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The Book of Indian Queens: Stories & Essays
The Book of Indian Queens brings together stories and essays by some of our finest writers and historians about some of the greatest women who ruled India. Mahasweta Devi writes about Rani Lakshmibai, Ruskin Bond tells the story of an enigmatic modern rani, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni narrates the poignant tale of the last great queen of Punjab, Rudrangshu Mukherjee describes Begum Hazrat Mahal’s role in the freedom struggle, Ira Mukhoty brings Razia Sultan to life, Manu S. Pillai chronicles the queens of Travancore, Ruby Lal provides insights into Nur Jahan, Abraham Eraly recounts the exploits of the queens of classical India, Gayatri Devi tells her own astonishing story, and Binodini and Archana Garodia Gupta relate stories of other remarkable queens from history.
120 pages, Hardcover
Published January 5, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 4, 2023
The Book of Indian Queens comprises of essays on some of the most fierce and relentless Indian Empresses. Written by renowned authors, it includes both fictional and real tales of these eccentric women. I was personally pleased to see Mr Bond’s chapter where he spins a tale of an old princess living all alone in a palace, who thinks her prince has turned into a snake. But a chapter from the famous Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni was mildly disappointing as she narrates how Rani Jindan contemplates her life at the time of her husband’s death because I was expecting something different. But my favourite of all was Manu Pillai’s chapter about the Maharanis of Travancore. This book is very small and can be finished in just one sitting but it does not pack a punch.
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it because I’m certain that there are better books available out there. But if you’re looking for something short then this may work for you.
Thanks for the copy @alephbookco ✨
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it because I’m certain that there are better books available out there. But if you’re looking for something short then this may work for you.
Thanks for the copy @alephbookco ✨
March 3, 2023
A collection of essays and stories with queens at the centre, some fictional, some fictionalised, some facts and yet others facets. Notable among those are Ruby Lal’s Nur Jahan (the woman is more fascinating as you discover more), Ruskin Bond’s reclusive princess - beautifully poignant as she intrigues a 10 year old lad and of course Manu Pillai’s Travancore tales and the tussle of roles (queens vs regents) that was foisted upon (parts of) Indian society by British conservatism
Disappointing amongst these tales are the excerpt from Rani Jindan’s tale (Chitra B Divakaruni’s original was hardly stellar source material) and the snippet from Gayatri Devi’s autobiography (the victory of privilege makes for boring, pompous tales)
Skip this one - I’m sure there’s much better content out there.
Disappointing amongst these tales are the excerpt from Rani Jindan’s tale (Chitra B Divakaruni’s original was hardly stellar source material) and the snippet from Gayatri Devi’s autobiography (the victory of privilege makes for boring, pompous tales)
Skip this one - I’m sure there’s much better content out there.
February 9, 2023
This beautiful book contains inspiring, powerful, and thought-provoking stories & essays about some of the most brilliant Indian Queens. These gripping stories & essays are written by some of the finest writers and historians. The Queens in this book were rulers, or of royal birth- empresses, queens, regents, princesses, begums, and so on. Some of them even had mixed lineage. All of them played an important role in the freedom and development of India.
Having read The Last Queen by @divakarunichitra I was excited to read more about Rani Jindan, the last Queen of Punjab. She ruled the Sikh empire as regent when her five-year-old son was named heir after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. She wasn't born into a royal family and yet when the time came, she proved to be one of the most influential and powerful queens of India. Just like Rani Jindan, Hazrat Mahal also came to power when her husband, the Nawab of Awadh, was exiled and her twelve-year-old son was put on the throne. She played an important role in the revolt against the Britishers in 1857.
I have been reading about the heroic actions of our magnificent and powerful queen, Rani Laxmibai, ever since I was a little kid. And yet, when I was reading about her, I could feel my heart sinking and then filling with pride all over again.
I have always been fascinated by the life of Razia Sultan, the first and only female Sultan/Sultana of Delhi. I've read about her and even watched a serial based on her life. I was really excited to read more about her! When she came to power, she wasn't completely accepted by all the court members and common folks. Yet with her wit, intelligence, and determination, she became a remarkable administrator and solved many key socio-political challenges.
I absolutely loved this book and will always treasure it!
Having read The Last Queen by @divakarunichitra I was excited to read more about Rani Jindan, the last Queen of Punjab. She ruled the Sikh empire as regent when her five-year-old son was named heir after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. She wasn't born into a royal family and yet when the time came, she proved to be one of the most influential and powerful queens of India. Just like Rani Jindan, Hazrat Mahal also came to power when her husband, the Nawab of Awadh, was exiled and her twelve-year-old son was put on the throne. She played an important role in the revolt against the Britishers in 1857.
