Rani Padmavati: The Burning Queen

by Anuja Chandramouli

Padmavati is the most beautiful queen Chittor has ever had. Everyone who sees her is enthralled by her grace and goodness. When the greedy gaze of the Sultan ofDelhi, Alauddin Khalji, falls upon Chittor and its queen, Padmavati’s flawless beauty turns against her, because it inspires both love and hate in equal measure.Beset by the threat of an invasion and scheming political rivals who are envious of her immense popularity, Rani Padmavati must rise to the demands of war and fight for everything she believes in. This is the story of a remarkable woman who lived gently, loved passionately and embraced her destiny with unmatched courage.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Indian Literature

240 pages, Paperback

Published November 24, 2017

About the author

Anuja Chandramouli is a bestselling Indian author and New Age Indian Classicist. Her highly acclaimed debut novel, Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior-Prince, was named by Amazon India as one of the top 5 books in the Indian Writing category for the year 2013. Kamadeva: The God of Desire and Shakti: The Divine Feminine are her other bestsellers. Currently all three books are being translated into Hindi, Marathi, Gujarathi and Bengali, a real achievement for one so young. Her epic fantasies called Yama’s Lieutenant and its sequel has received an overwhelming response.
Her books on Kartikeya, Padmavati and Prithviraj Chauhan have been very successful. Her latest book is Ganga: The Constant Goddess.
An accomplished orator, she regularly conducts workshops on Creative Writing, Story Telling and Mythology in schools, colleges and various other platforms. Her motivational speeches have also been well received. According to Chandramouli, her work with youngsters in the rural belt helping them improve their Spoken English and Writing skills has been wonderfully satisfying and enriching.
This happily married, mother of two little girls, lives in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. She is a student of classical dance and Yoga.
Email: anujamouli@gmail.com
FB page: https://www.facebook.com/authoranujac...

Reviews

[Supratim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am giving the book a rating of 3.5!

This novel is a retelling of the legend of Rani Padmavati also known as Rani Padmini. She was the wife of Rawal Ratan Singh, the king of the Indian kingdom of Chittor. Rani Padmavati was renowned for her mesmerizing beauty. It is said that Alauddin Khalji, the Sultan of Delhi had attacked Chittor driven by his desire to “possess” Rani Padmavati. When the fall of Chittor was imminent, Padmavati along with scores of other women had committed jauhar(the Hindu custom of mass self-immolation by women in parts of the Indian subcontinent, to avoid capture, enslavement and rape by any foreign invaders, when facing certain defeat during a war). There are many versions of her story. However, some historians refute the story of Rani Padmavati as a folktale.

The story starts with the murder of Jalaluddin Khalji, the Sultan of Delhi, and his entourage by his ambitious and ruthless son-in-law, Alauddin Khalji. The latter then ascends the throne of Delhi.
Then we move to meet our protagonist Padmavati. The author’s Padmavati is not just a beautiful woman, but she has been endowed with high intelligence and generosity. She became the favourite queen of Rawal Ratan Singh, and invited the envy and animosity of his other consorts.

Rawal Ratan Singh has been portrayed as a principled ruler, who believed in justice and had a genuine concern for the welfare of his subjects. His just nature would ultimately lead to rebellion by a faction of his army, thereby weakening the defense of Chittor.

Alauddin Khalji, though portrayed as a ruthless conqueror is not without his principles as well. The author posits that it was not his obsession with Padmavati, but rather the wealth of Chittor that had made Alauddin invade the kingdom.

Some of the Rajput kings tried to build an alliance to counter Alauddin, but due the gigantic ego and petty mindedness of the kings it never came to fruition. Traitors, driven by greed or to settle scores also made the task of foreign invaders much easier. I loved the twist at the end, though I did not find it very logical.

It is a decent story – well written and interesting. It has war, massacres, treachery, betrayal, conspiracies on one hand and bravery, love, honour and sacrifice on the other. I have always enjoyed the author’s writing and liked this one too.

One thing I have to say - I found the writing to be much simpler in this book. Usually the language in her other books is a bit more complex. I do not prefer books which use too many fancy words, but I do like it when a book enriches my vocabulary.

I felt that the author has been a bit too lenient towards characters like Alauddin. He was a very powerful king and a great military leader, but he and his men had inflicted brutality on thousands of defenseless people as well. Kings fought wars and soldiers died – that was the norm in the olden days, but his army not only killed but enslaved thousands of civilians.

I believe the cover art could have been better. Looking at it, you would think that it a novel about someone’s marriage – a bit too glossy for my tastes. The back cover art was actually nice though.

I don’t know whether Rani Padmavati existed or she was a figment of some medieval poet’s imagination. But I do know that once upon a time a lot of innocent women had to die a horrific death because of the greed of power hungry kings. Rani Padmavati might as well be considered as the representative of all these women.

Anyway, if you like historical fiction then you can give this book a try.

[Archit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rani Padmavati (also known as Padmini) was a legendary 13th–14th century Indian queen. The earliest source to mention her is Padmavat, an epic fictionalized poem written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi.

