Download or read book The Last Queen of Jaipur written by Dharmendar Kanwar and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biography of Gayatri Devi, Maharani of Jaipur, b. 1919, princess and politician.
Download or read book The Last Queen written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2022-05-10 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: WINNER of the 2022 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WORKING WOMEN AWARD for BEST FICTION OF THE YEAR! LONGLISTED for 2022 DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD! She rose from commoner to become the last reigning queen of India’s Sikh Empire. In this dazzling novel, based on true-life events, bestselling author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni presents the unforgettable story of Jindan, who transformed herself from daughter of the royal kennel keeper to powerful monarch. Sharp-eyed, stubborn, and passionate, Jindan was known for her beauty. When she caught the eye of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, she was elevated to royalty, becoming his youngest and last queen—and his favorite. And when her son, barely six years old, unexpectedly inherited the throne, Jindan assumed the regency. She transformed herself from pampered wife to warrior ruler, determined to protect her people and her son’s birthright from the encroaching British Empire. Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil, and conducted state business in public, inspiring her subjects in two wars. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, but nothing crushed her indomitable will. An exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child, and an inspiration for our times, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s novel brings alive one of the most fearless women of the nineteenth century, one whose story cries out to be told.
Download or read book The House of Jaipur written by John Zubrzycki and published by . This book was released on 2023-03-02 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A gripping royal saga of charmed lives in a changing world. The Jaipurs were India's mid-century golden couple; its answer to the Kennedys, or Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Jai and Ayesha, as they were known to friends like Frank Sinatra, Truman Capote and 'Dickie' Mountbatten, entertained lavishly at their magnificent palaces and hunting lodges in Rajasthan--and in the nightclubs of London, Paris and New York. But as the Raj gave way to the new India, Jaipur--the most glamorous and romantic of the princely states--had to find its place. The House of Jaipur charts a dynasty's determination to remain relevant in a democracy set on crushing its privileges. Against the odds, they secured their place at the height of Indian society; but Ayesha would pay for her criticism of Indira Gandhi during the Emergency. From the polo field and politics to imprisonment and personal tragedy, the Jaipurs' extraordinary journey of transformation mirrors the story of a rapidly changing country.
Download or read book The Secret Keeper of Jaipur written by Alka Joshi and published by MIRA. This book was released on 2021-06-22 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A NEW NOVEL BY THE AUTHOR OF THE HENNA ARTIST, A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK Good Morning America’s “27 Books for June" PopSugar’s Best Summer Reads of 2021 In New York Times bestselling author Alka Joshi’s intriguing new novel, henna artist Lakshmi arranges for her protégé, Malik, to intern at the Jaipur Palace in this tale rich in character, atmosphere, and lavish storytelling. It’s the spring of 1969, and Lakshmi, now married to Dr. Jay Kumar, directs the Healing Garden in Shimla. Malik has finished his private school education. At twenty, he has just met a young woman named Nimmi when he leaves to apprentice at the Facilities Office of the Jaipur Royal Palace. Their latest project: a state-of-the-art cinema. Malik soon finds that not much has changed as he navigates the Pink City of his childhood. Power and money still move seamlessly among the wealthy class, and favors flow from Jaipur’s Royal Palace, but only if certain secrets remain buried. When the cinema’s balcony tragically collapses on opening night, blame is placed where it is convenient. But Malik suspects something far darker and sets out to uncover the truth. As a former street child, he always knew to keep his own counsel; it’s a lesson that will serve him as he untangles a web of lies. "Captivated me from the first chapter to the last page." —Reese Witherspoon on The Henna Artist Don’t miss THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS! The final chapter in Alka Joshi’s New York Times bestselling Jaipur trilogy!
Download or read book Rajmata Gayatri Devi Enduring Grace written by and published by . This book was released on 2005-03-01 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book traces the life and times of Gayatri Devi of Cooch Behar, 'the princess from the east' who became the third wife of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur. Gayatri Devi revisited, but this time by an insider who embellishes a fairy-tale life with rare nuggets of information.
Download or read book The Last Maharaja written by Quentin Crewe and published by Michael Joseph. This book was released on 1985 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Is A Biography Of Are Who Enjoyed The Powers Of An Autocratic Before Autocrat Who Also Presided Long Before Independence Required It, Over The Dismantling Of His Own Position And Maharaja And The Passage Of Power From His Hands To His People. Accompanied By A Remakable Set Of Photographs.
Download or read book Before We Visit the Goddess written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-04-25 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A new novel from the author of Oleander Girl, a novel in stories, built around crucial moments in the lives of 3 generations of women in an Indian/Indian-American Family"--
Download or read book Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur Life and Legend written by R.P. Singh and published by Roli Books Private Limited. This book was released on 2005-12-01 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur: Life and Legend is the story of how fate catapulted Kanwar Mor Mukut Singh of Isarda to the throne of Jaipur, a state that he ruled as Sawai Man Singh II for twenty-seven years before its merger with independent India. From being a ruler to serving as India's ambassador in Spain, he lived through a period of Indian history marked with glory and upheavals. Flamboyant, debonair and elegant, he had two overriding passions - polo and his third wife, Maharani Gayatri Devi. His polo team ravaged England in 1933, winning all major tournaments - a feat yet unparalleled. His romance with Gayatri Devi, the stunningly beautiful princess from Cooch Behar, is the stuff of legend. Sawai Man Singh's dream was to die 'in a polo field, in the midst of a chukka, with my friends around me, my pony under me, my polo stick in my hand, and my boots on'. On 24 June 1970 at Cirencester, England, his dream was fulfilled, plunging the world in grief.
Download or read book The Return of Ratnavati written by Ashita Saxena and published by Notion Press. This book was released on 2013-01-01 with total page 113 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘Curse’ is still haunting Bhangarh, will it ever be broken??? As the noon Sun bids farewell, this place comes alive. Once a beautiful place, it is now in ruins. This is the story of Bhangarh, a small town in Rajasthan, 80 km from the ‘Pink City’ Jaipur. Tourists feel a strange presence of formless forms and hear eerie war sounds and sounds of the dancers’ anklets. ¬ This place is acknowledged amongst the top ten haunted places in the world. It is believed that one who visits here at night did not return alive. ASI (Archeological Survey of India) has put a ban on visits after sunset and before sunrise. It is a well known fact that here the building structures have no roof and if someone tries to construct it, the roof falls down. This¬ kingdom and its people are waiting for their princess Ratnavati also known as ‘the Jewel of Rajasthan’ to remove the ‘Curse’.
Download or read book Shadow Princess written by Indu Sundaresan and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-03-09 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Critically acclaimed author Indu Sundaresan picks up where she left off in The Twentieth Wife and The Feast of Roses, returning to seventeenth-century India as two princesses struggle for supremacy of their father’s kingdom. Trapped in the shadow of the magnificent tomb their grief-stricken father is building for his beloved deceased wife, the emperor’s daughters compete for everything: control over the imperial harem, their father’s affection, and the future of their country. They are forbidden to marry and instead choose to back different brothers in the fight for ultimate power over the throne. But only one of the sisters will succeed. With an enthusiasm for history and a flair for rich detail, Indu Sundaresan brings readers deep into the complicated lives of Indian women of the time period and highlights the profound history of one of the most celebrated works of architecture in the world, the Taj Mahal.
Download or read book The Henna Artist written by Alka Joshi and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2021-08-05 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own... Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone from her 1950s rural village to the pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the henna artist-and confidante-most in demand to women of the upper class. Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a young girl in tow-a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. Vivid and compelling in its portrait of one woman's struggle for fulfillment in society, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once fascinating, stark and cruel.
Download or read book The Whispering Memories written by Shyam Kumar and published by Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd. This book was released on with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shyam Kumar, the youngest sibling of one brother and five sisters, was born on 5th December 1945 in Multan (now in Pakistan). After partition of India in 1947, his entire family migrated as refugees to Delhi as refugees where they had to spend a few nights on footpaths opposite the Old Delhi Railway Station till the hunt for a shelter was over. He had his schooling at government schools in Delhi and graduation from the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. He joined New Delhi YMCA where he worked for 35 years. During this period, he authored a novel – The Last Dawn, published in 1999 and a story book in Hindi – Jheel Ke Us Paar, published in 2021.
