ANARKALI BY HARSHALI SINGH – BOOK REVIEW - #WRITEAPAGEADAY #BLOGCHATTER

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                                                                                                       Amazon.in 

The name ‘Anarkali’ evokes memories of the beauteous Madhubala in ‘Mughal-E-Azam’ twirling around in a hall of mirrors, her reflection being multiplied to the lilting tune of an unforgettable song. Harshali Singh’s latest offering ‘Anarkali’, from the Readomania publishing house, offers us an insight into the background of this magnetic woman who, as the tagline claims, was ‘The Courtesan, the Pawn and the Queen’.

The narrative begins with the story of Nadira and her indomitable mother who takes her daughters on a perilous journey through the Khyber Pass to Kabul, “a mother who went through hell to keep her daughters safe.” On one special occasion, Nadira is paraded before the emperor himself, the mighty Akbar, in the hope that he finds her promising enough to be taken under his wing. Once she passes muster, she is determined to prove worthy, absorbing all the attributes that she needs to sparkle in the harem of Shahenshah Akbar, a man with three demanding queens and several favourite concubines.

Entranced with Nadira’s maiden performance before him, Akbar names her ‘Anar ki Kali’ which he calls “a fitting epithet to her blushing beauty”. She is ensconced in the peacock rooms, one of the most beautiful spaces in the palace.

Many characters people this absorbing narrative, bringing it to life. Anarkali soon realises that she needs to use all her wiles and intelligence to survive in this web of intrigue riddled with critics and naysayers – Queen Ruqaiya and Salima Begum, in particular.

Harshali Singh once again proves why she is a writer par excellence. She impels her Anarkali to play the mahal (palace) as she would play Shatranj (chess), moving step by step to turn from mere pawn to the queen of the emperor’s heart. Every chapter begins with the description of a chess move that mirrors the action in the words that follow.

The appearance of Prince Salim, the crown prince, and his shadow, Durjan Singh, Commander Mansingh’s son, change the even tempo of Anarkali’s life, as she grapples with emotions that threaten to overwhelm her. From the controller and the knight of her own life, she treads into forbidden areas, meeting powerful men head on.

The intrigues, the challenges, the passion and the perils in the ephemeral life of a courtesan are beautifully described as Anarkali falls from grace.

Was Anarkali a pawn in the hands of a tyrant or did she have a say in her own destiny?

As the blurb of the book suggests, “Was she purposely erased from the annals of history for questioning free will?”

This gem of a book with its eye-catching cover will stay with the reader for its lifelike portrayal of its exquisite protagonist and the travails she went through in the Mughal court. Harshali Singh proves her prowess over the English language and apt Urdu embellishments, both of which she uses to enhance her writing.

 I am participating in the February #Blogchatter #WriteAPageADay challenge.

481 words 

 

 


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