The book started with the murder of Jalaluddin Khilji by his own nephew and son-in-law Alauddin Khilji. He captured the throne of Delhi. Soon enough, we realize that one of the most powerful rulers that the history has encountered, is here to conquer and only conquer. He can be stopped by nothing. He will play by the rules and if need be, he will defy them.

Rajput kings are setting alliances through marriages and money in order to defeat the Sultan of Delhi. Will they succeed?

The author amazingly depicts a story of war, dignity, passion and cruel destiny of the queen of Chittor. The book is easy to handle and cover seems vibrant.

Lucid writing and interesting plot makes one read the book quickly. It can be finished in a matter of hours. The amount of research that the author had done is axiomatic.

It was enlightening to see how beautifully the author has balanced each characters' PoVs in her book. I only wish that the reader would have been provided an in-depth knowledge of Padmavati's personality. Throwing light on her thought process a little more would have done wonders.

Recommended to history buffs.

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

"They were standing on the terrace that overlooked the charming garden below, bursting with rare
flowering plants and creepers, ornamental shrubs and fruit trees-the result of the princess's personal undertaking. She had decorated the wooden enclosure surrounding her quarters in the harem with paintings done in vegetable dyes, made for her by a maid who had learnt the art when she had worked under Jain monks."

Rani Padmavati: The Burning Queen by Anuja Chandramouli

Possible Triggers..Suicide

I knew nothing about the story of Rani Padmavati when I chose this book. I had seen it here on GR and was taken with the stunning Red and Gold cover along with the description of the book. I adore Historical Fiction but this story is not one I knew literally anything about.

I do read much on Cleopatra but Rani Padmavati, the Queen of Chittor, who commits jauhar, (Self-immolation to avoid captivity) , I had no knowledge of. And that is good because it allowed me to go in fresh and not compare the story to any others I had read about her..since I haven't.

Padma, as she is referred to in the book, was married to Rawal Ratin Singh and together they ruled the Indian kingdom of Chittor. Their love story was genuine. It was not just a marriage of convenience. They adored one another.

Padma possesses beauty that is almost incomprehensible. She is breathtaking and void of malice as well. Her personality is like sunshine but with a mischievous quality and she is also blessed with high intelligence.

Alauddin Khalid is the conqueror and he has conquered alot. It is inevitable that he wants to take over Chittor and so the book..short as it is under 300 pages, has a strong degree of tension running through it at all times.

I already knew how this story would end from reading reviews and just from the title. But there is so much to Padma's story. I would really recommend this to Historical Fiction fans, particularly those who, like me, enjoy reading about Historical Royalty. It is written in deeply shimmering, vibrant Prose and the imagery and the scenery are beautifully imagined. I read it in one sitting.

The writing also has a sort of light.dark quality. For example, at times there is a playful edge to it but do not mistake that for a lack of intensity. As others have mentioned, Padma's vision is written incredibly and is one of the most intense scenes I have read this year in any book. It catches you off guard as well.

While there are no happy endings in the physical sense for Rani Padmavati, the Spiritual element is a different story. If one believes that love..and the human soul..extend way after death and are endless through time, you may look at the end a bit differently as the book blends the beauty of the love story of Padma and Rawal Ratan Singh beautifully with the spiritual element of love never ending.

Compare that to the vast emptiness of the life of the conqueror, who may have won the physical battle but absolutely lost the emotional war, as he has nothing to show for all his victories except an empty soul devoid of love or anything remotely resembling it.

This book was beautifully written, taught me so much and I really liked it. I do wish it had been a bit longer and I sort of wish Padma had narrated it as we are told much without being shown frequently. I wanted more of Padma which is hard to get in a book that is a bit on the shorter side. Still, it was a unique and beautiful read about a unique and beautiful queen who had more courage than almost anyone I have read about. Highly recommended to Historical Fiction fans.

[Bharath · Rating 4 out of 5]

The recent few months has seen a lot of interest around Rani Padmavati, with the strong opinions around the film ‘Padmavat’. Writing historical fiction is a delicate balancing act between staying faithful to the ethos of history, while introducing enough new material to interest readers. This is a genre Anuja Chandramouli excels in.

Padmavati is the queen of Chittor, famed for her extraordinary beauty. This is the most prominent aspect of her personality we know of, other than the tragic end she suffers, when she decides to end her life rather than be captured and possibly become another of Alauddin Khilji’s wives.

Anuja does introduce substantial material to illustrate new facets to her personality including her grace, selflessness and balance. In the face of provocation, hardship and finally tragedy – she stands tall, unflinching in her support to her husband King Rawal Ratan Singh. In the face of the eminent threat from Alauddin Khilji who sets his eyes on Chittor, after his conquest of Gujarat, Rawal Ratan Singh has only limited success in bringing together the kingdoms in the vicinity to resist him. There is also a stroke of bad luck as the kingdom is further laid low by an epidemic.

