Read by Sneha Mathan

In this dazzling historical novel, bestselling author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni presents the unforgettable true story of Jindan, who rose from daughter of the royal kennel keeper to become the last reigning queen of India's Sikh Empire. 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, unexpected rose to the throne, Jindan assumed the regency, transforming herself into a warrior ruler, determined to protect her people and her son's heritage from the encroaching British Empire. Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil and conducted state business in public. Addressing her Khalsa troops herself, she inspired her men in two wars against the 'firangs'. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, including her son. She was imprisoned and exiled. But that did not crush her indomitable will. An exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, and a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child, 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, an inspiration for our times

Mode of access: World Wide Web