Download or read book The Forest of Enchantments written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2019-01-07 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'One of the most strikingly lyrical voices writing about the lives of Indian women' -- Amitav Ghosh 'Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni turns the Ramayana around by telling it in the voice of Sita ... this inversion is a gift - it presents us a with a way to know an already well-known story better and to love an already beloved story more' -- Arshia Sattar 'This inspired evocation of the goddess Sita is an epic song of strength and solidarity told with joy and intensity. It brings to life the personalities and predicaments of the Ramayana' -- Namita Gokhale 'Among the many, many Ramayanas there are now even - thankfully - some "Sitayanas", but I know of none with the special magic that Chitra Divakaruni ... brings to the telling' -- Philip Lutgendorf 'Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Sita ... is an epitome of courage and self-respect, showing a path for all women. While weaving a familiar story, Chitra provides deep and surprising insights' -- Volga 'An incomparable storyteller' -- Denver Post 'Divakaruni's stories are irresistible' -- The New York Times Book Review 'Divakaruni's storytelling talents put her right up there with the best' -- Miami Herald 'In recasting the Ramayan as a love story Divakaruni accords Sita parity with Ram, revealing her innate strength. By giving primacy to her thoughts and feelings this also becomes the private tale of Shri and Shrimati Ramchandra Raghuvanshi, two wonderful people who loved each other but who broke up. To readers well-acquainted with that tragedy of modern times, the failed marriage, it will appeal. The ending, however, surpasses all expectations.' -- The Sunday Standard 'The success of both The Palace Of Illusions and The Forest Of Enchantments hinges acutely on the skill with which Divakaruni deploys the narratorial voice.' -- Mint 'The Forest of Enchantments is one of the simplest and most beautiful retellings of Sage Valmiki's epic.' -- Jetwings 'Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni does justice to the women of Ramayana ... The Forest of Enchantments is not just a retelling of a much-told epic, rather it is a book that tells it like it is - balanced and non-judgmental.' -- Huffpost 'A work ... of pluralities and possibilities ... This is the Sitayan we will give to our daughters, that they may imbibe Sita's strength, and even more proudly to our sons, who will learn how a woman is to be treated' -- The Wire 'Banerjee is markedly feminist ... Her spin on the most pivotal moment of Sita's life, the agnipariksha episode, is a moment of feminist brilliance. Her Sita answers all the questions we would have had when listening to the Ramayana while leaving us with plenty of food for thought.' -- The New Indian Express 'Divakaruni's retelling reminds her readers that the Ramayana, besides being a morality tale, is a love story at its heart' -- Huffpost 'Divakaruni and her women characters are a formidable pair' -- The Wire The Ramayana, one of the world's greatest epics, is also a tragic love story. In this brilliant retelling, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni places Sita at the centre of the novel: this is Sita's version. The Forest of Enchantments is also a very human story of some of the other women in the epic, often misunderstood and relegated to the margins: Kaikeyi, Surpanakha, Mandodari. A powerful comment on duty, betrayal, infidelity and honour, it is also about women's struggle to retain autonomy in a world that privileges men, as Chitra transforms an ancient story into a gripping, contemporary battle of wills. While the Ramayana resonates even today, she makes it more relevant than ever, in the underlying questions in the novel: How should women be treated by their loved ones? What are their rights in a relationship? When does a woman need to stand up and say, 'Enough!'