While the end is tragic, it is the memory of Rani Padmawati and Rawal Ratan Singh’s characters which endures. The book also does well to bring Alauddin Khilji’s fascination for Rani Padmavati in a fairly balanced perspective devoid of hype.

As with her other books, the writing is very good, as are the incidents which shape the personalities of the characters. There is a case though for the book to have been more expansive by introducing further new material, incidents and exposing inner thinking processes of its main characters to help us get closer to their souls.

A book I certainly recommend for the strong narrative, the depth of its characters and the impression it leaves about them.

[Maittri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warning for suicide
Padmavati is the tale of a Rajput princess, Padmavati who went down in history for committing jauhar in the face of defeat by enemy so as to escape abuse. The story gives mixed feelings as it revolves around jauhar (committing suicide to protect one's 'honor') and our societal ideals of purity. But this review won't be a debate regarding that.

I liked almost all the characters. Padmavati comes off this naive child and I couldn't shake that image from my head. Leelavati was a welcome surprise with her unabashed scheming and her cleverness. Go flawed female characters! Allaudin Khilji was depicted as conquerors are, not a devil which is more according to the historical accounts of him (unlike a certain period film *cough cough*). Rawal Ratan Singh just didn't leave an impression though he is the quintessential good guy. You can probably see the pattern here. I thought it was a happy coincidence but Anuja Chandramouli has this unique talent of making her characters more interesting by introducing a flawed morality in them. And i am a sucker for that.

The setting was vividly described with much nuance and I enjoyed that. I feel the plot dragged on but that is bound to happen when you write historical fiction with little artistic liberties.

A solid 3.5 stars.

An e-copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Rajan · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.”
― Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things

Padmavati aka Padmini is not a historical figure. There is no historical account which proves that any such queen existed. This is a part of popular folklore of Rajasthan though. The name of Padmavati is found in the book called “Padmavat” written by a Muslim poet Malik Mohammed Jayasi. But myth or reality doesn’t matter when the issue is of faith. Sometimes myths are more powerful than reality. Because they give us courage and hope. Padamavati is a symbol of resistance against barbaric Muslims and devotion to religion and husbands.

Alauddin kills his father in law and uncle in cold blood. His wife Malika Jahan (Daughter of Jalaluddin Khilji) is equally cruel and is beaten by Khilji. Khilji is ambitious and want to expand his empire in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Rajputs know the ambition of Alauddin and try to put up a united front. Ratan Sen of Chittor is married to Nagmati. Padmavati is married to him in second marriage. She is like an incarnation of Laxmi and they both love each other deeply. Nagmati doesn’t like it naturally and she nurse a grudge against Padma. What happens afterwards is the story.

The book is a huge deviation from Padmavat and the pre conceived notions. Rajputs are not as smart as folk tales and Allauddin is not a lustful looter. He is ambitious and wants to be monarch. He has no intention of raping Padmavati.

Language of book is simpler than Anuja’s previous mythical books. That makes it a quick read and it can be finished in one sitting. The story is well paced and romantic scene between Ratan and Padmini are very well told.

That is the good part. But there are some glaring mistakes logically as well as historically. Religion was a rallying point in medieval period and Delhi sultans have clear agenda of expanding Islam by hook or crook. Allauddin was a cruel looter who was a religious fanatic. He broke many temples and plundered every city he invaded and conquered. He killed Jalaluddin after looting Devgiri and it shows how ruthless he was. Rajputs were no better either and they were a divided house. Treachery was common and it helped Islam to spread. But it was a Hindu-Muslim conflict. They broke, looted temples and converted Hindus by force. They raped Hindu women and took them in their harem. In fact the Purdah came after Islamic invasion. In the book it is shown that the conflict was only because of power lust and had no religious or lust angle which is totally wrong as per my understanding of history. We cannot wish away the horrible things done by these plunderers only to buy peace. If we want to have peace between Hindus and Muslims the right way is to admit the differences and atrocities carried out in the past. As for Padmini and her Jauhar all I have to say that there is no evidence of Padmini in history. But Jauhar was practiced. The book shows that Nagmati is the prime culprit and both Padmini and Ratan knew that Alauddin has no intention of raping her. That makes the logic of Jauhar untenable. There are logical fallacies in the book and in the end I found out it a confused book. Maybe Anuja was in two minds in trying to balance the rift between two communities and then showing Jauhar of women. This is a paradox.

3/ 5 stars.

P.S: A brief mention of Sanjay Leela Bhansali magnum opus “Padmavati”. The movie is since then renamed “Padmavat” (Jayasi book). Karni sena, a Rajput army has waged a war against the movie. They has done most reprehensible act of attacking a school bus. Though their method of brute force is wrong, this shows the power of myths. Maybe we should not try to rewrite history to suit present day reality. We should accept the historical wrongs and take it forward from there rather than to wish away the things.

Holocaust never happened I guess.

[kartik narayanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book by the author in return for a honest review

Rani Padmavati is an interesting read. The closest parallel I can find for it is an Amar Chitra Katha for adults. That said, I have read the original ACK comic on Padmini/Padmavati too and I consider both of these versions to be equally good.