I have been reading about the heroic actions of our magnificent and powerful queen, Rani Laxmibai, ever since I was a little kid. And yet, when I was reading about her, I could feel my heart sinking and then filling with pride all over again.
I have always been fascinated by the life of Razia Sultan, the first and only female Sultan/Sultana of Delhi. I've read about her and even watched a serial based on her life. I was really excited to read more about her! When she came to power, she wasn't completely accepted by all the court members and common folks. Yet with her wit, intelligence, and determination, she became a remarkable administrator and solved many key socio-political challenges.
I absolutely loved this book and will always treasure it!
June 21, 2023
"The Book of Indian Queens: Stories and Essays” is a remarkable addition to any collection, celebrating the courageous and influential women who ruled India. This concise yet captivating book sheds light on the lives of iconic queens, both real and fictional, through the words of talented writers such as Mahasweta Devi, Ruskin Bond, and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. It serves as an engaging introduction to the remarkable stories of Indian queens who defied patriarchal norms and left an indelible mark on history. The book not only reinstates the power of femininity but also reminds readers of the resilience and determination of these extraordinary women. With its historical relevance, this book deserves the attention and appreciation of contemporary readers.
February 16, 2023
This is a book of portions from other books and does not give a full picture of any queen. A very misleading name as a couple of stories dont even mention who the queen is! A disappointment.
January 31, 2023
𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 :
•• TITLE : The Book of Indian Queens
•• AUTHOR :
•• PUBLISHER : Aleph Books
•• FORMAT : Hardcover
•• LANGUAGE : English
𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒
The book is a compilation of 11 stories which are based on different Indian queens.
..
The compiled the stories of
-> The Rani of Jhansi (Mahasweta Devi)
-> The Room of Many Colours (Ruskin Bond)
-> Rani Jindan Kaur (Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni)
-> The Queens of Classical India (Abraham Eraly)
-> The Controversial Queen of Kashmir (Archana Garodia Gupta)
-> Raziya Bint Iltutmish, Slave to Sultan (Ira Mukhoty)
-> Begum Hazrat Mahal ( Rudrangshu Mukherjee)
-> Nur Jahan (Ruby Lal)
-> The Maharanis of Travancore (Manu S. Pillai)
-> Princess Sanatombi (Binodini)
-> A princess Remembers (Gayatri Devi)
..
To know more about the book find out it & give it a try.
𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒 :
✓ The cover of the book is quite attractive in the dark black theme with golden fonts.
✓ The writing style of the book is quite good as it is a compilation of some of the greatest creations by legendary authors.
✓ Language used in the book is simple & easily connected.
✓ All the details about these historic personalities & their life is fully justified in this book.
✓ The Book has the historical background but it's never make you feel dragging or old school. This is the perfect replication of our glorious Indian culture.
✓ The book has its own beauty as it touches many aspects which are quite unpredictable.
✓ The author just perfectly maintained the main theme of the book along with its raw essence.
✓ Book is quite fast paced with so many detailing that you never going to pick it down once you start reading it.
𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
•• TITLE : The Book of Indian Queens
•• AUTHOR :
•• PUBLISHER : Aleph Books
•• FORMAT : Hardcover
•• LANGUAGE : English
𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒
The book is a compilation of 11 stories which are based on different Indian queens.
..
The compiled the stories of
-> The Rani of Jhansi (Mahasweta Devi)
-> The Room of Many Colours (Ruskin Bond)
-> Rani Jindan Kaur (Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni)
-> The Queens of Classical India (Abraham Eraly)
-> The Controversial Queen of Kashmir (Archana Garodia Gupta)
-> Raziya Bint Iltutmish, Slave to Sultan (Ira Mukhoty)
-> Begum Hazrat Mahal ( Rudrangshu Mukherjee)
-> Nur Jahan (Ruby Lal)
-> The Maharanis of Travancore (Manu S. Pillai)
-> Princess Sanatombi (Binodini)
-> A princess Remembers (Gayatri Devi)
..
To know more about the book find out it & give it a try.
𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒 :
✓ The cover of the book is quite attractive in the dark black theme with golden fonts.
✓ The writing style of the book is quite good as it is a compilation of some of the greatest creations by legendary authors.
✓ Language used in the book is simple & easily connected.
✓ All the details about these historic personalities & their life is fully justified in this book.
✓ The Book has the historical background but it's never make you feel dragging or old school. This is the perfect replication of our glorious Indian culture.
