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Taj Mahal Trilogy #1
The Twentieth Wife
An enchanting seventeenth-century epic of grand passion and adventure, this debut novel tells the captivating story of one of India's most legendary and controversial empresses -- a woman whose brilliance and determination trumped myriad obstacles, and whose love shaped the course of the Mughal empire.
She came into the world in the year 1577, to the howling accompaniment of a ferocious winter storm. As the daughter of starving refugees fleeing violent persecution in Persia, her fateful birth in a roadside tent sparked a miraculous reversal of family fortune, culminating in her father's introduction to the court of Emperor Akbar. She is called Mehrunnisa, the Sun of Women. This is her story.
Growing up on the fringes of Emperor Akbar's opulent palace grounds, Mehrunnisa blossoms into a sapphire-eyed child blessed with a precocious intelligence, luminous beauty, and a powerful ambition far surpassing the bounds of her family's station. Mehrunnisa first encounters young Prince Salim on his wedding day. In that instant, even as a royal gala swirls around her in celebration of the future emperor's first marriage, Mehrunnisa foresees the path of her own destiny. One day, she decides with uncompromising surety, she too will become Salim's wife. She is all of eight years old -- and wholly unaware of the great price she and her family will pay for this dream.
Skillfully blending the textures of historical reality with the rich and sensuous imaginings of a timeless fairy tale, The Twentieth Wife sweeps readers up in the emotional pageant of Salim and Mehrunnisa's embattled love. First-time novelist Indu Sundaresan charts her heroine's enthralling journey across the years, from an ill-fated first marriage through motherhood and into a dangerous maze of power struggles and political machinations. Through it all, Mehrunnisa and Salim long with fiery intensity for the true, redemptive love they've never known -- and their mutual quest ultimately takes them, and the vast empire that hangs in the balance, to places they never dreamed possible.
Shot through with wonder and suspense, The Twentieth Wife is at once a fascinating portrait of one woman's convention-defying life behind the veil and a transporting saga of the astonishing potency of love.
She came into the world in the year 1577, to the howling accompaniment of a ferocious winter storm. As the daughter of starving refugees fleeing violent persecution in Persia, her fateful birth in a roadside tent sparked a miraculous reversal of family fortune, culminating in her father's introduction to the court of Emperor Akbar. She is called Mehrunnisa, the Sun of Women. This is her story.
Growing up on the fringes of Emperor Akbar's opulent palace grounds, Mehrunnisa blossoms into a sapphire-eyed child blessed with a precocious intelligence, luminous beauty, and a powerful ambition far surpassing the bounds of her family's station. Mehrunnisa first encounters young Prince Salim on his wedding day. In that instant, even as a royal gala swirls around her in celebration of the future emperor's first marriage, Mehrunnisa foresees the path of her own destiny. One day, she decides with uncompromising surety, she too will become Salim's wife. She is all of eight years old -- and wholly unaware of the great price she and her family will pay for this dream.
Skillfully blending the textures of historical reality with the rich and sensuous imaginings of a timeless fairy tale, The Twentieth Wife sweeps readers up in the emotional pageant of Salim and Mehrunnisa's embattled love. First-time novelist Indu Sundaresan charts her heroine's enthralling journey across the years, from an ill-fated first marriage through motherhood and into a dangerous maze of power struggles and political machinations. Through it all, Mehrunnisa and Salim long with fiery intensity for the true, redemptive love they've never known -- and their mutual quest ultimately takes them, and the vast empire that hangs in the balance, to places they never dreamed possible.
Shot through with wonder and suspense, The Twentieth Wife is at once a fascinating portrait of one woman's convention-defying life behind the veil and a transporting saga of the astonishing potency of love.
380 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2002
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20974 people want to read
About the author
Indu Sundaresan
17 books1,059 followersIndu Sundaresan was born in India and grew up on Air Force bases all over the country. Her father, a fighter pilot, was also a storyteller—managing to keep his audiences captive and rapt with his flair for drama and timing. He got this from his father, Indu's grandfather, whose visits were always eagerly awaited. Indu's love of stories comes from both of them, from hearing their stories based on imagination and rich Hindu mythology, and from her father's writings.
After an undergraduate degree in economics from India, Indu came to the U.S. for graduate school at the University of Delaware. But all too soon, the storytelling gene beckoned.
After an undergraduate degree in economics from India, Indu came to the U.S. for graduate school at the University of Delaware. But all too soon, the storytelling gene beckoned.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,729 reviews
April 16, 2023
I finished reading this book quite some time ago back in 2004 and it left quite a deep impact on me and the way I see things. The genre is still historical fiction, one of my favourites, written by a very talented Indian author, Indu Sundaresan. The story takes us to 15th century Mughal India, about the journey of a remarkable woman who would later in her life play a great role in the ruling of one of India’s greatest emperor, Jahangir, formerly known as Prince Salim. Like most Indian authors, Indu’s skills for describing the most trivial things in great detail has the ability to strike us with jealousy of what she is gifted with.
The Twentieth Wife is a book about fighting for what you believe in. About knowing what you want and making sure you have enough faith and courage to achieve your goal. The story unravels from the day Mehrunnisa was born to the day she would conquer one man’s heart, hence bearing all the consequences that came with it. Mehrunnisa saw Jahangir at his first wedding and at the tender age of eight, was determined that she will one day become his wife. Eventhough she only became his twentieth -and last- wife, it is said that she was the one he loved the most. She proved that anything is possible and that the word “late” doesn’t exist if you truly fight for what you want in life.
The Twentieth Wife is a book about fighting for what you believe in. About knowing what you want and making sure you have enough faith and courage to achieve your goal. The story unravels from the day Mehrunnisa was born to the day she would conquer one man’s heart, hence bearing all the consequences that came with it. Mehrunnisa saw Jahangir at his first wedding and at the tender age of eight, was determined that she will one day become his wife. Eventhough she only became his twentieth -and last- wife, it is said that she was the one he loved the most. She proved that anything is possible and that the word “late” doesn’t exist if you truly fight for what you want in life.
April 17, 2018
Of course, reading this felt quite homely because of the chosen premises of the historical background.
Concept: 4.0/5.0
Execution: 2.75/5.0
Characters Bespoken: 3.25 /5.0
World Building: 3.0 /5.0
Cover: 3.25/5.0
Writing Style: 3.0/5.0
Overall: 3.25/5.0
The Mughal Era always had been captivating for me historically and architecturally.
Remember the sets of Jodha Akbar? Yes! They were indeed gorgeous and still the every edifice standing until date from Mughal Era bewitches the viewer with its own charms.(*I am sure you already visualized Taj Mahal) This story has same intricate details as the famous latticework from marbles on those structures. A story built on generations of Empire and been done total justification – this certainly is rare piece of historical fiction from feminist view. (*Remember - The Palace of Illusions?)
The irony of politics of Mughal Era? – The political influential factors and decisions owned by “Men” were nothing in comparison with the ones played inside Harem walls by “Women”.
The author has definitely researched each event thoroughly to included it in, I definitely appreciate it but! Of course, there is “but” – though it is somewhat offbeat in its own way, it lacks imagination! It is more like factual data twisted in apprehensive kind of way to keep the story flowing.
The narrative begins with “Mehrunnisa”’s birth and her struggle as a young woman. The infatuation portrayed of a 9-year old girl for 19-year old Prince Salim is somewhat uncanny. (*Frankly I despised it but it was the fact that they were raised as in that in those times.) The royal families and polygamy always did go together. The marriages were mostly the political alliances rather than of affection and respect. So, the young “Nisa” was married to almost forty-year-old soldier Ali Quli on the Emperor Akbar’s command. The life journey or rather I would say the way she plotted her way back to Prince Salim more popularly known as Jahangir was definitely fascinating. The romance between them was so lovey-dovey that at times it seemed impossible to believe it the way it is portrayed.(*At times I didn't understand "Mehrunnisa" - Was she after Jahangir's love or the position of him as a royal prince? - It's kind of eerie figuring out "Nur Jahan" - vamp or heroine?)
The hurdles she cleared even being veiled were definitely approving for a raging feminist, if seen from different perception I think she did set an example that Woman can change the whole empire if she wants, she can certainly play badass or be a manipulative bitch to achieve something important to her. The consequences were surprising though – Father and sons turning against each other to acquire the throne disgusted me. The disagreement of theirs at times got on my nerves. Narrations did drag at times because almost the whole book is someone plotting against someone to attain power, wealth and glory! The inside harem politics was even more poisonous because it was driven by jealousy of women. The blending of Muslim and Hindu culture is nicely portrayed. As in for characters – I couldn’t bring myself to think Akbar crying that much, the vagueness that lingered. The slight mention of Anarkali - was it during the reign of Mehrunnisa or before that, I don’t remember.
I don’t know why the author twisted this fact - but Mariam-uz-Zamani more popularly known as Jodha Bai was the Padshah Begum of Akbar’s reign. She was the mother of Jahangir. However, this book has The Cunning – Ruqayya Begum who rules the Zenana and Akbar’s mind too who orchestrated the meeting of Mehrunnisa and Jahangir to insult and overrule the Jahangir’s first wife Jagat Goshini.
The whole book seemed to me as an excellent chess game. And it was only Mehrunnisa later on entitled as Nur Jahan Begum who got to win the game who was the ultimate power behind the throne.
P.S.: I recommend it for the ones who adore Mughal Era if you have already read so much about them your mind will conflict at many points just as mine did.
Well,
Concept: 4.0/5.0
Execution: 2.75/5.0
Characters Bespoken: 3.25 /5.0
World Building: 3.0 /5.0
Cover: 3.25/5.0
Writing Style: 3.0/5.0
Overall: 3.25/5.0
The Mughal Era always had been captivating for me historically and architecturally.
Remember the sets of Jodha Akbar? Yes! They were indeed gorgeous and still the every edifice standing until date from Mughal Era bewitches the viewer with its own charms.(*I am sure you already visualized Taj Mahal) This story has same intricate details as the famous latticework from marbles on those structures. A story built on generations of Empire and been done total justification – this certainly is rare piece of historical fiction from feminist view. (*Remember - The Palace of Illusions?)
The irony of politics of Mughal Era? – The political influential factors and decisions owned by “Men” were nothing in comparison with the ones played inside Harem walls by “Women”.
The author has definitely researched each event thoroughly to included it in, I definitely appreciate it but! Of course, there is “but” – though it is somewhat offbeat in its own way, it lacks imagination! It is more like factual data twisted in apprehensive kind of way to keep the story flowing.
The narrative begins with “Mehrunnisa”’s birth and her struggle as a young woman. The infatuation portrayed of a 9-year old girl for 19-year old Prince Salim is somewhat uncanny. (*Frankly I despised it but it was the fact that they were raised as in that in those times.) The royal families and polygamy always did go together. The marriages were mostly the political alliances rather than of affection and respect. So, the young “Nisa” was married to almost forty-year-old soldier Ali Quli on the Emperor Akbar’s command. The life journey or rather I would say the way she plotted her way back to Prince Salim more popularly known as Jahangir was definitely fascinating. The romance between them was so lovey-dovey that at times it seemed impossible to believe it the way it is portrayed.(*At times I didn't understand "Mehrunnisa" - Was she after Jahangir's love or the position of him as a royal prince? - It's kind of eerie figuring out "Nur Jahan" - vamp or heroine?)
The hurdles she cleared even being veiled were definitely approving for a raging feminist, if seen from different perception I think she did set an example that Woman can change the whole empire if she wants, she can certainly play badass or be a manipulative bitch to achieve something important to her. The consequences were surprising though – Father and sons turning against each other to acquire the throne disgusted me. The disagreement of theirs at times got on my nerves. Narrations did drag at times because almost the whole book is someone plotting against someone to attain power, wealth and glory! The inside harem politics was even more poisonous because it was driven by jealousy of women. The blending of Muslim and Hindu culture is nicely portrayed. As in for characters – I couldn’t bring myself to think Akbar crying that much, the vagueness that lingered. The slight mention of Anarkali - was it during the reign of Mehrunnisa or before that, I don’t remember.
I don’t know why the author twisted this fact - but Mariam-uz-Zamani more popularly known as Jodha Bai was the Padshah Begum of Akbar’s reign. She was the mother of Jahangir. However, this book has The Cunning – Ruqayya Begum who rules the Zenana and Akbar’s mind too who orchestrated the meeting of Mehrunnisa and Jahangir to insult and overrule the Jahangir’s first wife Jagat Goshini.
The whole book seemed to me as an excellent chess game. And it was only Mehrunnisa later on entitled as Nur Jahan Begum who got to win the game who was the ultimate power behind the throne.
P.S.: I recommend it for the ones who adore Mughal Era if you have already read so much about them your mind will conflict at many points just as mine did.
Well,
July 15, 2021
ছোটবেলায় মুঘল সম্রাটদের নাম বিশেষ করে- 'কে কার ছেলে কিংবা কে কার বাবা' এইটা মনে রাখা খুব চাপের কাজ হয়ে যেত। কে যেন শিখিয়েছিল- "বাবার হইল একবার জ্বর, সারিলো ঔষধে"। এরপরে আর ভুলিনি কে কার বাবা! এই বইয়ের কাহিনীটা একবার জ্বরের। সম্রাট আকবরের পুত্র সেলিমের সম্রাট জাহাঙ্গীর হয়ে ওঠার গল্প; আরও স্পষ্ট করে বললে সেলিমের বিশতম স্ত্রী মেহেরুন্নিসার নূর জাহান হয়ে ওঠার গল্প।
গিয়াস বেগের কন্যা মেহেরুন্নিসার বয়স যখন মাত্র আট বছর তখন থেকে সেলিমের স্বপ্নে বিভোর সে; শাহজাদা সেলিম আর শাহজাদী মান বাইয়ের বিয়ে দেখতে গিয়ে সেলিমকে ভাল লাগে তার। আরও কয়েকবছর পরে শাহজাদা সেলিমের চোখে পড়েন মেহেরুন্নিসা। নিজের রূপ-লাবণ্যের দ্বারা মন কয় করে ফেলেন শাহজাদার। কিন্তু ঝামেলা হচ্ছে মেহেরুন্নিসার বাগদান হয়ে গেছে; সম্রাট আকবর নিজে এই ব্যবস্থা করেছেন। মেহেরুন্নিসারও এই বিয়েতে মত নেই, সে তো সেই পিচ্চিকাল থেকেই সেলিমের সম্রাজ্ঞী হতে আগ্রহী। তাহলে উপায়!? অতএব, 'যাব প্যায়ার কিয়া তো ডারনা ক্যায়া'র মনোভাব নিয়ে উভয়ে হাজির হল যার যার পিতার কাছে। কিন্তু সম্রাটের দেয়া প্রতিজ্ঞা আর কথা না করা যায় খন্ডন। অতএব, প্যায়ার করেছো তো এইবার ভোগো! বিয়ে হয়ে গেল মেহেরুন্নিসার। ওদিকে শাহজাদা সেলিম হলেন মনঃক্ষুণ্ন; একদিকে পছন্দ করা মেয়েটির শাদি হয়ে গেল আবার ওদিকে আকবর সেই যে ১৩ বছর বয়সে সিংহাসনে বসেছেন তার আর উঠার নাম নেই। নারীও গেল আবার ক্ষমতাও আসছে না। অতএব, হোক চক্রান্ত...
এরপর মেলা কাহিনী আর সময় পার করে কী করে মেহেরুন্নিসা হয়ে উঠলেন জাহাঙ্গীরের নূর জাহান তা জানার জন্য বইখানা পড়তে হবে :D
ঐতিহাসিক ঘটনা আর নিজের কল্পনাকে মিলিয়ে চমৎকার লিখেছেন ইন্দু সুন্দরেসান। শাহেদ জামানের অনুবাদও দারুণ হয়েছে, সুখপাঠ্য। বইয়ের বাইন্ডিং চমৎকার, সুপার ডুপার প্রচ্ছদ আর ঝিকমিক করা বুকমার্ক স্বরূপ ফিতাটিও জোশ লাগছে :D তবে শেষের দিকে মহল আর মুঘল বারবার মহলো, মুঘলো হয়ে যাওয়ায় নিখুঁত বলা যাচ্ছে না🐸
মেহেরুন্নিসার হায়রে বুদ্ধি! ছোটবেলা থেকেই -.-
~১৫ জুলাই, ২০২১
গিয়াস বেগের কন্যা মেহেরুন্নিসার বয়স যখন মাত্র আট বছর তখন থেকে সেলিমের স্বপ্নে বিভোর সে; শাহজাদা সেলিম আর শাহজাদী মান বাইয়ের বিয়ে দেখতে গিয়ে সেলিমকে ভাল লাগে তার। আরও কয়েকবছর পরে শাহজাদা সেলিমের চোখে পড়েন মেহেরুন্নিসা। নিজের রূপ-লাবণ্যের দ্বারা মন কয় করে ফেলেন শাহজাদার। কিন্তু ঝামেলা হচ্ছে মেহেরুন্নিসার বাগদান হয়ে গেছে; সম্রাট আকবর নিজে এই ব্যবস্থা করেছেন। মেহেরুন্নিসারও এই বিয়েতে মত নেই, সে তো সেই পিচ্চিকাল থেকেই সেলিমের সম্রাজ্ঞী হতে আগ্রহী। তাহলে উপায়!? অতএব, 'যাব প্যায়ার কিয়া তো ডারনা ক্যায়া'র মনোভাব নিয়ে উভয়ে হাজির হল যার যার পিতার কাছে। কিন্তু সম্রাটের দেয়া প্রতিজ্ঞা আর কথা না করা যায় খন্ডন। অতএব, প্যায়ার করেছো তো এইবার ভোগো! বিয়ে হয়ে গেল মেহেরুন্নিসার। ওদিকে শাহজাদা সেলিম হলেন মনঃক্ষুণ্ন; একদিকে পছন্দ করা মেয়েটির শাদি হয়ে গেল আবার ওদিকে আকবর সেই যে ১৩ বছর বয়সে সিংহাসনে বসেছেন তার আর উঠার নাম নেই। নারীও গেল আবার ক্ষমতাও আসছে না। অতএব, হোক চক্রান্ত...
এরপর মেলা কাহিনী আর সময় পার করে কী করে মেহেরুন্নিসা হয়ে উঠলেন জাহাঙ্গীরের নূর জাহান তা জানার জন্য বইখানা পড়তে হবে :D
ঐতিহাসিক ঘটনা আর নিজের কল্পনাকে মিলিয়ে চমৎকার লিখেছেন ইন্দু সুন্দরেসান। শাহেদ জামানের অনুবাদও দারুণ হয়েছে, সুখপাঠ্য। বইয়ের বাইন্ডিং চমৎকার, সুপার ডুপার প্রচ্ছদ আর ঝিকমিক করা বুকমার্ক স্বরূপ ফিতাটিও জোশ লাগছে :D তবে শেষের দিকে মহল আর মুঘল বারবার মহলো, মুঘলো হয়ে যাওয়ায় নিখুঁত বলা যাচ্ছে না🐸
মেহেরুন্নিসার হায়রে বুদ্ধি! ছোটবেলা থেকেই -.-
~১৫ জুলাই, ২০২১
October 27, 2016
খারাপ লাগাটা খুব সহজেই প্রকাশ করে ফেলতে পারলেও ভালো লাগার অনুভূতিগুলো আমার খুব সংক্ষিপ্ত হয়, ঠিক উপযুক্ত ভাষা খুঁজে পাই না। ঠিক এ ঘটনাটি-ই ঘটেছে এই অনুবাদ পড়তে গিয়ে। অনুবাদের ভূমিকায় অনুবাদক বলেছেন তিনি অনেক সময় নিয়ে যত্ন করে বইটি অনুবাদ করেছেন। তাঁর এ কথার সত্যতা স্পষ্ট করে ধরা পড়েছে বইটি পড়ার সময়। একবারও মনে হয়নি অনুবাদ পড়ছি। মূল বইটি আমার পড়া নেই, তবে আমার মনে হয় লেখিকা যদি বাংলায় লিখতেন তাহলে ঠিক এই ভাষাতেই লিখতেন বইটি। আর বইটি আমার ফেভারিট জনরা ইতিহাসের বলে স্বাদ বেড়ে গেছে কয়েকগুণ। অনুবাদক পাঠকদের যা বলতে এবং অনুভব করাতে চেয়েছেন তাতে পুরোপুরিভাবে সফল হয়েছেন। প্রত্যেকটা দৃশ্য, ঘটনা, প্রকৃতির বর্ণনা এত সুন্দর-নিপুণ-সাবলীলভাবে দিয়েছেন যে মনে হয়েছে আমি নিজেই প্রত্যেকটি জায়গায় উপস্থিত ছিলাম, প্রত্যেকটা বর্ণনা একেবারে অনুভব করতে পেরেছি। শেষ কথা হল বইটা পড়তে গিয়ে কোথাও এক মুহুর্তের জন্যও আটকে যেতে হয়নি; আমার পুরো সময় এবং পয়সা উশুল। বহুদিন এ ভালো লাগার রেশ থেকে যাবে মনে এবং বহুলাংশে অনুবাদের গুণে বইটা আমার সবচেয়ে প্রিয় বইয়ের তালিকায় উঠে এসেছে। রেটিং পারলে পাঁচে দশ দিতাম।
August 29, 2009
If you like Philippa Gregory and her genre of Harlequin romance-cum-historical fiction, there’s a good possibility you’ll like this book. Personally, I just couldn’t get into it. I read the first 50 pages, skimmed the next 240 just for the sake of writing a better-informed review, and couldn’t make myself plod through the last 90. That should tell you something.
The setting, late 1500s India, was definitely original and interesting but wasn’t enough to carry the story for me, especially when it became anachronistic or just plain inconsistent. I assume Sundaresen did her research and knows more than I do about it, but many things just didn’t ring true. Sixteenth century women reading, writing, and talking back to their husbands? Muslims drinking alcohol regularly, with no one batting an eyelash? Veiled women conveniently unveiled when it comes to being observed by their love interests?
The story: Mehrunnisa, our heroine, has a suitably dramatic birth – her parents are impoverished refuges who almost abandon her at the roadside because they can’t take care of her. But fear not – both Mehrunnisa and her parents are rescued by a benevolent merchant with powerful connections. Charmed by Mehrunnisa’s father, he not only adopts the family as part of the caravan, but presents Mehrunnisa’s father at the emperor’s court! The emperor is then charmed by Mehrunnisa’s father and gives him a position! And later, the emperor’s favorite wife is charmed by Mehrunnisa herself, and invites the eight-year-old to visit her regularly in the harem! Wow – that’s a lot of charm. Too bad it was lost on me.
But that’s okay, because it all served to place Mehrunnisa in the perfect position to become enmeshed with the royal family even though she wasn’t a royal. So there they are at the first wedding of Prince Salim, the emperor’s son. Eight-year-old Mehrunnisa, at an age when most little girls would be studying the bride’s gown or bored out of their minds, is taken with Prince Salim’s handsomeness and dreams of marrying him. And sure enough, Prince Salim spots her a few years later and wants her too! But of course multiple obstacles keep the couple apart and, over the next decade or two, they carry the torch for each other despite the fact that their relationship only consists of a few brief early encounters. (Meanwhile, this doesn’t stop Prince Salim from marrying multiple women and enjoying the services of slave girls. But, even with all that libido-sating activity over the decades, he simply can’t forget beautiful Mehrunnisa.) Yup – that’s realistic. Must have been one deep relationship.
Prince Salim himself starts out as a dissolute drinker and opium imbiber, not to mention a complete and total pawn in his advisors’ hands. Gee, I really want to be emperor, thinks Salim. Why can’t my father just die already? My friends think I should poison him – should I listen to them? Hmmm, maybe I’ll try it. The plot is then foiled, and the royal doctor blamed and punished. It gets confusing as Salim alternates between self-recrimination and further plotting against his father. But after all is said and done, he does become emperor and – get this – proves to be a strong, responsible ruler. In fact, other than his good looks, Mehrunnisa claims to be attracted to his strength and leadership. Well, it clearly wasn’t his intelligence, and I guess we’re supposed to believe that Mehrunnisa is too deep to just be enamored of his looks. After all, she is not only beautiful but spirited!
What can I tell you? Lots of people liked this book, and maybe I’m just a cynical curmudgeon. To me, it was a dressed-up Harlequin and not a particularly good one. Harlequins, at least, don’t drag on for 400 pages.
The setting, late 1500s India, was definitely original and interesting but wasn’t enough to carry the story for me, especially when it became anachronistic or just plain inconsistent. I assume Sundaresen did her research and knows more than I do about it, but many things just didn’t ring true. Sixteenth century women reading, writing, and talking back to their husbands? Muslims drinking alcohol regularly, with no one batting an eyelash? Veiled women conveniently unveiled when it comes to being observed by their love interests?
The story: Mehrunnisa, our heroine, has a suitably dramatic birth – her parents are impoverished refuges who almost abandon her at the roadside because they can’t take care of her. But fear not – both Mehrunnisa and her parents are rescued by a benevolent merchant with powerful connections. Charmed by Mehrunnisa’s father, he not only adopts the family as part of the caravan, but presents Mehrunnisa’s father at the emperor’s court! The emperor is then charmed by Mehrunnisa’s father and gives him a position! And later, the emperor’s favorite wife is charmed by Mehrunnisa herself, and invites the eight-year-old to visit her regularly in the harem! Wow – that’s a lot of charm. Too bad it was lost on me.
But that’s okay, because it all served to place Mehrunnisa in the perfect position to become enmeshed with the royal family even though she wasn’t a royal. So there they are at the first wedding of Prince Salim, the emperor’s son. Eight-year-old Mehrunnisa, at an age when most little girls would be studying the bride’s gown or bored out of their minds, is taken with Prince Salim’s handsomeness and dreams of marrying him. And sure enough, Prince Salim spots her a few years later and wants her too! But of course multiple obstacles keep the couple apart and, over the next decade or two, they carry the torch for each other despite the fact that their relationship only consists of a few brief early encounters. (Meanwhile, this doesn’t stop Prince Salim from marrying multiple women and enjoying the services of slave girls. But, even with all that libido-sating activity over the decades, he simply can’t forget beautiful Mehrunnisa.) Yup – that’s realistic. Must have been one deep relationship.
Prince Salim himself starts out as a dissolute drinker and opium imbiber, not to mention a complete and total pawn in his advisors’ hands. Gee, I really want to be emperor, thinks Salim. Why can’t my father just die already? My friends think I should poison him – should I listen to them? Hmmm, maybe I’ll try it. The plot is then foiled, and the royal doctor blamed and punished. It gets confusing as Salim alternates between self-recrimination and further plotting against his father. But after all is said and done, he does become emperor and – get this – proves to be a strong, responsible ruler. In fact, other than his good looks, Mehrunnisa claims to be attracted to his strength and leadership. Well, it clearly wasn’t his intelligence, and I guess we’re supposed to believe that Mehrunnisa is too deep to just be enamored of his looks. After all, she is not only beautiful but spirited!
What can I tell you? Lots of people liked this book, and maybe I’m just a cynical curmudgeon. To me, it was a dressed-up Harlequin and not a particularly good one. Harlequins, at least, don’t drag on for 400 pages.
November 15, 2018
This is Indu Sundaresan's first novel, and I have to say, damn good for a first! The story is based on real people and events, and is enhanced by Sundaresan's romantic imagination. The descriptions bring you to India in 1600. The writing is smart, fun and captivating.
The story is about Mehrunissa, the daughter of refugees, who's family climbs the social ladder. At age 8, she finds herself mesmerized by Salim, the future heir to the throne. She immediately thinks he is beautiful and later develops feelings for him, and through the years she dreams of becoming one of his wives. She is enthralled by the power struggles within the harem and learns to make the right alliances. Even if the alliance parties have their own agendas for befriending her. Salim's feelings for her are also very interesting. While reading other scenes I was looking forward to their next meeting. Mehrunissa was a real pip. Definitely a woman ahead of her time. She transcends from a child in a poor family, who cannot afford to feed her, to one of the most powerful women
I am amazed at the kind of research that must have been put in to write this kind of work. I enjoyed reading this book though some romantic scene felt too filmy. The author introduces us to the 16th century Mughals in India and how the women were treated. In the world of Emperor & his royal harem filled with wives, concubines and female slaves who are always veiled and hidden behind the walls who were always prepare to please the emperor. They all were engaged in harem politics to hold their positions. Nisa fascinated me and I thought her a strong woman for the times. After all, it cannot be easy to attract the Emperor so much for so long when he has 300 women at his disposal.
I have mixed feelings after finishing this book Nisa becomes the Twentieth Wife at the last page and for the first 80 percent of the book, Jehangir and Mehrunissa haven't had a decent conversation. In fact, they 'meet' only 3 or 4 times before Mehrunissa gets married to someone else and moves away for more than 15 years, i.e. why this legendary love story doesn't make sense to me.
Indu has chosen such a topic for her novel that is not very common in the history of fiction. To know the historical characters we do have to rely upon the history books or documents preserved in the libraries. That too sometimes seems boring. But Indu has taken the boring and tough job and made her way to that bygone era. The novel is a work of fiction but very much ground to historical realities. Sometimes Indu has taken literal liberties but that are too to suit her purpose of writing.
The novel undoubtedly is a masterpiece having a few technical and historical faults in it. Though it is a work of fiction but it has a strong base to the historical realities. Indu has deliberately and consciously avoided the birth-mother of Jahangir denying her even a small place in the novel. May be as it was Ruqaiyya (Akbar's cousin and wife)who had more influence on Mehrunnisa. The descriptions are detailed but sometime this detailing brings monotony in reading. Indu has used very less almost nothing of the Urdu language in her writing which was a prominent language in the Mughal India. But that she has done a marvellous and vivid research to write her book . To know Mughal history in a regular way there are many ways for it. But if one wants to explore it in a fascinating and fictional way, Indu Sundaresan has already provided us the contrivance in the shape of ‘The Twentieth Wife’.
The story is about Mehrunissa, the daughter of refugees, who's family climbs the social ladder. At age 8, she finds herself mesmerized by Salim, the future heir to the throne. She immediately thinks he is beautiful and later develops feelings for him, and through the years she dreams of becoming one of his wives. She is enthralled by the power struggles within the harem and learns to make the right alliances. Even if the alliance parties have their own agendas for befriending her. Salim's feelings for her are also very interesting. While reading other scenes I was looking forward to their next meeting. Mehrunissa was a real pip. Definitely a woman ahead of her time. She transcends from a child in a poor family, who cannot afford to feed her, to one of the most powerful women
I am amazed at the kind of research that must have been put in to write this kind of work. I enjoyed reading this book though some romantic scene felt too filmy. The author introduces us to the 16th century Mughals in India and how the women were treated. In the world of Emperor & his royal harem filled with wives, concubines and female slaves who are always veiled and hidden behind the walls who were always prepare to please the emperor. They all were engaged in harem politics to hold their positions. Nisa fascinated me and I thought her a strong woman for the times. After all, it cannot be easy to attract the Emperor so much for so long when he has 300 women at his disposal.
I have mixed feelings after finishing this book Nisa becomes the Twentieth Wife at the last page and for the first 80 percent of the book, Jehangir and Mehrunissa haven't had a decent conversation. In fact, they 'meet' only 3 or 4 times before Mehrunissa gets married to someone else and moves away for more than 15 years, i.e. why this legendary love story doesn't make sense to me.
Indu has chosen such a topic for her novel that is not very common in the history of fiction. To know the historical characters we do have to rely upon the history books or documents preserved in the libraries. That too sometimes seems boring. But Indu has taken the boring and tough job and made her way to that bygone era. The novel is a work of fiction but very much ground to historical realities. Sometimes Indu has taken literal liberties but that are too to suit her purpose of writing.
The novel undoubtedly is a masterpiece having a few technical and historical faults in it. Though it is a work of fiction but it has a strong base to the historical realities. Indu has deliberately and consciously avoided the birth-mother of Jahangir denying her even a small place in the novel. May be as it was Ruqaiyya (Akbar's cousin and wife)who had more influence on Mehrunnisa. The descriptions are detailed but sometime this detailing brings monotony in reading. Indu has used very less almost nothing of the Urdu language in her writing which was a prominent language in the Mughal India. But that she has done a marvellous and vivid research to write her book . To know Mughal history in a regular way there are many ways for it. But if one wants to explore it in a fascinating and fictional way, Indu Sundaresan has already provided us the contrivance in the shape of ‘The Twentieth Wife’.
October 24, 2020
বইটা অসম্ভব ভালো লাগার সব থেকে বড় ক্রেডিট টা দেব আমি শাহেদ জামান কে। এত ভালো অনুবাদ আমি সত্যিই আগে কখনোই পড়িনি। সত্যি বলতে বইটা পড়তে গিয়ে আমার একবারের জন্যেও মনেই হয়নি যে এটা অনুবাদ।
গল্পটা সেলিম আর মেহেরুন্নিসার। যারা বিশ্বের কাছে পরিচিত হয়ে আছে সম্রাট জাহাঙ্গীর ও বেগম নুরজাহান নামে। সেই নুরজাহান ওরফে মেহেরুন্নিসার জন্ম থেকে শুরু করে সত্যিকার অর্থে তার নামকে সার্থক করে নারীকুলের সুর্য হয়ে ওঠার গল্প। তারপর সম্রাজ্ঞী নূরজাহান হয়ে ওঠার গল্প।
কিন্ত পথ টা সুগম ছিল না। আট বছর বয়সে প্রথম সেলিমকে দেখেই তার প্রেমে পড়লেও সে ছিলো কেবল পারস্য থেকে পালিয়ে আসা এক সাধারন পরিবারের মেয়ে। বেশকিছু বছর পর সেলিমের নজরও পড়ে তার দিকে। সেলিমও তাকে প্রথম দেখায় ভালোবেসে ফেলে। কিন্তু ততদিনে বড্ড দেরি হয়ে গেছে। মেহেরুন্নিসা তখন অন্য একজন এর বাগদত্তা। মেহেরুন্নিসার বিয়ে হয়ে যায়। রাজনৈতিক কারনে সেলিমও বিয়ে করেছিল ১৯ বার। কিন্তু সারাজীবন মনেপ্রাণে ভালোবেসেছিল একজনকেই। ১৭ বছর পরেও কেন সম্রাট এই নারীকে পাওয়ার জন্য এত ব্যাকুল ছিল? আর কিভাবেই বা তাকে করেছিলো তার ২০তম ও সর্বশেষ স্ত্রী তারই এক অসাধারণ আখ্যান এই বইটি।
লেখিকা এই বইতে যা লিখেছেন তা বেশিরভাগটাই তার কল্পনাপ্রসুত হলেও তিনি সত্যি ঘটনার উপর ভিত্তি করেই তা লিখেছেন। এবং এই তথ্যগুলোর সুত্রও লেখিকা দিয়ে দিয়েছেন বই এর মধ্যে।
মুঘল সম্রাট দের নিয়ে কম বই তো নেই। তাদের কীর্তি এখনো অমর হয়ে আছে ইতিহাসের পাতায়। কিন্তু পর্দার আড়াল থেকে তাদের যারা নিয়ন্ত্রণ করতেন সেই সম্রাজ্ঞীদের কীর্তি কোথায় আর উল্লেখ আছে বিস্তারিত ভাবে? লেখিকা সেই চেষ্টাই করেছেন এই বইতে।
গল্পটা সেলিম আর মেহেরুন্নিসার। যারা বিশ্বের কাছে পরিচিত হয়ে আছে সম্রাট জাহাঙ্গীর ও বেগম নুরজাহান নামে। সেই নুরজাহান ওরফে মেহেরুন্নিসার জন্ম থেকে শুরু করে সত্যিকার অর্থে তার নামকে সার্থক করে নারীকুলের সুর্য হয়ে ওঠার গল্প। তারপর সম্রাজ্ঞী নূরজাহান হয়ে ওঠার গল্প।
কিন্ত পথ টা সুগম ছিল না। আট বছর বয়সে প্রথম সেলিমকে দেখেই তার প্রেমে পড়লেও সে ছিলো কেবল পারস্য থেকে পালিয়ে আসা এক সাধারন পরিবারের মেয়ে। বেশকিছু বছর পর সেলিমের নজরও পড়ে তার দিকে। সেলিমও তাকে প্রথম দেখায় ভালোবেসে ফেলে। কিন্তু ততদিনে বড্ড দেরি হয়ে গেছে। মেহেরুন্নিসা তখন অন্য একজন এর বাগদত্তা। মেহেরুন্নিসার বিয়ে হয়ে যায়। রাজনৈতিক কারনে সেলিমও বিয়ে করেছিল ১৯ বার। কিন্তু সারাজীবন মনেপ্রাণে ভালোবেসেছিল একজনকেই। ১৭ বছর পরেও কেন সম্রাট এই নারীকে পাওয়ার জন্য এত ব্যাকুল ছিল? আর কিভাবেই বা তাকে করেছিলো তার ২০তম ও সর্বশেষ স্ত্রী তারই এক অসাধারণ আখ্যান এই বইটি।
লেখিকা এই বইতে যা লিখেছেন তা বেশিরভাগটাই তার কল্পনাপ্রসুত হলেও তিনি সত্যি ঘটনার উপর ভিত্তি করেই তা লিখেছেন। এবং এই তথ্যগুলোর সুত্রও লেখিকা দিয়ে দিয়েছেন বই এর মধ্যে।
মুঘল সম্রাট দের নিয়ে কম বই তো নেই। তাদের কীর্তি এখনো অমর হয়ে আছে ইতিহাসের পাতায়। কিন্তু পর্দার আড়াল থেকে তাদের যারা নিয়ন্ত্রণ করতেন সেই সম্রাজ্ঞীদের কীর্তি কোথায় আর উল্লেখ আছে বিস্তারিত ভাবে? লেখিকা সেই চেষ্টাই করেছেন এই বইতে।
December 2, 2018
I have listened to the entire audiobook. I deserve four stars for doing this, but I award the book only two.
I think it proper to award two stars rather than one simply because I did learn about the Mughal Empire – historical facts, customs and way of life.
******************************
I have listened to about 1/6 of the audio version. It is just totally terrible!
Mehunrissa, the girl that will eventually become the twentieth wife of Jahangir, the fourth Mughal Emperor, is infatuated from the age of eight with Prince Salim, as he is also called. Her fixation on wanting to marry this man and her desire to become Empress is shallow and revolting. She really bothers me. I believe this is partially due to the fact that all the characters are flat cardboard puppets, two dimensional figures. I usually prefer learning about life of the ordinary people, not royalty, so that explains part of my distaste, but not all.
This is the first audiobook that has been very difficult for me to follow. There are many people mentioned, some with several names, and I cannot keep them straight. I have to backtrack repeatedly because the narrator of the audiobook does not pronounce these names clearly. In addition there are many words I do not understand. These refer to things specific to the Mughal time-period. There are way too many words and phrases and names I do not comprehend. Often the narrator uses exactly the same tone for men and women. Everybody sounds so sweet. Not only is the narration off, but also the author’s choice of words disturbs me. Does an emperor peek out? No, he decisively views and pronounces with authority what he observes. For probably all of the above reasons I have found not one character I care for.
What do you think of these lines:
They stood smiling at each other with no words, just happiness. Salim reached out and pulled her veil from her head. He took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. Suddenly he ached to touch her everywhere, to feel her skin against his, to hear her voice and her laughter.
'You are the most beautiful woman I have seen,Mehunrissa.'
She tilted her head at him and.....
I call that soppy. I guess this is a romance novel. Not a favorite genre for me.
What have I gotten myself into? I bought the damn audiobook so I will continue. I wanted to warn others immediately. Please let it improve, but I have serious doubts that this will happen. Boy is this terrible.
In all fairness, my view seems to be in the minority since the book's rating is above four.
I think it proper to award two stars rather than one simply because I did learn about the Mughal Empire – historical facts, customs and way of life.
******************************
I have listened to about 1/6 of the audio version. It is just totally terrible!
Mehunrissa, the girl that will eventually become the twentieth wife of Jahangir, the fourth Mughal Emperor, is infatuated from the age of eight with Prince Salim, as he is also called. Her fixation on wanting to marry this man and her desire to become Empress is shallow and revolting. She really bothers me. I believe this is partially due to the fact that all the characters are flat cardboard puppets, two dimensional figures. I usually prefer learning about life of the ordinary people, not royalty, so that explains part of my distaste, but not all.
This is the first audiobook that has been very difficult for me to follow. There are many people mentioned, some with several names, and I cannot keep them straight. I have to backtrack repeatedly because the narrator of the audiobook does not pronounce these names clearly. In addition there are many words I do not understand. These refer to things specific to the Mughal time-period. There are way too many words and phrases and names I do not comprehend. Often the narrator uses exactly the same tone for men and women. Everybody sounds so sweet. Not only is the narration off, but also the author’s choice of words disturbs me. Does an emperor peek out? No, he decisively views and pronounces with authority what he observes. For probably all of the above reasons I have found not one character I care for.
What do you think of these lines:
They stood smiling at each other with no words, just happiness. Salim reached out and pulled her veil from her head. He took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. Suddenly he ached to touch her everywhere, to feel her skin against his, to hear her voice and her laughter.
'You are the most beautiful woman I have seen,Mehunrissa.'
She tilted her head at him and.....
I call that soppy. I guess this is a romance novel. Not a favorite genre for me.
What have I gotten myself into? I bought the damn audiobook so I will continue. I wanted to warn others immediately. Please let it improve, but I have serious doubts that this will happen. Boy is this terrible.
In all fairness, my view seems to be in the minority since the book's rating is above four.
April 10, 2014
Hypnotic. Intoxicating. Bright & Brilliant. Engrossing.
What can I say about The Twentieth Wife ? I think I may not have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to sing its praises. I loved this book. To the very end I was engrossed and intertwined in this tale of royal romance, tradition, history and struggle for control of the throne in the 1500’s Mogul empire.
I’ve passed this book numerous times. I don’t know why it took me so long to pick it up but if I had known that I would be wonderfully whisked away to a world filled with such intoxicating beauty and enigma, I think I would have read it much sooner. Filled with the passion and romance of the beautiful veiled ladies of the Emperors Zenana (harem), this story is a historical testimony to the saying that, behind every great man there is a great woman. In this case, women. Behind the scenes, the Emperor’s wives, concubines and the rich ladies at court are the influence and very lifeblood of Mogul age India. Even in a time when respectable women covered their faces to all but their beloved and held court behind a screen these women made their presence known. One woman personified this and mesmerized Prince Salim crowned Emperor Jahangir as the flawless beauty Mehrunissa. Mehrunissa is favorite daughter of Ghias Beg, a refugee from Persia turned respected royal treasurer under Emperor Akbar. Mehrunissa grows up at court and becomes a requested lady in waiting to Emperor Akbar’s main wife Ruqayya. Mehrunissa had a crush on Emperor Akbar’s prodigal son Prince Salim and always dreamed of some day being an Empress. When Mehrunissa and Prince Salim finally set eyes upon one other it was obsession at first sight. But Mehrunissa was promised to another and their journey to love and her role as The Twentieth Wife would be tested in the fires of time.
Although the romance of Mehrunissa and Emperor Jahangir is always an integral part to this story there is so much, much more to keep one pinned to the pages of this book. There is the history of this interesting part of history in India. I myself can’t say how true to fact the author has delivered this recounting mingled with historical fiction but I can most definitely say that I’ve learned so much. From reading this book and by the curiosity that it has born within me it did cause me to do a little searching. I know so much more about this period then I knew previously. I love learning new things in history and for this I’m pleased. This book is full of not just the history but insight into the royal life and culture of India during this time. Such rich colorful descriptions are given of the clothing, jewelry, the land, the atmosphere. There is something for all in this book not just the romance but war, suspense and much more. Those Royals.. no matter what country or part of the world.. there is never a dull moment when everyone wants and will cook up schemes and even kill for power.
I’m giving this a 5 because even to the last page I was in it, attentive always impatient for my next interval of reading time. I recommend this to those who enjoy historical fiction of all kinds. The saga continues.. there are two more books and I’m looking forward to both. I know I’ve not done enough justice to this book but I gave it a shot. It does get a Deb’s Good Stuff award.
What can I say about The Twentieth Wife ? I think I may not have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to sing its praises. I loved this book. To the very end I was engrossed and intertwined in this tale of royal romance, tradition, history and struggle for control of the throne in the 1500’s Mogul empire.
I’ve passed this book numerous times. I don’t know why it took me so long to pick it up but if I had known that I would be wonderfully whisked away to a world filled with such intoxicating beauty and enigma, I think I would have read it much sooner. Filled with the passion and romance of the beautiful veiled ladies of the Emperors Zenana (harem), this story is a historical testimony to the saying that, behind every great man there is a great woman. In this case, women. Behind the scenes, the Emperor’s wives, concubines and the rich ladies at court are the influence and very lifeblood of Mogul age India. Even in a time when respectable women covered their faces to all but their beloved and held court behind a screen these women made their presence known. One woman personified this and mesmerized Prince Salim crowned Emperor Jahangir as the flawless beauty Mehrunissa. Mehrunissa is favorite daughter of Ghias Beg, a refugee from Persia turned respected royal treasurer under Emperor Akbar. Mehrunissa grows up at court and becomes a requested lady in waiting to Emperor Akbar’s main wife Ruqayya. Mehrunissa had a crush on Emperor Akbar’s prodigal son Prince Salim and always dreamed of some day being an Empress. When Mehrunissa and Prince Salim finally set eyes upon one other it was obsession at first sight. But Mehrunissa was promised to another and their journey to love and her role as The Twentieth Wife would be tested in the fires of time.
Although the romance of Mehrunissa and Emperor Jahangir is always an integral part to this story there is so much, much more to keep one pinned to the pages of this book. There is the history of this interesting part of history in India. I myself can’t say how true to fact the author has delivered this recounting mingled with historical fiction but I can most definitely say that I’ve learned so much. From reading this book and by the curiosity that it has born within me it did cause me to do a little searching. I know so much more about this period then I knew previously. I love learning new things in history and for this I’m pleased. This book is full of not just the history but insight into the royal life and culture of India during this time. Such rich colorful descriptions are given of the clothing, jewelry, the land, the atmosphere. There is something for all in this book not just the romance but war, suspense and much more. Those Royals.. no matter what country or part of the world.. there is never a dull moment when everyone wants and will cook up schemes and even kill for power.
I’m giving this a 5 because even to the last page I was in it, attentive always impatient for my next interval of reading time. I recommend this to those who enjoy historical fiction of all kinds. The saga continues.. there are two more books and I’m looking forward to both. I know I’ve not done enough justice to this book but I gave it a shot. It does get a Deb’s Good Stuff award.
October 28, 2023
A beautiful, brilliant book.
October 21, 2022
I read this before I had Goodreads, but I remember loving this series! I accidentally started with the books out of order because it was one I found in my house. I was fifteen when I read this in my family's rental on our vacation to Paris & Rome (one of my favorite trips of all time).
I need to come back and reread this series one day. I loved the lushness of the harem setting & the court intrigue, though, at the same time, the harem politics frustrated me.
As a romance reader, I didn't like how the sultan had other wives in addition to our heroine, but this is historical fiction with a romance, not a romance, so keep that in mind if you're interested in picking this one up.
I need to come back and reread this series one day. I loved the lushness of the harem setting & the court intrigue, though, at the same time, the harem politics frustrated me.
As a romance reader, I didn't like how the sultan had other wives in addition to our heroine, but this is historical fiction with a romance, not a romance, so keep that in mind if you're interested in picking this one up.
April 18, 2017
আচ্ছা... রাজা বাদশাহরা কি প্রেম করেন? যেই সেই প্রেম না এক্কেবারে সত্যিকারী অমর প্রেম।।।
এই দেশ আক্রমণ কর, ওই দেশের সাথে সন্ধি কর... অমুক ব্যক্তি বিদ্রোহ করছে তার কল্লা ফেল, তমুক হেল্প করেছে পুরষ্কার দাও, দুনিয়ার বিচার আচার আরো হাবিজাবি কত্ত কি কাজ তাদের!!!! এসবের ভিতরে অইসব করার জন্য মন মানসিকতা কি আদৌ থাকে?? আর ইয়ে রাজা বাদশার অন্দরমহলের কথা অর্থাৎ হেরেমের কথা আর নাই বা বললাম :-P :3
কিন্তু তারপরেও শুনতে মজা লাগে যখন কোন রাজা থুক্কু পরাক্রমশালী মোঘল বাদশাহ যখন একটা দুইটা নয় উনিশটি বউ ঘরে রেখে অতি সাধারন এক রমনীর পিছনে ঘুরতে থাকে... আর সুযোগ মত আজকালকার ছেলেপিলেদের মত তাহার সামনে হাঁটু গেড়ে বলে বসে , "Will u marry me? " ;-) :-P
বাদশাহ মহোদয় ঠিক এই কথাটাই বলেছিলেন না কি আরো কাব্যিক ভাষায় বলেছিলেন তা না হয় ঐতিহাসিকদের গবেষনার জন্য তোলা থাকুক আমি আর প্যাঁচাল না পেরে আসল কথা বলি.. যেই মোঘল সম্রাটের কথা বলছিলাম তিনি আর কেউ নন আকবর দ্যা গ্রেটের সুপুত্র সেলিম ওরফে বাদশাহ জাহাঙ্গীর। আর যেই নারীর প্রেমে তিনি দেওয়ানা হয়েছিলেন তিনি তাঁরই রাজ্যের এক আমীরের কন্যা মেহেরুন্নিসা।
আট দশটা বাল্য প্রেমের শুরু যেভাবে হয় তাদের ঘটনাও ঘটে সেভাবেই। ইঁচড়েপাকা নিসা সেলিমের বিবাহের দিনই (অন্যদেশের এক রাজকুমারীর সাথে সেলিমের বিয়ে হচ্ছিল) তার উপরে ক্রাশ খায়। ক্রাশটা বেশ সিরিয়াস রকমেরই ছিল.. তারপর থেকেই তার সমস্ত চিন্তা ভাবনা সেলিমকে ঘিরে। ভাগ্য দারুনভাবে সহায়তা করে নিসাকে। ঘটনাক্রমে বাদশাহর হেরেমের বাগানে দেখা হয় নিসা আর সেলিমের। চার চোখের মিলন.. অত:পর যুবরাজ সেলিম নিসার সৌন্দর্য আর মায়াবী নীল চোখের প্রেমে হাবুডুবু খেতে থাকেন। কিন্তু ওই প্রেম পর্যন্তই সারা... কারন ইতোমধ্যে তাদের প্রেম কাহিনীর চিত্রনাট্যে ভিলেন চলে এসেছে। ভিলেন আর কেউ নন নিসার হবু জামাই আলী কুলি খান। দুর্ধর্ষ যোদ্ধা। আর সেই সাথে নিসার চক্ষুশূল, হলেও হতে পারে সতীন, যুবরাজ সেলিমের স্ত্রী জগত গোসিনী আছেই... আর আছেন স্বয়ং বাদশাহ আকবর।
যাই হউক... নিসা চলে যায় সুদূরে আলী কুলির হাত ধরে আর সেলিম হেরেমের অন্যান্য নারী আর রাজকীয় কাজের মাঝে ডুবে থেকে প্রায় ভুলেই যায় নিসার কথা....
অনেক বছর পর....... আজ আবার সেই পথে দেখা হয়ে গেল.... কত সুর কত গান মনে পড়ে গেল বল ভাল আছ তো... এই টাইপ লুক দিয়ে আবারও বেশ নাটকীয়ভাবেই দেখা নিসা আর সেলিমের। ব্যাপারটা তাদের পুরানো এবং সুপ্ত প্রেমের জন্য ভাল হলেও জগত গোসিনী আর আলী কুলির জন্য ভাল হয় নি মোটেও। মাঝে আরো কিছু জল ঘোলা হবার পর যা হবার তাই হল... এক্কেবারে সিনেমার কাহিনী। নায়ক নায়িকার সুখের সংসারের জন্য ভিলেনের অনিচ্ছাকৃত আত্মত্যাগ ( আলী কুলি ব্যাটা বিদ্রোহী হওয়াতে ব্যাপারটা আরো সহজ হয়ে গেছে) ১৭ বছর পর শেষ হাসি হাসলেন সম্রাট জাহাঙ্গীর। তাঁর রাজ্য আলোকিত করে মেহেরুন্নিসা হলেন সম্রাজ্ঞী। সম্রাজ্ঞী নূরজাহান। অত:পর সুখের সংসার।
এই হইল ইন্দু সুন্দারসেনের লেখা " দ্যা টুয়েন্টিয়েথ ওয়াইফ " বইটার কাহিনী। কি মনে হচ্ছে? আরেএএ ধুউর এইটাতো টিপিক্যাল প্রেম কাহিনী। আমি বলব তাইলে অফ যান প্লিজ। বইটা পড়ে তারপর কথা বলতে আসেন। প্রেম, ষড়যন্ত্র ( প্রাসাদ ও প্রাসাদের বাইরে দুই জায়গাতেই) বিশ্বাসঘাতকতা, নৃশংসতা কি নেই... সবচেয়ে বড় ব্যাপার মুঘল আমলের নিঁখুত চিত্র। মনে হবে পৌঁছে গেছেন সেই সময়েই। লেখিকা ইন্দু সুন্দারসেন বেশ বড়সড় রকমেরই একটা ধন্যবাদ প্রাপ্য। ( সারা বিশ্বের পাঠক পাঠিকাদের কাছ থেকে) আর আমাদের মত আম জনতার ( অনুবাদ ছাড়া যাদের মুখে কিছু রুচে না) কাছ থেকে আরেকটা বিশাল ধন্যবাদ পাওনা হলেন অনুবাদক শাহেদ জামান। অসাধারণ বইয়ের অসাধারণ অনুবাদ। অপেক্ষায় আছি ট্রিলজির বাকি দুইটা বইয়ের অনুবাদ পড়ার... তার আগ পর্যন্ত এই বইটারই জাবর কাটতে থাকি :-P :-P
#happy_reading
#বই_হোক_অক্সিজেন
এই দেশ আক্রমণ কর, ওই দেশের সাথে সন্ধি কর... অমুক ব্যক্তি বিদ্রোহ করছে তার কল্লা ফেল, তমুক হেল্প করেছে পুরষ্কার দাও, দুনিয়ার বিচার আচার আরো হাবিজাবি কত্ত কি কাজ তাদের!!!! এসবের ভিতরে অইসব করার জন্য মন মানসিকতা কি আদৌ থাকে?? আর ইয়ে রাজা বাদশার অন্দরমহলের কথা অর্থাৎ হেরেমের কথা আর নাই বা বললাম :-P :3
কিন্তু তারপরেও শুনতে মজা লাগে যখন কোন রাজা থুক্কু পরাক্রমশালী মোঘল বাদশাহ যখন একটা দুইটা নয় উনিশটি বউ ঘরে রেখে অতি সাধারন এক রমনীর পিছনে ঘুরতে থাকে... আর সুযোগ মত আজকালকার ছেলেপিলেদের মত তাহার সামনে হাঁটু গেড়ে বলে বসে , "Will u marry me? " ;-) :-P
বাদশাহ মহোদয় ঠিক এই কথাটাই বলেছিলেন না কি আরো কাব্যিক ভাষায় বলেছিলেন তা না হয় ঐতিহাসিকদের গবেষনার জন্য তোলা থাকুক আমি আর প্যাঁচাল না পেরে আসল কথা বলি.. যেই মোঘল সম্রাটের কথা বলছিলাম তিনি আর কেউ নন আকবর দ্যা গ্রেটের সুপুত্র সেলিম ওরফে বাদশাহ জাহাঙ্গীর। আর যেই নারীর প্রেমে তিনি দেওয়ানা হয়েছিলেন তিনি তাঁরই রাজ্যের এক আমীরের কন্যা মেহেরুন্নিসা।
আট দশটা বাল্য প্রেমের শুরু যেভাবে হয় তাদের ঘটনাও ঘটে সেভাবেই। ইঁচড়েপাকা নিসা সেলিমের বিবাহের দিনই (অন্যদেশের এক রাজকুমারীর সাথে সেলিমের বিয়ে হচ্ছিল) তার উপরে ক্রাশ খায়। ক্রাশটা বেশ সিরিয়াস রকমেরই ছিল.. তারপর থেকেই তার সমস্ত চিন্তা ভাবনা সেলিমকে ঘিরে। ভাগ্য দারুনভাবে সহায়তা করে নিসাকে। ঘটনাক্রমে বাদশাহর হেরেমের বাগানে দেখা হয় নিসা আর সেলিমের। চার চোখের মিলন.. অত:পর যুবরাজ সেলিম নিসার সৌন্দর্য আর মায়াবী নীল চোখের প্রেমে হাবুডুবু খেতে থাকেন। কিন্তু ওই প্রেম পর্যন্তই সারা... কারন ইতোমধ্যে তাদের প্রেম কাহিনীর চিত্রনাট্যে ভিলেন চলে এসেছে। ভিলেন আর কেউ নন নিসার হবু জামাই আলী কুলি খান। দুর্ধর্ষ যোদ্ধা। আর সেই সাথে নিসার চক্ষুশূল, হলেও হতে পারে সতীন, যুবরাজ সেলিমের স্ত্রী জগত গোসিনী আছেই... আর আছেন স্বয়ং বাদশাহ আকবর।
যাই হউক... নিসা চলে যায় সুদূরে আলী কুলির হাত ধরে আর সেলিম হেরেমের অন্যান্য নারী আর রাজকীয় কাজের মাঝে ডুবে থেকে প্রায় ভুলেই যায় নিসার কথা....
অনেক বছর পর....... আজ আবার সেই পথে দেখা হয়ে গেল.... কত সুর কত গান মনে পড়ে গেল বল ভাল আছ তো... এই টাইপ লুক দিয়ে আবারও বেশ নাটকীয়ভাবেই দেখা নিসা আর সেলিমের। ব্যাপারটা তাদের পুরানো এবং সুপ্ত প্রেমের জন্য ভাল হলেও জগত গোসিনী আর আলী কুলির জন্য ভাল হয় নি মোটেও। মাঝে আরো কিছু জল ঘোলা হবার পর যা হবার তাই হল... এক্কেবারে সিনেমার কাহিনী। নায়ক নায়িকার সুখের সংসারের জন্য ভিলেনের অনিচ্ছাকৃত আত্মত্যাগ ( আলী কুলি ব্যাটা বিদ্রোহী হওয়াতে ব্যাপারটা আরো সহজ হয়ে গেছে) ১৭ বছর পর শেষ হাসি হাসলেন সম্রাট জাহাঙ্গীর। তাঁর রাজ্য আলোকিত করে মেহেরুন্নিসা হলেন সম্রাজ্ঞী। সম্রাজ্ঞী নূরজাহান। অত:পর সুখের সংসার।
এই হইল ইন্দু সুন্দারসেনের লেখা " দ্যা টুয়েন্টিয়েথ ওয়াইফ " বইটার কাহিনী। কি মনে হচ্ছে? আরেএএ ধুউর এইটাতো টিপিক্যাল প্রেম কাহিনী। আমি বলব তাইলে অফ যান প্লিজ। বইটা পড়ে তারপর কথা বলতে আসেন। প্রেম, ষড়যন্ত্র ( প্রাসাদ ও প্রাসাদের বাইরে দুই জায়গাতেই) বিশ্বাসঘাতকতা, নৃশংসতা কি নেই... সবচেয়ে বড় ব্যাপার মুঘল আমলের নিঁখুত চিত্র। মনে হবে পৌঁছে গেছেন সেই সময়েই। লেখিকা ইন্দু সুন্দারসেন বেশ বড়সড় রকমেরই একটা ধন্যবাদ প্রাপ্য। ( সারা বিশ্বের পাঠক পাঠিকাদের কাছ থেকে) আর আমাদের মত আম জনতার ( অনুবাদ ছাড়া যাদের মুখে কিছু রুচে না) কাছ থেকে আরেকটা বিশাল ধন্যবাদ পাওনা হলেন অনুবাদক শাহেদ জামান। অসাধারণ বইয়ের অসাধারণ অনুবাদ। অপেক্ষায় আছি ট্রিলজির বাকি দুইটা বইয়ের অনুবাদ পড়ার... তার আগ পর্যন্ত এই বইটারই জাবর কাটতে থাকি :-P :-P
#happy_reading
#বই_হোক_অক্সিজেন
April 30, 2020
3.5
An excellent book for a debut!
Canvas is set perfectly by picking Mehrunnisa as the main protagonist. Good research on etching out traits of characters while they were not in the limelight in real world.
Narrated nicely, however I did not like it as much as I would have wanted to. At most it was a non boring predicatble tale flowing along as a comfort read. For historical fiction, was expecting it to have more punches in the form of dialogues (or monologues).
Best parts:
- Relationship between Ruqqayya and Mehrunnisa.
- Character build up of Mehrunissa and her family (esp father)
Dull parts:
- Mehrunnisa's infatuation with Salim was alright, but the vice versa wasn't so convincing.
- Not so clever dialogues. Most conversations were pretty bland. There were ample opportunities to spice them up.
Would prefer to explore some non-fiction around this.
An excellent book for a debut!
Canvas is set perfectly by picking Mehrunnisa as the main protagonist. Good research on etching out traits of characters while they were not in the limelight in real world.
Narrated nicely, however I did not like it as much as I would have wanted to. At most it was a non boring predicatble tale flowing along as a comfort read. For historical fiction, was expecting it to have more punches in the form of dialogues (or monologues).
Best parts:
- Relationship between Ruqqayya and Mehrunnisa.
- Character build up of Mehrunissa and her family (esp father)
Dull parts:
- Mehrunnisa's infatuation with Salim was alright, but the vice versa wasn't so convincing.
- Not so clever dialogues. Most conversations were pretty bland. There were ample opportunities to spice them up.
Would prefer to explore some non-fiction around this.
October 17, 2018
এমনিতেই হিস্টোরিক্যাল ফিকশন আমার অনেক প্রিয়, তার উপর লেখকের লেখাতে এত রসবোধ, এত সুন্দর বর্ণনা, এই বইটার প্রতি আমার আকর্ষণ দ্বিগুণ করে দিয়েছিলো! love it!
March 23, 2017
মুঘল সাম্রাজ্য আর সাথে সম্রাট আর তাদের জীবনে ঘটে যাওয়ার কাহিনী। হয়তো কিছুটা কল্পনা মিশ্রিত আছে কিন্তু সত্যের উপরেই কাঠামোটা তৈরি করেছে লেখিকা। বলে ছিলাম আমার ইতিহাস ভালো লাগে না। কিন্তু ইতিহাস মিশ্রিত এমন উপন্যাস ভালো না লেগে কোথায় যাবে।
নূরজাহান আর সেলিমের কথা অনেক শুনেছি। একটা গানও ছোটবেলায় শুনেছিলাম ""নূরজাহান ! নূরজাহান ! সিন্ধু নদীতে ভেসে, এলে মেঘলামতীর দেশে ইরানী গুলিস্তান ""। পড়ার পর মনে হল ও আচ্ছা এই কাহিনী।
সত্যিই বাস্তব ও যে কখনো অবাস্তব লাগে তা একমাত্র সম্রাটদের জীবন যাপন ই প্রমাণ। এর নেক্সটের পার্ট দ্রুতই পড়ে ফেলব আশা করা যায়।
নূরজাহান আর সেলিমের কথা অনেক শুনেছি। একটা গানও ছোটবেলায় শুনেছিলাম ""নূরজাহান ! নূরজাহান ! সিন্ধু নদীতে ভেসে, এলে মেঘলামতীর দেশে ইরানী গুলিস্তান ""। পড়ার পর মনে হল ও আচ্ছা এই কাহিনী।
সত্যিই বাস্তব ও যে কখনো অবাস্তব লাগে তা একমাত্র সম্রাটদের জীবন যাপন ই প্রমাণ। এর নেক্সটের পার্ট দ্রুতই পড়ে ফেলব আশা করা যায়।
November 7, 2011
It took over a week for me to figure out why I was having such a tough time with The Twentieth Wife, a story of a pair of star-crossed lovers in imperial Mughal India in the 16th century. The protagonist Mehrunnisa is everything a feminist would want: intelligent, head-strong, gorgeous, and independent. However, I'm half-way through the book and it seems to me that the author has marginalized her just as much as the culture she lives in does. Her only act of bravery has been to smile through her emotional pain, and let's not fault her that. This is based on a true story and sometimes the bravest thing to do is deal with the situation you're in. I was just hoping for a little more action, some cultural rebellion, something worthy of the Disney-esque princess Sundaresan seems to be writing. (That is exactly what this feels like: a book written to be animated and put to a soundtrack written by MIA and Phil Collins with uplifting lyrics and a bodacious babe in gold lamé.)
Thus far, the author has spent way too much time telling me about the prince that Mehrunnisa is over the moon for and not giving me a reason to care. He's kind of a jackass to be honest: drug-addled, impressionable, selfish, and without any kind of honor to speak of. In the meantime, the child Mehrunnisa was thrilling to read about, but as soon as she grew up Sundaresan began ignoring her and only checking in each year as she doubled over in pain with another miscarriage. I've stopped caring whether she meets this Prince (not so) Charming or not. She's probably better off; her husband tends to be away a lot anyway and I think there are probably books somewhere she could liberate.
I can only hope she's building to a triumphant finish but I'm too tired to care and I want to move on. Perhaps I'm being impatient, it has happened before; but I've usually enjoyed the journey toward the climax and in this case it has become tiring. I don't want to read about Indian military history or another sentence so full of unfamiliar terms that I have to use the glossary six times to translate it to a place where I can understand it. Tell me the story, cut out the unnecessary minutes of what went on in court each day, and cut to the chase. And make it romantic if that's what it should be! Don't make me wade through red tape to get to a beautiful story and quit marginalizing your own heroine!
Riverview Book Club
Thus far, the author has spent way too much time telling me about the prince that Mehrunnisa is over the moon for and not giving me a reason to care. He's kind of a jackass to be honest: drug-addled, impressionable, selfish, and without any kind of honor to speak of. In the meantime, the child Mehrunnisa was thrilling to read about, but as soon as she grew up Sundaresan began ignoring her and only checking in each year as she doubled over in pain with another miscarriage. I've stopped caring whether she meets this Prince (not so) Charming or not. She's probably better off; her husband tends to be away a lot anyway and I think there are probably books somewhere she could liberate.
I can only hope she's building to a triumphant finish but I'm too tired to care and I want to move on. Perhaps I'm being impatient, it has happened before; but I've usually enjoyed the journey toward the climax and in this case it has become tiring. I don't want to read about Indian military history or another sentence so full of unfamiliar terms that I have to use the glossary six times to translate it to a place where I can understand it. Tell me the story, cut out the unnecessary minutes of what went on in court each day, and cut to the chase. And make it romantic if that's what it should be! Don't make me wade through red tape to get to a beautiful story and quit marginalizing your own heroine!
Riverview Book Club
October 25, 2015
I don't like the romance between Mehrunnisa (a.k.a Empress Nur Jahan) and the Emperor much, but the rest of the book: the struggle of a young girl finding a place for herself and her family in a male-centered ancient Indian society, the power struggle within the harem, the politic at the royal court, the description of the Mughal Empire, is pretty intriguing.
Seriously speaking, I can understand somehow Prince Salim(later Emperor Jahangir) developed a strong crush on the young and charming Mehrunnisa, but to have the Prince missing her endlessly while she was absent for years, even after he had already married one Princess after another? I think it's too cliched.
I'm not a fan of historical romance genre, I usually hate to read about the power struggle within a harem, but The Twentieth Wife and its sequel: The Feast of Roses, are both satisfying read.
My Chinese review for the first two books: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Seriously speaking, I can understand somehow Prince Salim(later Emperor Jahangir) developed a strong crush on the young and charming Mehrunnisa, but to have the Prince missing her endlessly while she was absent for years, even after he had already married one Princess after another? I think it's too cliched.
I'm not a fan of historical romance genre, I usually hate to read about the power struggle within a harem, but The Twentieth Wife and its sequel: The Feast of Roses, are both satisfying read.
My Chinese review for the first two books: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
December 21, 2007
The first thing that I thought once I put this book down was that it would be great to recommend to people who read "Memoirs of A Geisha" (I work in a bookstore). It has all the same basic elements: girl overcoming difficult childhood, unrequited love, obstacle after obstacle, etc. The setting for this novel is India and while it is similar to "Memoirs" the book is not merely a duplication in a different country. If you do read this book and enjoy it there is also a follow-up book: Feast of Roses. Oh, and even though the story is fictionalized the characters are real people. The Taj Mahal was built for the sister of the narrator!
March 22, 2016
তাজমহল ট্রিলজির প্রথম বই এটা, দ্য টুয়েন্টিয়েথ ওয়াইফ। বিশতম বউ। বইয়ের নামেই তো একটা লুতুপুতু ভাব। কেমন আর হবে! এই বই বের হচ্ছে শুনেই একটা দোটানায় পড়ে গিয়েছিলাম। শাহেদ জামান ভাই এই লুতুপুতু বই অনুবাদ করলেন! মেলায় গিয়ে হাতে নিয়ে উল্টেপাল্টে দেখলাম। পরিচিত দুয়েকজন বললেন ভালই নাকি বইটা। অটোগ্রাফ ফটোগ্রাফসহই নিয়ে নিলাম।
সবার আগে তারিফ করতে হবে বইটার প্রচ্ছদ নিয়ে। প্রান্ত ঘোষের অনবদ্য একটি কাজ। প্রচ্ছদেই পোড় খাওয়া খানদানি একটা ভাব। এবারের মেলায় আমার দেখা সেরা প্রচ্ছদ এটা।
যা হোক, আসল কথা বলি। তখন মুঘল শাসনামলের তৃতীয় প্রজন্ম চলছে। সিংহাসনে সম্রাট আকবর। পারস্যের ওয়াজিরপুত্র গিয়াস বেগ ঘটনাক্রমে পালিয়ে এসে নিজগুনে আশ্রয় পেলেন সম্রাটের দরবারে। সাথে সদ্যোজাত এক কন্যাসন্তান। শরতের আকাশের মত গভীর নীল চোখ তার। পরবর্তী বছরগুলোয় ধীরে ধীরে রচিত হল এক অমর উপাখ্যান ইতিহাসে যার তুলনা মেলা ভার। সত্যিই, বাস্তব কখনো কখনো কল্পনাকেও হার মানায়।
বইয়ের প্রধান চরিত্র মির্জা গিয়াস বেগের মেয়ে মেহেরুন্নিসা, সম্রাট জাহাঙ্গীরের সাথে বিয়ে হওয়ার পর যার নাম হয় নূরজাহান। ছোটবেলা থেকেই যার স্বপ্ন ছিল মুঘল সাম্রাজ্যের সম্রাজ্ঞী হওয়ার। হ্যা, তা তিনি হতে পেরেছিলেন কিন্তু যথেষ্ট মূল্যের বিনিময়ে। প্রধান চরিত্র মেহেরুন্নিসা বা বইয়ের মূলধারার কাহিনী মেহেরুন্নিসার সাথে জাহাঙ্গীরের বিয়ে নিয়ে হলেও তাদের জন্মের পর থেকে বিয়ে হবার আগপর্যন্ত মুঘল শাসনামলের ছোটবড় অনেক ঘটনাই লেখিকা সুন্দরভাবে উপস্থাপন করেছেন। ভালবাসা, যুদ্ধ, রাজনীতি, কুটনীতি, বিশ্বাসঘাতকতা, ক্ষমতার লোভ প্রভৃতি ঐতিহাসিক সত্যের সাথে লেখিকার কল্পনার মিশেলে কাহিনী হয়ে ঊঠেছে পুরো জীবন্ত। কোথাও একটু বাহুল্য নেই, গতিহীনতা নেই। চরিত্রগুলোও দোষগুণ মিলিয়ে বেশ ভালভাবেই উপস্থাপন করতে পেরেছেন। বইয়ের একেকটা অধ্যায়ে ঘটনাপ্রবাহ একেক দিকে মোড় নিয়েছে। আর পাঠকের মনে যাতে দোটানার সৃষ্টি না হয় সেজন্য প্রতি অধ্যায়ের শুরুতেই সারাংশ আকারে প্রখ্যাত ঐতিহাসিকদের রেফারেন্স দেয়া হয়েছে। লেখিকার দূরদর্শিতা প্রশংসনীয়।
অনুবাদের মানের ক্ষেত্রে তারিফের ভাষা খুঁজে পচ্ছিনা। সত্যি বলতে এই বইটা শুধুমাত্র শাহেদ জামানের অনুবাদ বলেই কেনা হয়েছিল। আক্ষরিক অনুবাদ এক জায়গাতেও নেই, পুরোটাই ভাবানুবাদ। পড়ার সময় একবারের জন্যেও মনে হয়নি যে এটা অন্য কোন ভাষার বই। ভবিষ্যতে আরও অনুবাদ দিয়ে উনি বাংলা সাহিত্যকে সমৃদ্ধ করবেন এটাই প্রত্যাশা। আর হ্যা, এই সিরিজের পরের পার্টের জন্যে কিন্তু অধীর আগ্রহে অপেক্ষা করছি।
ঐতিহাসিক সত্য, ইন্দু সুন্দরেসানের কল্পনাশক্তি+জাদুকরী লেখনী আর শাহেদ জামানের প্রাঞ্জল অনুবাদের মিশেলে একটা মাস্টারপিসই বলা চলে এই বইটাকে। ইতিহাস পছন্দ করেন এমন পাঠকরা নির্দ্বিধায় কিনে ফেলুন। পয়সা উসুল হবে তো বটেই আরও লাভও থেকে যাবে। :)
সবার আগে তারিফ করতে হবে বইটার প্রচ্ছদ নিয়ে। প্রান্ত ঘোষের অনবদ্য একটি কাজ। প্রচ্ছদেই পোড় খাওয়া খানদানি একটা ভাব। এবারের মেলায় আমার দেখা সেরা প্রচ্ছদ এটা।
যা হোক, আসল কথা বলি। তখন মুঘল শাসনামলের তৃতীয় প্রজন্ম চলছে। সিংহাসনে সম্রাট আকবর। পারস্যের ওয়াজিরপুত্র গিয়াস বেগ ঘটনাক্রমে পালিয়ে এসে নিজগুনে আশ্রয় পেলেন সম্রাটের দরবারে। সাথে সদ্যোজাত এক কন্যাসন্তান। শরতের আকাশের মত গভীর নীল চোখ তার। পরবর্তী বছরগুলোয় ধীরে ধীরে রচিত হল এক অমর উপাখ্যান ইতিহাসে যার তুলনা মেলা ভার। সত্যিই, বাস্তব কখনো কখনো কল্পনাকেও হার মানায়।
বইয়ের প্রধান চরিত্র মির্জা গিয়াস বেগের মেয়ে মেহেরুন্নিসা, সম্রাট জাহাঙ্গীরের সাথে বিয়ে হওয়ার পর যার নাম হয় নূরজাহান। ছোটবেলা থেকেই যার স্বপ্ন ছিল মুঘল সাম্রাজ্যের সম্রাজ্ঞী হওয়ার। হ্যা, তা তিনি হতে পেরেছিলেন কিন্তু যথেষ্ট মূল্যের বিনিময়ে। প্রধান চরিত্র মেহেরুন্নিসা বা বইয়ের মূলধারার কাহিনী মেহেরুন্নিসার সাথে জাহাঙ্গীরের বিয়ে নিয়ে হলেও তাদের জন্মের পর থেকে বিয়ে হবার আগপর্যন্ত মুঘল শাসনামলের ছোটবড় অনেক ঘটনাই লেখিকা সুন্দরভাবে উপস্থাপন করেছেন। ভালবাসা, যুদ্ধ, রাজনীতি, কুটনীতি, বিশ্বাসঘাতকতা, ক্ষমতার লোভ প্রভৃতি ঐতিহাসিক সত্যের সাথে লেখিকার কল্পনার মিশেলে কাহিনী হয়ে ঊঠেছে পুরো জীবন্ত। কোথাও একটু বাহুল্য নেই, গতিহীনতা নেই। চরিত্রগুলোও দোষগুণ মিলিয়ে বেশ ভালভাবেই উপস্থাপন করতে পেরেছেন। বইয়ের একেকটা অধ্যায়ে ঘটনাপ্রবাহ একেক দিকে মোড় নিয়েছে। আর পাঠকের মনে যাতে দোটানার সৃষ্টি না হয় সেজন্য প্রতি অধ্যায়ের শুরুতেই সারাংশ আকারে প্রখ্যাত ঐতিহাসিকদের রেফারেন্স দেয়া হয়েছে। লেখিকার দূরদর্শিতা প্রশংসনীয়।
অনুবাদের মানের ক্ষেত্রে তারিফের ভাষা খুঁজে পচ্ছিনা। সত্যি বলতে এই বইটা শুধুমাত্র শাহেদ জামানের অনুবাদ বলেই কেনা হয়েছিল। আক্ষরিক অনুবাদ এক জায়গাতেও নেই, পুরোটাই ভাবানুবাদ। পড়ার সময় একবারের জন্যেও মনে হয়নি যে এটা অন্য কোন ভাষার বই। ভবিষ্যতে আরও অনুবাদ দিয়ে উনি বাংলা সাহিত্যকে সমৃদ্ধ করবেন এটাই প্রত্যাশা। আর হ্যা, এই সিরিজের পরের পার্টের জন্যে কিন্তু অধীর আগ্রহে অপেক্ষা করছি।
ঐতিহাসিক সত্য, ইন্দু সুন্দরেসানের কল্পনাশক্তি+জাদুকরী লেখনী আর শাহেদ জামানের প্রাঞ্জল অনুবাদের মিশেলে একটা মাস্টারপিসই বলা চলে এই বইটাকে। ইতিহাস পছন্দ করেন এমন পাঠকরা নির্দ্বিধায় কিনে ফেলুন। পয়সা উসুল হবে তো বটেই আরও লাভও থেকে যাবে। :)
May 23, 2017
This is what I like about historical fiction, the power they possess to take us with them. This story is about the twentieth and the most beloved wife of Jahangir.