I am huge sucker for historical fiction and this book does not disappoint when it comes to weaving a story. The story is fast paced and is in written in a nice and breezy manner. It is just so easy to read. All the characters are believable and are definitely not one dimensional. Even the villain - Allauddin Khilji - is presented with some positive traits which is far better than making him a stereotypical villain.

The problem with the short length of the book is that there are abrupt transitions between scenes and some character developments are not explored fully. This becomes more noticeable towards the end. But this is relatively minor given the other decent content in the book.

Overall, I recommend Rani Padmavati.

[Girish · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this edible piece of history.

Re imagining a piece of written history, especially with a lot of fill in the blanks between recorded events must be tough. The difficulty comes from trying to portray characters that are glorified/vilified in a light that makes sense. The book is a commendable effort to bring to life Rani Padmavati - the jewel of Chittor and the fate of the Indian resistance to Alauddin Khilji.

When it comes to characters we see glimpses of Rani Padmavati through her various stages - as a child, a bride, a wife, a queen and a legend. The challenge is in establishing in all the stages, the makings of a legend and I think is achieved with reasonable success. Ratan Rawal as the soft king of Chittor on the other hand doesn't really measure up to the adoration of the queen. Alauddin Khilji is probably the most balanced ambitious figure.

When it comes to the story, it seems like a collage of events leading up to a historical event. Therein lies the book's problem - It is too inevitable without a glimmer of resilience. Maybe that's how history played out, but then why is it a story worth telling? Today's sensibilities will not allow us to treat the story of Padamavati with so much relish.

The author has a good command over her language and the writing seems smooth. I felt she has done justice to the narrative and reimagined parts on the romance between Ratan and Padma or the exchanges with her mother-in-law were cheeky and well presented. And the simple prose and big fonts make it a easy read.

Not every life is worthy of a book (or movie). After reading her story, I am not quite sure Rani Padmavati is book material.

Note: The author provided a copy of this book for honest review

[Madhuri G · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://readandreviewbooksblog.wordpr...

Book Review: Rani Padmavati: The Burning Queen written by Anuja Chandramouli was published in the year 2017. The books tells the story of a famous Rajasthan folklore revolving around Rani Padmavati, Rawal Ratan and Alauddin Khalji.

Title: Rani Padmavati – The Burning Queen
Author: Anuja Chandramouli
Language: English
Page Count: 240
Year of Publication: November, 2017
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction
Characters: Rani Padmavati, Rawal Ratan and Alauddin Khalji
Ratings: 3 stars

Book Synopsis: Rani Padmavati: The Burning Queen (Goodreads)
Padmavati is the most beautiful queen Chittor has ever had. Everyone who sees her is enthralled by her grace and goodness. When the greedy gaze of the Sultan of Delhi, Alauddin Khalji, falls upon Chittor and its queen, Padmavati’s flawless beauty turns against her, because it inspires both love and hate in equal measure.Beset by the threat of an invasion and scheming political rivals who are envious of her immense popularity, Rani Padmavati must rise to the demands of war and fight for everything she believes in. This is the story of a remarkable woman who lived gently, loved passionately and embraced her destiny with unmatched courage.

Book Review: Rani Padmavati – The Burning Queen
Rani Padmavati by Anuja Chandramouli is an average read.

Rani Padmavati: The Burning Queen is a retelling of a legendary Rajasthan queen Padmavati (also known as Padmini) who was known for her beauty. She was considered as an incarnation of goddess Lakshmi.

The story starts with the assassination of Jalaluddin Khilji by his own son in law Alauddin Khilji and becomes the sultan of Delhi. Alauddin’s only intention is to conquer and would go to any length to achieve it. Soon the Rajputs starts forming an alliance through marriages to defeat the Sultan. One such alliance is Rawal Rajput and Padmavati. Will there marriage serve the purpose of out throwing Alauddin Khilji or will Padmavati become a fuel to the already burning pyre?

To get the answers you have to read “Rani Padmavati: The Burning Queen”.

O…kay with too much of expectations I started with the book and the starting of the book really engrossed me, but by the time I reached the quarter of the book, I was exhausted. The story pace had slowed down to a snail pace and it was tough for me continue it.I wish the pace was steady. But what I loved about the book most is, the author knows what she wants and delivers it effortlessly. She has a given us a glimpse of Rani Padmavati through out her life . From a adolescent to a burning Queen you see the transformation. More more thing which should be noted here is the command over the language the author has!. Though the book is titled “Rani Padmavati: The Burning Queen” the author Anuja Chandramouli treats the readers with the thoughts of Alauddin Khilji.

The book is an one time, an average read. If you are a historical buff, then go ahead and grab a copy. I rate this book 3 stars.