✓ The book has its own beauty as it touches many aspects which are quite unpredictable.
✓ The author just perfectly maintained the main theme of the book along with its raw essence.
✓ Book is quite fast paced with so many detailing that you never going to pick it down once you start reading it.
𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
February 20, 2023
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣𝙨 - 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 & 𝙀𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙨
👑 Desperate times calls for desperate measures. In adverse circumstances, actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice. That's what shapes the future and paves the way for the upcoming generations to carry forward.
👑 There have been a significant number of personalities in the Indian History, who have proved themselves in the amidst of decisive events. The stories some of the female leaders have lost their value due to less showcase in the mainstream history, mostly due to the significant dominance of the patriarchal system for rules.
👑Aleph Olio, has tried to showcase the stories of such courageous queens, and empresses through this book. Regardless of coming from different backgrounds, these personalities have presented their skills and decision making as a ruler.
👑The book is a compilation of essays and stories from many accomplished writers, who have produced significantly efficient work on the respective personalities, which makes the book well researched and articulating.
📌I like the way it's designed, which results in bringing the most effective fiction and non-fiction works on these people. It's a short read and enthralling read. It gives the message of gender equality. I also find the idea of giving the very first page of each story a different colour interesting.
📌If you're someone who wish to read the works related to Indian Queens and Empresses, the content apart from mainstream Indian History or want to read about the decisive events of some of the best leader in Indian History, then this might be a good fit for you bookshelf.
👑 Desperate times calls for desperate measures. In adverse circumstances, actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice. That's what shapes the future and paves the way for the upcoming generations to carry forward.
👑 There have been a significant number of personalities in the Indian History, who have proved themselves in the amidst of decisive events. The stories some of the female leaders have lost their value due to less showcase in the mainstream history, mostly due to the significant dominance of the patriarchal system for rules.
👑Aleph Olio, has tried to showcase the stories of such courageous queens, and empresses through this book. Regardless of coming from different backgrounds, these personalities have presented their skills and decision making as a ruler.
👑The book is a compilation of essays and stories from many accomplished writers, who have produced significantly efficient work on the respective personalities, which makes the book well researched and articulating.
📌I like the way it's designed, which results in bringing the most effective fiction and non-fiction works on these people. It's a short read and enthralling read. It gives the message of gender equality. I also find the idea of giving the very first page of each story a different colour interesting.
📌If you're someone who wish to read the works related to Indian Queens and Empresses, the content apart from mainstream Indian History or want to read about the decisive events of some of the best leader in Indian History, then this might be a good fit for you bookshelf.
February 22, 2023
Although the patriarchy would continue to rule Indian society for decades, there are numerous accounts of amazing queens throughout the country's history.
The Book of Indian Queens compiles narratives and scholarly articles about some of the greatest women to rule India, written by some of our best authors and historians.
It's a fascinating book that includes essays and short stories on the brave queens from the beginning of time to the current day, from every region of the subcontinent.
This book covers diverse dispositions such as begums, reagents, rulers, princess and queens. It's a short read with 110 pages. Eleven authors contributed to this book, and
each one described a different queen. All the stories were captivating and I adored the story of queen of Kashmir "Didda" who has ruled over 50 years 958-1003 CE by @archana_garodia describes her reign in great detail. I also loved Ruskin bond's, The room of many colors , is the story of an enigmatic Rani who has withdrawn from social life. @iramukhoty Raziya bint Iltutmish, slave to sultan the first and only female sultan of India. The author has wonderfully relates the circumstances that led to her ascension and her rule.
Each story was enlightening and engrossing that would take the readers to the past. Overall, an effulgent collection of Indian Queens with strong message on gender equality .
The Book of Indian Queens compiles narratives and scholarly articles about some of the greatest women to rule India, written by some of our best authors and historians.
It's a fascinating book that includes essays and short stories on the brave queens from the beginning of time to the current day, from every region of the subcontinent.
This book covers diverse dispositions such as begums, reagents, rulers, princess and queens. It's a short read with 110 pages. Eleven authors contributed to this book, and
each one described a different queen. All the stories were captivating and I adored the story of queen of Kashmir "Didda" who has ruled over 50 years 958-1003 CE by @archana_garodia describes her reign in great detail. I also loved Ruskin bond's, The room of many colors , is the story of an enigmatic Rani who has withdrawn from social life. @iramukhoty Raziya bint Iltutmish, slave to sultan the first and only female sultan of India. The author has wonderfully relates the circumstances that led to her ascension and her rule.
Each story was enlightening and engrossing that would take the readers to the past. Overall, an effulgent collection of Indian Queens with strong message on gender equality .
