Ancient and medieval history are so cruel; they give doubts more than facts. But the journey to discover the facts from doubt is what every history enthusiast wants. It is too hard to write a complete historical thesis about Anarkali because there are so many accounts available on the internet, and each has a contradiction with the previous one. This will blow your mind and mine too. Even after reading this book and researching about Anarkali, my mind is just blown away.
My main motto was to read this book to discover the truth behind Anarkali, but it gave me a lot of questions and doubts, which I don't know how long it will take for my mind to solve. But, dear readers, here is a review for you about what I discovered and found in the book Anarkali by Sumant Batra. Let's explore this in detail:
Initial Impressions of the Book
The book 'Anarkali' is the story of the so-called Nadira Ali, who later got the title "Anarkali" from Akbar. There are many stories and movies based on Anarkali, but this book presents Rahim Sallaludin Khan's version, written in 1906, which is 16 years before Syed Imtiaz's Anarkali play (considered one of the first accounts of Anarkali). When I started reading this book, I was sure that I would discover the truth behind Anarkali's story. But, on just the third page, the author clearly states that
"the story itself is nothing but my fancy. It should not be read as a scholarly work."
From this statement, there will be no sense in having any historical debate for his book. However, the last two chapters of this book, it is presented in a way that makes me think, was Anarkali a fiction?
Why Sumant Batra is the Most Fitting Choice to Write This Book?
It has been one year since I published the first book review on Apurva Bharat but did not get a chance to meet a single author whose book I am reviewing. However, Sumant Sir is the first person whom I not only met but also received a signed copy from him at the Delhi Poetry Festival.
I watched his full interview there live, and I was inspired by him, seeing what a brilliant person he is. Let's come to the topic. The subject of Anarkali was considered a completely fictional topic; no one even made the effort to dive deeper to provide some details about the life of Anarkali or at least discover some truth about her. But here is a man who just started researching about Anarkali only after hearing a sentence, "Sir, if you don't have your truth, please don't belittle mine," from an ordinary guide in Fatehpur Sikri in his question of Anarkali's existence. After this incident, He visited places in Agra, Delhi, and even Lahore to get the truth about her.
Analysis of Anarkali by Sumant Batra
I am damn sure most of my readers have already watched the movie 'Mughal-e-Azam' and the latest release 'Taj' on Zee5. As you already know, movies and shows are for entertainment; they always take cinematic freedom to showcase the case as per their point of view. If you thought that you would get the same type of story in this book as well, then you are wrong. The book 'Anarkali' offers a different perspective than all the stories we have known about Anarkali. The book is written in a much more realistic approach. It is not just a love storybook; it delves into the era of the Mughal Empire. You can learn about the Mughals' daily life routine, their darbar, Akbar and Salim's relationship, Salim's rebellion, and many interesting facts that also helped me, as a history lover, to explore. The book starts in London in the 21st century when someone discovered the work of her great-grandfather Rahim Sallaludin Khan, which was unintentional, and ended up discovering a grand truth about Anarkali.
Three Lessons from This Book
The Power of Unconditional Love
Anarkali was inspired by Radha's unconditional love for Krishna. Here, she learns how to sacrifice one's love for his lover's sake. Ultimately, she uses her unconditional love for Salim, and one day she is forced to leave his life without letting him know. She accepts this decision with a smile to see Jahangir as the future emperor.
Sometimes Destiny Has Better Plans
Not only Anarkali, but this book also represents an account of Jodha when she was married to Rattan Singh. Jodha was too young at that time and did not relocate to her in-law's house. She was deeply in love with Rattan Singh, but her father fixed her marriage with Akbar to save the lives of people in Amber from Akbar's invasion. As per the book, after the marriage, Jodha was really happy to have a husband like Akbar.
Priming May Ruin Someone's Life
Anarkali's problems started when Mehrunissa (later known as Nur Jahan) started priming Akbar, Gulbadan, and Jodha about Anarkali. Her problem was her jealousy of Anarkali. She was the first lover of Salim, and Salim started ignoring her after he met Anarkali. As a result of Mehrunissa's priming, the most difficult outcomes were faced by Jahannuma (mother of Anarkali), who had no connection with all of this.
Audience, I want to recommend this book
'As You Like It' by William Shakespeare is one of the best love stories I have ever read. But, as of today, Anarkali is in the first place. If you guys are currently reading any romantic novel, hold it for some time and read Anarkali. Try out an Indian version. And history enthusiasts, you can also try Anarkali, and it will give you some basis to find the truth about her existence. Maybe she is real, maybe she is not. But this book will make you think about her.
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