About the Author:
Anuja Chandramouli is a bestselling Indian author and New Age Indian Classicist. Her highly acclaimed debut novel, Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior-Prince, was named by Amazon India as one of the top 5 books in the Indian Writing category for the year 2013. Kamadeva: The God of Desire and Shakti: The Divine Feminine are her other bestsellers. Currently all three books are being translated into Hindi, Marathi, Gujarathi and Bengali, a real achievement for one so young. Her epic fantasies called Yama’s Lieutenant and its sequel has received an overwhelming response.
Her newest books are on Kartikeya, Padmavati and Prithviraj Chauhan.
An accomplished orator, she regularly conducts workshops on Creative Writing, Story Telling and Mythology in schools, colleges and various other platforms.

[Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to the author for a review copy of this book.

Padmavati, the legendary queen of Chittor who chose to commit jauhar (self-immolation) rather than fall into enemy hands when their kingdom fell is the focus of this book by Anuja Chandramouli. While in a sense a historical figure, Padmavati or Padmini is also a legend for historical accounts of her are few. Chandramouli’s books traces her story from about the time that she is married to Rawal Rattan Singh of Chittor with whom she falls deeply in love and who reciprocates, to her life at Chittor, which in many senses is far from perfect to the final trial when Chittor is under siege and Rattan Singh is forced to consider the most difficult decision of his life, surrendering to the enemy. Chandramouli’s version of this story was somewhat different to the one I’ve heard but it comes across mostly as more realistic than stuff of myth or legend. Padmavati is near perfect, beautiful beyond description, with a disposition to match, blessed in the love of her family and in her husband but having to contend with others in Chittor, her husband’s first wife among them who have nothing but ill-will towards her. Rattan Singh is torn between his principles and quest for fairness, and the conduct expected of him. Alauddin is ruthless, the consummate villain but one who does operate by his own principles, a hate of traitors (no matter who they may be benefitting) among them.

This was a fairly enjoyable read for me―for it makes Padmavati’s story a little more complex, and a little more realistic than the legend―it isn’t about love and lust and honour alone, but also about hate, jealousy, betrayal, and conspiracy. In fact, Alauddin’s part in the whole tale as it comes across isn’t half as black as the ordinary version―his conquests more related to his ambitions for empire. And Chittor’s fall was not a consequence of Alauddin’s might but circumstances that were beyond Rattan Singh or his people’s control. For me (as compared to the other historical novel by the author I read earlier this month, Prithviraj Chauhan), the characters in this one felt somewhat (though not entirely) more black and white than ones with many shades. Padmavati herself in particular I thought came across as a little too perfect, particularly in her conduct, without the slightest reaction to any hate, any hostility she faces. In comparison, Rattan Singh perhaps feels a little more human. Rattan Singh’s first wife I think was well fleshed out, one who let her feelings get the better of her (saying more would be a spoiler). Like other reviewers have also said, I felt the writing in this one was not of the same quality as some of her other books. Also, if I compare it with Prithviraj Chauhan again, that story felt like it had more substance to it as well, perhaps a result of a stronger historical basis than for Padmavati who is more a subject of legend. Still, it was a quick and interesting read. Three and a half stars.

[Mridula Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

|3.5/4.0|

Queen Padmavati has created quite a buzz. She was known during her time for her extraordinary looks. She was beautiful even at her worst moments. A lot of men had dedicated songs and poems on her beauty. But history has proved it time and again that beauty, in any form can cause trouble. And by that, I mean serious trouble.

Queen Padmavati has been described by different people in ways that prove her beauty and innocence. But she was also a brave queen. A perfect daughter, a perfect wife and a perfect queen, Padmavati takes the crown for all.

Anuja Chandramouli has weaved a story around Queen Padmavati and her husband, Rawal Ratan Singh, the ruler of Chittor, who lost his heart and his mind to this woman who was amazing in its truest sense. The book also gives us a glimpse of the politics and war that was going on during that time and we get to see Allaudin Khalji, the tyrant, who killed thousands in the name of country and power. Allaudin Khalji might be a villain, but he wasn’t the cause of all troubles, it was internal politics and betrayal.

Padmavati here has been described as a smart girl, who is curious and loves collecting information, both political and otherwise. She has been trained expertly by her mother on all household chores and has been raised as an opinionated woman. Padmavati wasn’t a warrior. She was the average princess, raised and taught the same way, Beauty with brains is what her mother always believed in. So, when Padmavati is asked to marry Rawal Rana Singh of Chittor, she didn’t have much of a say because a political alliance was being formed. But in days to come, these two lovebirds are drawn towards each other and a romantic story unfolds.

The strength of this book lies in the fact that the author hasn’t tried to turn her into a warrior queen, fighting for rights and wrongs. She has been a subtle character throughout, even at the end when Queen Padmavati decides to jump into the fire, she is shown to be a modest woman, doing her duty towards her kingdom and her king.

However, the end sends a lot of confusing messages and I had my doubts. The ending could have had a bit more impact if Padmavati shone brighter than her husband, but maybe that’s because the author wanted to end the story in a full circle and convince us that there are two sides of a coin.

A retrospective book that has covered the life of Queen Padmavati and the scenario around her, both political and personal. Anuja Chandramouli writes a story that is easy to grasp and imagine.

[AvidReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is truly different from what I am used to. But still no less entertaining.
It’s the story of Rani Padmavati and her era. From her birth to aftermath of her death.I would no way call this a romance book even though Rani Padmavti’s devotion and love for her husband is known to be exalted. This book is all about politics,power,war,betrayal,courage,pride and jealousy. I enjoyed it to a certain limit as the war and disease raged scenes were little depressing. I wanted Rani Padmavati to be more kickass. I certainly sympathized with her king so many times. I liked how he never broke even after her death and his imprisonment. Even though some called him coward for the choices he made he was brave and kindhearted in my opinion . The description about palace and that golden era was fascinating to read. Still I dont have a favorite character in this book.
I cannot complete this review without mentioning the dream sequence and self sacrificing part (Jauhar). Both was splendid! The writer certainly has a way with words.
Recommended.

[Geet.a · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can’t wait to share my thoughts on this one! Review coming up!

Edited:
Warning: MAY contain spoilers.

First off, I’d like to say I love well-written and well-structured historical fiction books, especially if they have strong female characters.
Padmavati–The Burning Queen, was one such fast-paced book. It was a bit dense at times due to certain politico-historical events that were not elaborated upon, and merely mentioned in passing, but that did not deter my reading experience.
The characters were embedded in their contexts and were not two-dimensional caricatures burdened by their own stereotyped legacies: Padmavati being a heroic woman who sacrificed her life by jumping into fire to save her dignity from ‘foreign invaders’ and Alauddin Khilji being the ‘barbaric’ villain.
The novel battles these stereotypes and what emerges are strong but human characters.
I will not bother with synopsis and jump right into what I thought about the novel.

I’d like to point out some wonderful things I noticed in the novel that made me pause and ponder upon the main characters.
The novel seemed to me, a deliberate play in similarity and contrasts, highlighting the brutality and the human destruction that lies at the heart of all wars, be they fought for religion, caste, class, or glory.
I appreciate that Padmavati being a reason for war was dismissed as foolish rumours and not the only reason for a powerful monarch such as Alauddin to attack.
There was a special effort to declare, highlight, and enforce upon the readers the simple point that women, children, and innocent people are the only collateral damage of any war, and that no clan or religion is exempt from crimes of war.
Khilji and Ratan Singh emerge as reluctant admirers of one another, an admiration born out of leadership, maturity, and a shared hatred for traitors.
As soon as Khilji’s acts of violence are described in vivid detail, it is made clear that such acts have also happened on the other, Rajput side of war. Thus, honour is laid bare as not belonging to one particular religion or clan.
While women are embedded in their context and consequently have limited power, they do emerge as strong characters with powerful political ambitions and as clever people who are determined to live out their lives making difficult decisions with relative independence. However, there was some polarising with Ratan Singh’s first wife who just emerges as an arrogant and villainous petty woman.
Padmavati is insistently trapped by her historic reputation as a beauty and in the beginning is portrayed as no more than a kind beauty impartially admired by all. Consequently, she emerges as an innocent princess in an idyllic constructed bubble.
In fact, the early chapters remind me of Shakuntala, another well-known beautiful figure in Indian literature. However, the growth in Padmavati’s character is well charted and is in tandem with the rise in political unrest in the novel.
I also found her vision in the temple as a foreshadowing of her untimely demise. It comes at the height of political tension and anxiety and further adds a layer of mystique to Padmavati’s character. She finally becomes a character who is kind but somewhat practical, a goddess of a queen, a patient friend, and a loving wife who tries to make the most of whatever life has given her.

However, the one thing I probably will never be able to understand is her decision to commit jauhar, considering she has been quite vocal about her disagreement with the practice, and her philosophy of ‘live another day’.
Consequently, her decision comes to me as hasty and impulsive rather than a planned decision. Following that act, the novel concludes quite suddenly, without much tenderness that had been the highlight of the Ratan Singh and Padmavati’s relationship that far. Needless to say, without Padmavati, there is little left in the novel to elaborate upon.
In conclusion, I loved reading the novel and it gave me quite a diverse point of view on Padmavati and her historical context. This was the first book I read on Padmavati and she comes across as an interesting character I’d like to read more about. The writing is crisp and sets a brisk pace that is followed throughout the novel, varying with the more tender tone of romance and separation.
I’d give this book a wonderful 4/5 stars and I look forward to reading more work from Ms Chandramouli.

[Yesha- Books Teacup and Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** Note: I received this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to author and publishers. ***

Padmavati was a legendary medieval Indian queen and her earliest mention was in a poems by Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540 CE. I first heard about this queen and her story when I was on tour to Rajasthan in 2014, at ruins of Chittor Fort. It was really interesting to know about this epic tale of most beautiful queen of that era. The book was like I was rereading the historical tale about a Beauty (Duh!), Jealousy (when there’s a beauty, there’s a jealousy), Love, Betrayal, Greed, Passion, Bravery, and Scheming. All this revolved around main character of the book Padamavati.

Characters-
Padmavati– was blessed with beauty, with sharp mind that she inherited from her mother and kindness from her father. She was modest, humble, and pure soul- the last thing we expect in most beautiful person in the world. She was always helping those in need, unflappable, never reacting to jealous eyes and cruel words, living in her own world. I liked this nature of hers. I even liked her thoughts. If she would have been a warrior, I would have loved her. Too bad she wasn’t! She was very soft-hearted but what lacked in physical strength she got it in her determination and will. A will so strong that she could die for her husband and her people.

Alauddin Khalji– was beast of the story. (But he is not going to turn into prince 😉 ) Dangerous, fearsome man who played by his principle, never tolerated traitors and with one ambition, rule over India, get all the states under his rein by hook or by crook. Well his overall image was like cruel oppressor, womanizer and treating his women very badly. It was said he attacked Chittor to get his hands on Padmavati. I believed that until I read this book. Surprisingly, I liked to know more about him and get a real picture of Khalji.

Ratan Singh– Ruler of Chittor, Padmavati’s husband, was a lover boy of the book. He was most gentle and kind rule I ever read in history. So contrary to other Rajput rulers! His love for Padma in the book was sweetest. He was even good with his people and his family. His excessive love for Padma was thorn for all around him and that lead to his fall. (Hmm, Romeo to a fault!)

There were many other characters, good, bad, adversaries. They all had a particular characteristic and role in the tale that author represented in crisp and clear manner, leaving no room to doubt and making sure that I get to know all of them. I liked all those chapters narrating Padmavati’s family in the beginning.

What I liked-
The writing and the story flowed smoothly from the very beginning, it was well-paced and engaging. It had brilliant and strong start with Alauddin’s father-in-law’s thoughts, how he fell into Alauddin’s traps, and how Alauddin killed him. It gave a good overview of Alauddin. Then came about Padmavati, her family, how she was center of attraction since childhood and spread love all around her, and how her marriage was arranged with Ratan Singh.

Her life after marriage looked difficult with spiteful gaze from other wives of Ratan Singh, his mother’s hateful words, plotting in harem against her. All this never bothered her, she was content with her husband’s love. I admired her for this. Not only Padma but Ratan Singh too was target of scornful talks and thoughts. Author very creatively showed how love between Padmavati and Ratan Singh was blossoming like a rose even though they were surrounded by thorns and it stayed that way even after it turned to ashes.

I loved reading the thoughts of all important characters of this tale in third person narration. After reading this book I got totally new perspective for all characters. Ratan Singh and Alauddin were the two biggest surprises for me. Neither I expected Ratan Singh the way he was portrayed in the book, gentle and his thoughts in climax, his decision at the end and nor I expected Alauddin as a person who sticks to his principles, his no traitor policies and his thoughts for women.

This book depicted a perfect picture of – royal women in that era- their thinking and their way of living; internal disputes among Rajput rulers; religious differences of Hindu-Muslim; Political scheming within a kingdom or in between kingdoms; most importantly Jauhar- custom of mass self-immolation. I loved Alauddin’s thoughts on this custom which was most unexpected thing.

Even though I knew the real end of Padmavati in history, the climax and end was unpredictable. Many unexpected things happened- Revelation of real antagonist, unexpected decisions, and change in character. This was perfectly written end.

Even if you know this story I suggest to read this book. Because I knew whole story but still enjoyed it. From this book I got to know characters more deeply, I got clear descriptive picture of story, the scheming and plotting of characters, and some of the aspect that I never heard before.

Overall, this was gorgeously, perfectly written epic tale of Queen Padmavati that I highly recommend to all who love to read history.

[Uma | Books.Bags.Burgers · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.)

CHARACTERS

Seeing as the story is historical in nature and of a much older time, I’m not sure how to comment upon the characters but I must say the author does a great job of portraying these historical figures as everyday people. When reading about historical figures in a history book we often forget that they were actual people with feelings, desires and a life other than the ‘big picture’. In this book, the author shows us these characters in such a way that we can understand them.

PLOT

The story follows that of Padmavati, who went on to become to Queen of Chittor. To those who are well versed with Indian history, she is also in many books referred to as Padmini. Queen Padmavati is famous for having committed Jauhar (Self-Immolation) rather than being captured by the invader Alauddin Khalji who had taken over Chittor. This particular historical fiction focuses more on the love between the Queen and her Husband, King Rawal Ratan Singh. More than the actual war itself, the story focuses on what goes on within the palace walls; the scheming of those in power, those scorned and those envious.

I also liked how the story was not just from Queen Padmavati’s point of view. It’s also from Alauddin Khalji’s perspective and gives a glimpse into what sort of a man he could have been.

WRITING

The author writes in a simple language that flows beautifully. I enjoyed her wonderful descriptions that didn’t deter the flow of the story in any way. I did find it a little annoying that we’re constantly told how beautiful and clever and wonderful Padmavati is. I wished we could have seen more depth in her personality through her actions and not the descriptions by the author.