December 30, 2023
While patriarchy would be the dominating element of Indian culture for decades to come, India's history is filled with stories of awe-inspiring queens (the term "queens" in this book refers to all women who were rulers or of royal birth—empresses, queens, regents, princesses, begums, and so on). The term "Queens of India" can refer to several historical figures who held the title of Queen or a position of power and influence in India.
The best fictional and non-fiction stories of Indian queens from antiquity to the present are collected in this book. The stories from all around the subcontinent present a wide-ranging perspective. Eleven tales or essays are written by famous authors, authors, and celebrities. No matter how many inspiring tales I have read, Jhansi Lakshmi Bai's is the one that constantly captures my heart.
In the same way, others stories by important people in the book bring together some of the finest accounts in fiction and non-fiction on Indian queens from the earliest times to the present day, from every corner of the subcontinent. Read this to feel the women's power in the past and present! Gift this book to young children to know more about our Nari Shakti.
The best fictional and non-fiction stories of Indian queens from antiquity to the present are collected in this book. The stories from all around the subcontinent present a wide-ranging perspective. Eleven tales or essays are written by famous authors, authors, and celebrities. No matter how many inspiring tales I have read, Jhansi Lakshmi Bai's is the one that constantly captures my heart.
In the same way, others stories by important people in the book bring together some of the finest accounts in fiction and non-fiction on Indian queens from the earliest times to the present day, from every corner of the subcontinent. Read this to feel the women's power in the past and present! Gift this book to young children to know more about our Nari Shakti.
July 12, 2024
The Book of Indian Queens: Stories and Essays is a brilliant addition to Aleph’s Olio series and a gem to have in one’s collection. It’s a crisp and concise book that recalls and validates Indian Queens who made a difference during their reign, when the world seeped deep in patriarchy and greed.
Fictional and factual accounts of these dauntless and pathbreaking women are penned by wonderful writers such as Mahasweta Devi, Ruskin Bond and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, etc.
If one wishes to glimpse into accounts of iconic Indian Queens who made a mark attempting to nurture, preserve and safeguard, then this book is a great introduction. A set of lucid and engaging stories and essays that not only reinstate one’s belief in the power of the feminine but also remind the readers the power of relentless Indian Queens. Love this book for its historical relevance and hope it gets its due by readers of today.
Verdict: Recommended
Fictional and factual accounts of these dauntless and pathbreaking women are penned by wonderful writers such as Mahasweta Devi, Ruskin Bond and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, etc.
If one wishes to glimpse into accounts of iconic Indian Queens who made a mark attempting to nurture, preserve and safeguard, then this book is a great introduction. A set of lucid and engaging stories and essays that not only reinstate one’s belief in the power of the feminine but also remind the readers the power of relentless Indian Queens. Love this book for its historical relevance and hope it gets its due by readers of today.
Verdict: Recommended
February 5, 2023
The Book of Indian Queens brings forth stories and narratives about several Indian queens who played a significant role in socio-political development, freedom struggle and other critical issues that paved India’s road to success and independence. These stories have been written by some acclaimed writers who strive to bring forward the strength and will possessed by these beautiful women of the past who used their wit and power to bring about a change. Fighting patriarchal and misogynist society, these women are underdogs of the history who reigned in India as early as the second century BCE.
Read the full review here: https://www.aliveshadow.com/category-...
Read the full review here: https://www.aliveshadow.com/category-...
February 5, 2023
• “True progression of a nation is seen from the feminine framework of a country”.
• Our country has been home to several such instances where women in our country during historical times have outlived the glory of men and have made a mark for themselves and the country. The chapters have been arranged in the form of essays and stories as written by many authors thereby entailing a simplified framework of presentation of information. The language as used remains simple and easy to understand for the readers thereby making it engaging.
• Thus, in the light of the given aspects the book is a must read for anyone willing to go for a good read.
• Our country has been home to several such instances where women in our country during historical times have outlived the glory of men and have made a mark for themselves and the country. The chapters have been arranged in the form of essays and stories as written by many authors thereby entailing a simplified framework of presentation of information. The language as used remains simple and easy to understand for the readers thereby making it engaging.
• Thus, in the light of the given aspects the book is a must read for anyone willing to go for a good read.
April 20, 2023
The Book of Indian Queens: Stories and Essays is a brilliant addition to Aleph’s Olio series and a gem to have in one’s collection. It’s a crisp and concise book that recalls and validates Indian Queens who made a difference during their reign, when the world seeped deep in patriarchy and greed.
August 7, 2024
What's not to like? The name says it all
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews