Finnally, I finished reading the novel this day. It's more than just a love story novel. I find it as a mirror nowadays where people of certain faith fight against people from other faith. Beleivers nowadays has interpreted their holy book to serve their interests and benefits. Bloodshed is everywhere ...and they hide behind their faith as their justification. The novel wittily describes such terrible chaos. Power and fear can turn man into monster and sometimes love is the remedy.
A historic romantic epic story that tells tales behind the construction of most beautiful building in the world Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders. All know about the magical building that was built by an ancient ruler to honor the memory of his beloved wife. History, facts and imagination are blended in such outstanding details that resulted in beautiful, mythical as well as dangerous and thrilling world. John Shors jus knows well how to this craftily.
It is a first-person narration in which Our heroine is Jahanara, the daughter of the Emperor Shah Jahan and his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal unfolded the secrets behind the building of monumental Taj Mahal to her two beloved granddaughter, Gulbadan and Ruyayya. Jahanara is smart, willing to flout Islamic tradition, kind to the poor, loyal and devoted to her parents. Her life was surrounded by generous love, affection as well as hatred, rivalry, deadly intrigues and wars. Like her mother, Arjumand who was later known as Mumtaz Mahal, Jahanara stood in engrossed male patriarch world that never let any women led anything. Her life was often in great dangers when she tried to defy some traditional customs; thus challenging the men’s world. She was caught up in the middle between her two siblings, Dara; the daydreamer who had kind gentle heart and always wanted to reconcile Hindus and Muslims but weak; and Arungzeb; who always hunger for bloodshed and hated Hindus and all people from other faith with a heart of stone, and had more fanatic conservative interpretations of the Koran to serve his personal motives in seizing the throne from the rightful heir, Dara.
The story begins with Jahanara growing up as a young girl, in the perfumed harems of the Red Fort of Agra and at the foot of the Peacock Throne, learning about intrigue and deception and imperial politics, and applying this knowledge to the ongoing struggle between her older brothers. She learnt about politics and its intrigues mostly from books and her mother. She was a witness how his father, the Sultan, often sought opinions and ideas from her mother than from his men. He had shown tremendous love to his Arjumand and believed that women could also lead if only the customary traditions allow them to. In these two, Jahanara found what true love was and how women were capable contribute in politics and other fields as well as men…and that in order to survive the kingdom, the Sultan should fairly respect his people of all faith.. a very daring challenge that was abhorred by Aurangzeb.
Her world was shattered when she had an arranged marriage for political reason with a smelly boor, Khondamir, most influential silver merchant in the region. Her husband was a fool with shallow brain that was ignorant to her feelings and mind. This plot was a little bit strange for me as there’s no enough explanation on how and why her parents chose him. It was really annoying on how careless her wise father and witty mother should have chosen the ugly, old, fat man for the most beloved daughter. I would expect that if she should marry with elder, he should be an influential politician or prince to build a strong alliance. This leaves a big question mark in my head until the end of the book. She escaped her husband only after the death of her mother, which inspired her father to build the Taj Mahal. Devastated with grief, the Shah entrusted Jahanara the details of construction, who threw herself into the creation of the massive tomb. In the process, she fell in love love with the young architect, Isa. They hid their love story in secrecy under the protection of the Shah (It was redemption for his wrongful choice of Khondamir) and bore a daughter that was named after her grandmother, Arjumand.
Meanwhile, Aurangzeb’s lust for power had blinded his mind. He did terrible things to overthrow his own father. He brutally slaughtered the war captives, destroyed temples, and ruled with an iron fist. He executed his brothers and jailed his father and sister.
The intrigues, the civil wars, the killings for the throne reminds me of such events that happen in the old times when kingdoms still at reign. Brothers kill brothers, father kills sons, sons kill father…all for the sake of power. Such intrigues, betrayal, hatred could easily read in history of China Dynasties, Pharaoh Dynasties, etc. Such elusive as well as dangerous world always lie behind the golden cage.
Anyway, I find the love story between Shah and Mumtaz Mahal is the most fascinating love story than Jahanara. I am always against love relationship without legal matrimony.
The friendship between Nizam, and Ladli with her fascinates me. It’s hard to find such loyal friend who gives even their life over yours. It’s a rare bond to find nowadays. Like the loyalty of Sam Gangee to Frodo. True friendship always forgives and gives. And I think Jahanara is luckiest woman in the story as she has such true friends. Life would be barren and dry without such friends. It’s better having one true friend than many. A question that is now occupied my mind about the value of such relationship especially when you are torn between two.
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