Download or read book The Maharaja s Household written by Binodini and published by Zubaan. This book was released on 2015-03-17 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Part memoir, part oral testimony, part eyewitness account, Binodini’s The Maharaja’s Household provides a unique and engrossingly intimate view of life in the erstwhile royal household of Manipur in northeast India. It brings to life stories of kingdoms long vanished, and is an important addition to the untold histories of the British Raj. Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi, or Binodini as she preferred to be known, published The Maharaja’s Household as a series of essays between 2002 and 2007 for an avid newspaper-reading public in Manipur. Already celebrated in Manipur for her award-winning novel, short stories and film scripts that had brought her to the attention of international followers of world cinema, Binodini entranced her readers anew with her stories of royal life, told from a woman’s point of view and informed by a deep empathy for the common people in her father’s gilded circle. Elephant hunts, polo matches and Hindu temple performances form the backdrop for palace intrigues, colonial rule and White Rajahs. With gentle humour, piquant observations and heartfelt nostalgia, Binodini evokes a lifestyle and an era that is now lost. Her book paints a portrait of the household of a king that only a princess – his daughter – could have written. Published by Zubaan.
Download or read book La derni re reine de Jaipur written by Dharmendar Kanwar and published by . This book was released on 2010-02-03 with total page 283 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dans le contexte d'une Inde en transition entre le dominion britannique et la plus grande démocratie du monde, la Maharani Gayatri Devi, épouse du Maharaja de Jaipur, femme de caractère à la beauté légendaire, sort de l'univers fermé des cours royales de l'Inde pour raconter l'histoire séduisante d'une vie princière et, parallèlement, d'une étape importante dans l'histoire de son immense pays. En partant de son enfance en Inde jusqu'aux études en Europe, en passant par son mariage avec le Maharaja de Jaipur et de l'époque tumultueuse de l'Indépendance de l'Inde, en 1947, et au-delà, jusqu'à nos jours, les pages de ce livre, font revivre une histoire si passionnante qu'elle peut paraître imaginaire. Elue par Vogue parmi les dix plus belles femmes du monde, Gayatri Devi n'a pas tardé à séduire l'Occident, conquérant avec une aisance naturelle le monde difficile de la jet set internationale, tout en révélant une personnalité profondément humaine. On découvre ainsi les gestes d'une femme qui, en plus de pratiquer des sports comme l'équitation et la chasse à dos d'éléphant, s'est engagée dans la politique et a obtenu la plus grande adhésion populaire de l'histoire. Elle a fondé la première école publique pour filles officiellement acceptée en Inde et elle s'est consacrée à la restauration de la splendide ville de Jaipur. Voilà en bref le contenu d'un livre fascinant, qui couvre presque un siècle d'Histoire, du début du XXe siècle à nos jours. Enrichi d'illustrations d'époque, de memorabilia et de fac-similés de lettres, il scande la vie de cette femme hors du commun, qui continuera à influencer l'histoire de l'Inde.
Download or read book Stories We Never Tell written by Savi Sharma and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2022-12-22 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are stories we never talk about. Stories we are afraid to share. Simply because they hurt too much or no one wants to listen to them. Such was the story of Jhanvi, who is a budding social media influencer. She appears to have it all together, living her ideal life, but something is missing: Jhanvi has this impossible need that drives her to be more perfect than any person could possibly be. And the story of Ashray, who had a rocky start in life. With hard work and determination, he translates his dreams into reality, but his deep-seated insecurities come to the fore when life throws him a curveball. As their stories intersect, their lives change in ways they never expected. In a world of loss, darkness and destruction, will Jhanvi and Ashray be able to tell a story of hope, light and recovery?
Download or read book Palace of Clouds written by Rajyashree Kumari Bikaner and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-06-08 with total page 447 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book evokes the romance of the rugged desert kingdom of Bikaner and its Rajput royal family. It is a richly woven tapestry encompassing five generations of an aristocratic family's past and present. Tales of valour, battles and coronations, the splendour of the royal courts, the culture and traditions that made this Rathore state preeminent in the world, all set against the backdrop of imposing palaces, rugged forts and hunting lodges, the magnificence of the gilded age of the Maharajas. The author describes her formative years during the sixties when seismic changes in the world were taking place and which were to take her on an adventurous journey from her home in Bikaner to life in London. The author brings to life a treasure trove of anecdotes and introduces us to a world of elegance, sportsmanship and cosmopolitan culture.