29 Aug / The Feast of Roses by Indu Sundaresan [in AsianWeek]
The woman who inspired the Taj Mahal had all but been lost to history until Sundaresan recreated her in her historical novel The Twentieth Wife, released earlier this year in paperback. Sundaresan continues the 17th-century Indian love story between the Emperor Jahangir and the woman who becomes his 20th and last wife, the only woman he marries for love at the ripe old age of 34. Living amidst vicious rivals for both power and attention, Mehrunnisa, who becomes Empress Nur Jahan, must survive great challenges to retain her position, even her life, all the while never losing sight of her husband’s boundless love.
Review: “New and Notable Books,” AsianWeek, August 29, 2003
Tidbit: Indu Sundaresan was one of our many lauded guests at SALTAF 2004 [South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Festival], the first of many SALTAFs held at the Smithsonian.
Readers: Adult
Published: 2003