Ruchir Gupta's Blog
November 7, 2013
Indian Historical Fiction
Historical fiction, as a genre, has been around ever since the conception of story telling and book writing. There seems to be a natural desire to present actual facts in a manner that sensationalize the actions of those involved and give deeper meanings and human emotions to individuals who lived in the past.
Indian fiction, in my opinion, has not explored the genre of historical fiction from a contemporary standpoint. I recall reading a book by the director of the Archeological department of India, B. B. Lal, that made the case that both the Mahabharat and Ramayan had a "kernel of historical truth." That is to suggest that both books were based on historical events, though not everything we read in both scriptures in totally embedded in historical facts. In that sense, one can claim both the Ramayan and Mahabharat were the first foray of the Indian author into the genre of historical fiction. Subsequent stories, including the life of Prithviraj Chauhan, the last Hindu king of Delhi also has elements of fiction, making this another worthy example.
Contemporary Indian fiction, however, rarely delves into the lives of its historical characters. It seems Indian authors are too interested in looking forward than back and when they do look back, they focus on fictional characters in historical settings (The lowlands by Jhumpa Lahiri), than actual historical characters. There are, ofcourse, exceptions such as Indu Sundarasen's "Taj Trilogy" which focuses on Mughal Queens and Empire of the Mogul series by Alex Rutherford.
The time is ripe for Indian authors to rummage though their 7,000 year old history and identify characters who may have an interesting story to tell. Educating the masses about historical Indian figures via historical fiction books will help the masses view Indian history as not a potpourri of rising and falling feudal kingdoms, but a continuous collection of personalities that shaped the Indian diaspora we have nowThe Feast of RosesThe Indu Sundaresan Collection: The Twentieth Wife, Feast of Roses, and Shadow PrincessThe LowlandAlex Rutherford
Indian fiction, in my opinion, has not explored the genre of historical fiction from a contemporary standpoint. I recall reading a book by the director of the Archeological department of India, B. B. Lal, that made the case that both the Mahabharat and Ramayan had a "kernel of historical truth." That is to suggest that both books were based on historical events, though not everything we read in both scriptures in totally embedded in historical facts. In that sense, one can claim both the Ramayan and Mahabharat were the first foray of the Indian author into the genre of historical fiction. Subsequent stories, including the life of Prithviraj Chauhan, the last Hindu king of Delhi also has elements of fiction, making this another worthy example.
Contemporary Indian fiction, however, rarely delves into the lives of its historical characters. It seems Indian authors are too interested in looking forward than back and when they do look back, they focus on fictional characters in historical settings (The lowlands by Jhumpa Lahiri), than actual historical characters. There are, ofcourse, exceptions such as Indu Sundarasen's "Taj Trilogy" which focuses on Mughal Queens and Empire of the Mogul series by Alex Rutherford.
The time is ripe for Indian authors to rummage though their 7,000 year old history and identify characters who may have an interesting story to tell. Educating the masses about historical Indian figures via historical fiction books will help the masses view Indian history as not a potpourri of rising and falling feudal kingdoms, but a continuous collection of personalities that shaped the Indian diaspora we have nowThe Feast of RosesThe Indu Sundaresan Collection: The Twentieth Wife, Feast of Roses, and Shadow PrincessThe LowlandAlex Rutherford