When I started this book I had no idea about Mughal empire other than few details I read in history classes and what I inferred from movie Jodha Akbar. A well researched work which talks not only about the great Empress but also of the landscapes, politics and culture.
This will be one of the books where I didn't care much about the story and turned pages for the setting. I liked the way author described the Royal proceedings! This story made me literally go back in time, walk along the streets of Agra, wander through the zenana, observe the royal court proceedings. I loved it. I wish I belonged to that time. Other than the betrayals and war conspiracies, I fell in love with the beauty of the palaces, forts, balconies, herams, attires, the Yamuna and everything else about the time.
The story telling fascinated me. Since the title is about the Empress, I expected her to come and take the stage like a war heroine! But it is in no way like that! The author neatly builds the character Mehrunisa, very neatly that there were no heroic strings attached to her characterization, no super powers, nothing extraordinary! Simple, charming woman who stood up for what she believed. At the same time, characterization of Jahangir is bit down with his drinking, opium habits and other such things.
Throughout the read, there were so many places I stopped for thinking how much of it was real and how much fiction. Author's afterword was convincing and inspiring enough to make read more about Nur Jahan. I loved the way the story ended by denoting the power of women ascending in the Empire especially in that time where women were restricted under veil and the great style in which women gained power gradually afterwards.
When I started this book I had no idea about Mughal empire other than few details I read in history classes and what I inferred from movie Jodha Akbar. A well researched work which talks not only about the great Empress but also of the landscapes, politics and culture.
This will be one of the books where I didn't care much about the story and turned pages for the setting. I liked the way author described the Royal proceedings! This story made me literally go back in time, walk along the streets of Agra, wander through the zenana, observe the royal court proceedings. I loved it. I wish I belonged to that time. Other than the betrayals and war conspiracies, I fell in love with the beauty of the palaces, forts, balconies, herams, attires, the Yamuna and everything else about the time.
The story telling fascinated me. Since the title is about the Empress, I expected her to come and take the stage like a war heroine! But it is in no way like that! The author neatly builds the character Mehrunisa, very neatly that there were no heroic strings attached to her characterization, no super powers, nothing extraordinary! Simple, charming woman who stood up for what she believed. At the same time, characterization of Jahangir is bit down with his drinking, opium habits and other such things.
Throughout the read, there were so many places I stopped for thinking how much of it was real and how much fiction. Author's afterword was convincing and inspiring enough to make read more about Nur Jahan. I loved the way the story ended by denoting the power of women ascending in the Empire especially in that time where women were restricted under veil and the great style in which women gained power gradually afterwards.
November 9, 2021
মুঘল সাম্রাজ্য বলতেই আমরা অনেক সম্রাট দের নাম জানতে পারি। মূলত তাদের নেতৃত্বেই গড়ে ওঠে বিশাল এই সাম্রাজ্য। কিন্তু এই পুরুষ দের আড়ালে যেই সকল নারী দের কৃতিত্ব আছে সেই ইতিহাস গুলো আমরা সাধারণত কমই জানি। এই উদ্দেশ্য পূরনেই মূলত লেখিকা ইন্দু সুন্দরেসান তার তাজমহল সিরিজ রচনা করে যার প্রথম খন্ড এই বইটি। এই বইতে সম্রাট আকবর এর শাসনামল তৎকালীন সামাজিক পরিস্থিতি,রাজ্যের মধ্যে চলা সব ধরনের ষড়যন্ত্র ও মূল দুটি চরিত্র মেহেরুন্নেসা এবং সম্রাট জাহাঙ্গীর এর একে অপর কে চাওয়ার পথে বাধা এবং সেই বাধা অতিক্রম করে নিজেদের আপন করে নেওয়ার গল্পের ওপর ভিত্তি প্রস্তর রচিত হয়েছে। সব মিলিয়ে এটি হিস্টোরিক্যাল ফিকশন এর কম্পলিট প্যাকেজ। যে কেও উপভোগ করবে।
December 3, 2020
3.5 stars. Despite being verbose, the book is fast paced. A historical fiction of a powerful woman, Mehrunissa alias Nur Jahan, wife of Jahangir. This first part of trilogy ends with their marriage. Eager to know her political influence in Jahangir's rule.
September 26, 2018
It was brilliant....Took me to the world of Nur Jahan and Jahangir...Mehrunissa what a lovely name...The narration was good and so were the characters. I am intrigued by Nur Jahan and want to read on her life .. Maybe I will read it non fiction on her next...there are so many...The other female characters are also unique and strong minded like Ruqqayya Sulthan Akbar's wife and Jagat Ghosni Jahangirs other wife... Want to read up on all of them but first Nur Jahan...Not sure whether I'll read the sequel to this as I do not want to spoil the effect..
December 23, 2014
So I knew absolutely nothing about Mehrunnisa before reading this book. I didn’t even know that her niece was the woman the Taj Mahal was built for.
Thanks to this book, I know want to know more about Mehrunnisa.
If one is looking at this book objectively, there isn’t much action – in many ways it is a slow burn romance with the heroine marrying the wrong man. I would have almost liked more intrigue in the harem. Yet, all the characters are well drawn and the conflicting forces of duty vs. family do provide enough tension. Perhaps the weakest character is Mehrunnisa’s husband who comes across as the been there done that cliché character.
However, the book does really flow. It’s the type of book you notice that you on page 190 and then when you look again, you are on page 245 and wondering how you got there, cause it didn’t feel like that many pages were read.
July 26, 2015
This book is lush in its description of mughal landscapes; from the colourful court life, to the intrigue ridden harems, the attires and festivities, the wars and betrayals, everything is painted in deft strokes and brought to life quite beautifully by Indu Sundaresan. Something remains to be desired from the character building, especially that of Jahangir but the plot kept me hooked through this excruciatingly long journey of courtship. So 4 stars.
December 23, 2019
This book is peak me, and it made me really happy and made me feel a score of emotions, which is good. I still don't like Ali Quli, but you can read my full review here!
December 29, 2013
This is a book that truly takes you away. You can almost smell the flowers in the Indian gardens...that's how good it is. Please trust me and read it. You will find it hard to put down.
February 8, 2019
Heavy on historical, lightish on romance, but a very humanizing account of some of the world’s most fascinating historical figures.
A breath of fresh, incense-laden air in a very white genre. Want to read the second book, but my TBR pile is obscene.
Glad I could use the Read Harder Challenge as my excuse to finally pick this up though.
A breath of fresh, incense-laden air in a very white genre. Want to read the second book, but my TBR pile is obscene.
Glad I could use the Read Harder Challenge as my excuse to finally pick this up though.
January 12, 2017
The Twentieth Wife is a fictional account of the life of the Empress Nur Jahan, born Mehrunnissa, before she married the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and became his favorite wife and advisor. It was December's Vaginal Fantasy pick and I was rather unimpressed by it. I started this one about a month ago and have been slowly working my way through it, forcing myself to read at least a paragraph occasionally, before finally deciding to give up the ghost today. I read the last couple of pages and counted this one done and off of my plate.
I’m a little annoyed because this should be a super fascinating story. Mehrunnissa was born as her family fled Persia due to her father’s debts, and by luck her father managed to work his way into the court of Emperor Akbar, her eventual husband’s father. She impressed of one of his wives and spent a good amount of her time in the harem of said Emperor where she caught the eye of his son and heir. However due to various reasons she was married off to another man. But when he died, she eventually married her one true love Jahangir.
According to the historical accounts I’ve read (Wikipedia) Mehrunnissa was a very learned woman, and she eventually ruled her husband’s kingdom through him. To be honest, I’d have been much more interested in the novel if the love story hadn’t been all that present. I didn’t really buy that Mehrunnissa and Jahangir had a love that lasted years, requited but never consummated and I thought there was quite a missed opportunity here to present a powerful, ambitious female protagonist who used her soft power (looks) to buy her way into the harem of an emperor and then used her intelligence to beguile and rule through him. As I said, the love story felt forced.
The writing was fairly mediocre. The characters felt flat and never really came alive. I didn’t like the way that Sundaresan presented the politics in the various harems either; it relied a bit too much on the scheming evil women archetype, which isn’t my favorite archetype out there. Also, though it’s accurate to portray Jahangir as a weak man, it does kind of make him an interesting choice for a romantic hero and not in a good way. If Sundaresan wanted me to believe that there was love between these two people, and not just ambition on the part of Mehrunnissa, there needed to be something about Jahangir the man that attracted her and that was never really presented.
I’m a little annoyed because this should be a super fascinating story. Mehrunnissa was born as her family fled Persia due to her father’s debts, and by luck her father managed to work his way into the court of Emperor Akbar, her eventual husband’s father. She impressed of one of his wives and spent a good amount of her time in the harem of said Emperor where she caught the eye of his son and heir. However due to various reasons she was married off to another man. But when he died, she eventually married her one true love Jahangir.
According to the historical accounts I’ve read (Wikipedia) Mehrunnissa was a very learned woman, and she eventually ruled her husband’s kingdom through him. To be honest, I’d have been much more interested in the novel if the love story hadn’t been all that present. I didn’t really buy that Mehrunnissa and Jahangir had a love that lasted years, requited but never consummated and I thought there was quite a missed opportunity here to present a powerful, ambitious female protagonist who used her soft power (looks) to buy her way into the harem of an emperor and then used her intelligence to beguile and rule through him. As I said, the love story felt forced.
The writing was fairly mediocre. The characters felt flat and never really came alive. I didn’t like the way that Sundaresan presented the politics in the various harems either; it relied a bit too much on the scheming evil women archetype, which isn’t my favorite archetype out there. Also, though it’s accurate to portray Jahangir as a weak man, it does kind of make him an interesting choice for a romantic hero and not in a good way. If Sundaresan wanted me to believe that there was love between these two people, and not just ambition on the part of Mehrunnissa, there needed to be something about Jahangir the man that attracted her and that was never really presented.
June 7, 2016
This is the story of Empress Noor Jahan's life and how despite so many circumstances/events etc, her impossible marriage with Jahangir happened. The author's style greatly reminded me of Jeffrey Archer's 'Kane and Abel' and its siblings. The pace is good and even, the events are believable and also informative, the flow is smooth and for lovers of history this book is a joy.
Interestingly, this book came to my notice solely because of 'Siyaasat' a television series on 'Epic Channel' based on the book. Although i watch little TV, have great respect for EPIC channel and its selections.
I first read about Empress Noor Jahan in Abraham Eraly's delightful history Emperors Of The Peacock Throne (also titled The Last Spring book 1), and was surprised and delighted at her story. Came to know that in a 'zenana' of few hundred wives and concubines, she was the soulmate of Jahangir and even ruled over the kindgom in his name. Add to that her beauty and her sophistication. That story has been told in the sequel "The Feast of Roses" which I am reading next.
Interestingly, this book came to my notice solely because of 'Siyaasat' a television series on 'Epic Channel' based on the book. Although i watch little TV, have great respect for EPIC channel and its selections.
I first read about Empress Noor Jahan in Abraham Eraly's delightful history Emperors Of The Peacock Throne (also titled The Last Spring book 1), and was surprised and delighted at her story. Came to know that in a 'zenana' of few hundred wives and concubines, she was the soulmate of Jahangir and even ruled over the kindgom in his name. Add to that her beauty and her sophistication. That story has been told in the sequel "The Feast of Roses" which I am reading next.
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