well-known fact, mind is complex.
The characterization of Shamsher, Hari’s father, is very nice. He is not presented in a clichéd manner, Instead he is very progressive and respects the space of his teenage son.
As I always say, I really appreciate authors who take that extra pain to present a well-researched plot. Representing history from a legend’s point of view is not easy. And, the author has done that job in a commendable manner.
But... The book carries too much of lust and history. The overdose, at times, becomes unbearable. Although the twist in the end is interesting, it also makes us wonder about Hari and his character.
Should you read it? It is a little book which can help you kill some time… And it will also describe the plights and hardships of Sikhs…
ok i never new a new writer has poppedup with the same name ... until i got the book in my hand i never new that the book is from another fellow.
none the less.. highly mistaken that there are no books on raja ranjit singh. to the knowledge of the writer there is deep study done and lot of books are available for the said maharaja.
none the less the story of maharaj ranjit singh is not covered and some stupid 50rs novel story is mixed with some instances of Maharajas life. also, the even if it is to be a fictional fantasy not well written and clearly writer does not have a clue of what he is writing about. think about it one person hypnotised will not break up to his sane mind if you kick him crying to get up from sleep.. he is not sleeping he is hypnotised there is a difference.
writer has a drinking habit is the highlight of the books background about the writer..."Pathetic"
you are writer and what is being portrayed about you is drinking leterally shame on you that to on your own book..
if and option is available to get the money back i will be happy. utterly wasted a day in reading the book.
Maharaja in Denims- a book I won't have chosen to read (for having no interest in history) if a good friend won't have recommended. As I flipped the first page, I realised that this book can't bore me, in fact it kept the curiosity on throughout. The teenage lust turning love, the flamboyance of Chandigarh, the reincarnations, the contemporary history- the mumbai blast, the 1984 riots, The Maharaja's history, the rich punjabi culture, the extravagance, the show- offs, the regressions and progressions- everything is so beautifully articulated that it keeps the emotions and intrigues on. A middle class girl's desire for a rich boyfriend and a teenage boy's desire for a girlfriend as an object of display and lust, the expensive pubs and coffee shops as the place for dating, the confusions between love and betrayals and concurrently 'the story of the Maharaja'- the author so easily plunges the reader in the past and effortlessly brings back in the present. The wit, the pain, the love, the luxuria, the floridity, the past, the present and the future- everything embedded in a single book, certainly a worth read. I enjoyed reading it! Cheers
While scrolling through Flipkart and searching for a book in the scheme 'buy 4 or more and get 15% extra discount' I came across this book whose author is Khushwant Singh, I didn't even read the blurb as I was getting a huge discount that too on a book written by 'veteran' author Khushwant Singh (or so I thought).
I was under the impression that this book was written by the same author who wrote 'Train to Pakistan', 'Delhi', 'The portrait of a lady' and many more. But after reading the first line itself I realized what mistake I had made. This is a different Khushwant Singh (whose little info was given on back cover but excited I didn't even turn the book and look at the cover - my bad) But all in all this is a different author and not the one I thought.
But the book isn't that bad either (obviously I had great expectations from it because I thought the writer was different). This is a decent read. I definitely liked to know a little about Ranjit Singh, whose only name I knew before this read. This is a good one time read.
Very interesting cover and equally intriguing Title! Khushwant is brilliant in his treatment to the concept of past life regression. Weaving a tale that traverses over a 200 year period and providing glimpses into Maharaja Ranjit Singh era to the Punjab riots,he manages to keep the reader absolutely glued. It was on the F1 track from the word GO.. The contemporary writing style makes it a fast read that will go down well the young readers and for anyone who may have any strings attached to Chandigarh city.. its simply a MUST read!! One can associate and empathise all the way!! I will be curious to know the thought behind the name of the protagonist.. Hari Sandhu.. why not Harry, say? Will look forward to the next from Khushwant.. with some added literary maturity, maybe. Overall.. a GOOD READ!!
A King reincarnated, a teen traumatized and a young girl trying to be the medium between the two, that is just a synopsis of Khushwant Singh's first foray with the fictitious 'Maharaja in Denims'. The book shows Singh's command over biographies as he details Maharaja Ranjit Singh's lifestyle and conquests, both on and off the field. Humour finds its way in the most mundane of things like an educated Minister nudging the very intelligent but illiterate Maharaja to pronounce the name Bonaparte correctly, or the teen swinging between being his modern and reincarnates lifestyle. An emotional ride that leaves you feeling sad, subdued, and seething at all the horrors that Punjab has suffered. And, yet, you leave the book with a renewed hope. Kudos!
Am going to write here. Revealing the secrets of Maharaja. Maharaja travelled with me to far and nook of the Land of Rising Sun-The North-East India. to villages to town. Saw farmers of the land tilling the soil and shared the golden harvest. Maharaja danced along the festivals of the tribes. Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Baikho Raja of the Great Rabhas had fire-danced call Barnakey. Khokshi dance along the colours of the youthful tribes. the Rasong Sini Doroi loved the Maharaja in Denim. And lots to narrate about Maharaja here.... to be continued before the Sun is down on me. I love Maharaja in Denim....
A tale of love, hardship, emotions, passion, and much more. A book you wouldn't like to switch with other. Hari, reincarnation of Ranjit Singh, the lion of punjab(king) is a 19 year old boy who gets flashes of the past and the future. He witnesses all the wars, traditions, people, inequities in Punjab and nearby kingdoms. This book takes you through the history of Punjab to England. This young character's girlfriend wants to help Hari from having such flashes and does whatever she can do to help her boyfriend. When talking about the fun and interesting part in the story, the writer does no laziness in writing his beautiful vocab and clipping in humorous words.
The book is a very good read. A story which should be made into a movie. Maharaja in denims, very clearly portrays the present lot of youngsters who are least interested in history and politics, but encourages them to be so through this book. The punar janam concept used to depict the history of Ranjit Singh and his progeny, the pogrom of 1984 riots and a brief glimpse of what our future will look like in times to come if the things keep on going the way they presently are, makes the reader to pause and ponder and yes it leaves an impression on the mind. All in all, a book which is read in one go. The author deserves three cheers for the book.
Namesake of a legendary author, his book has a very unusual title. The cover and the interesting blurb are just about enough to draw you towards this book.
‘Maharaja in Denims’ is an atypical narrative which revolves around the history of Punjab and primarily the great warrior Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It is a gripping tale of how an ordinary affluent boy’s life changes when he realizes that he is a re-incarnation of the first Sikh Emperor and the ruler of Punjab.