Throughout the various problems of the society that existed back then and still do now are brought out; like sexism, discrimination and such. She brings it all out in a such a way that we can truly understand the plight of those affected.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK

-The writing
-The plot flow
-Seeing the story from the antagonist’s PoV too

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK

-There was more tell than show when it came to characterisation

CONCLUSION

Beautifully written and wonderfully presented, this book is perfect for those who love learning about historical figures but not through a history textbook.

[Keerthi Murali · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤***Thanks to the author for sending me a free copy of this book***❤

3.5/5
Ever since all the controversies on Sanjay Leela Bansali's "Padmavat" dominated the media, I was very curious to learn more about the surrounding historical facts and the real story of Rani Padmavati. Fortunately I haven't watched the movie yet. So I can say this was fairly an interesting read. I'm person who prefers historical/mythological fictions to other Indian writings. So I grabbed it without hesitation when the author suggested. I really enjoyed it, yet have mixed feelings about various aspects of this book. I know there are a lot of books out there retelling Rani Padmavati story with added flavours and myths. Even though I've read and learned a lot of stories of Mughal emperors and Rajputs, I was not familiar with Rani Padmavati untill the movie controversies came out. I'm so happy I got to know more about Rani Padmavati through Anuja Chandramouli's writing.

PLOT and CHARACTERS: I guess everyone is familiar with the plot. This novel is a retelling of the story of Rani Padmavati, the dazzling charismatic Rajput beauty who was considered as Goddess Lakshmi born on earth and of her great courage and sacrifice. The story follows the Rajput Princess Padmavati who gets married to the King of Chittor, Rawal Rathan Singh, not really for love, but for establishing diplomatic relations between the houses. The entire business is to unite all Rajput clans to defend their kingdom against the ruthless invader Allaudin Khalji. The book highlights the flawless passionate love between Padmavati and Rawal Ratan and how Rani Padmavati captured millions of hearts not just with her angelic beauty, but also with her love and loyalty towards her kingdom and the common people. I loved the way how the story progressed. This legend of a woman and her great sacrifice will remain in the hearts of all readers.
On the other had we have Khalji. Well, Allaudin Khalji! Am I allowed to feel something for the ruthless invader? Throughout the book, we read about the atrocities committed by Allaudin Khalji. Infact the book begins with Allaudin Khalji murdering his father in law, Jalaludin Khalji, the Sultan of Delhi. As the story progress, we come across instances that make us wonder what his true nature is. He was a monster for sure, but he had this charm in his character that cannot be explained but can only be experienced after getting to know this hell of a man. Towards the end, I kind of started shipping him and his obsession for Padmavati. What the hell is wrong with me!!???

❤"So why in the name of all holy did he feel a twinge of envy for the broken man? Was it because he had the good fortune to have been loved by a virtuous woman in whose eyes he would always be a God? Not that it had done either if them much good"❤

WRITING: I have mixed feelings about the writing. The story was fast paced but I felt it was too fast and concise. I feel it could've been a little more descriptive. I cannot say it was a complete entertainer. But as a historical read getting to know about the facts and stuff, this was one hell of a book. It was too fast paced that I couldn't connect well with the characters (with the exception of Allaudin Khalji). Nevertheless, I loved it because historical fictions always gets me excited. And of course the author is way good with words. A royal kind of writing. I came across a lot of new words.This is a real vocabulary builder. The chapters were fairly short and that's something which I really like. This is definitely a quick read.

I highly recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers. You will love it. I know I did 😍

[Guttu · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the name suggests, This is the story of Rani Padmavati, the queen of Chittor. There have been controversies linked with the story because of the recent release of Hindi movie, Padmavat, which portrays the story of the queen on big screen. I am no historian so I am not in a position to judge the authenticity of Rani Padmavati. But I do think that one shouldn't play with the faith of thousands of people.

My previous read by this author left me disappointed. I didn't have much expectations from this one but it turned out to be a decent book. Again, there is less story and history and more of the expression of emotions and relationships. It works well in this book. Especially the moments between Padmavati and Ratan Singh have been portrayed well. We get to take a peek into the life of Rani Padmavati right from her childhood. But it feels like the story takes leaps every now and then rather than proceeding gradually. Gradual proceeding would have added the much needed authenticity to this book.

I liked the simple language of this book. It is lucid and doesn't make me scratch my head. If only there was more history in this book, this would have been a fabulous read. Unless you are looking for the historical evidence of the queen, you will be satisfied with the content of this book.

[Sankalpita (bookGeeks India) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the detailed review on my blog - https://www.bookgeeks.in/rani-padmava...

[Chitra Iyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rani Padmavati: The Burning Queen by Anuja Chandramouli is the story of Rani Padmavati, made even popular by the movie and all the bustle around it. This book, in particular, is a concentrated version of the tragic tale.

Ratan Singh and his queen, Padmavati, are blissfully enjoying their married life when the stubborn sultan from Afghan, Alauddin Khalji, enters India and wants to own everything in his path, including the beautiful queen of Chittor. The story is the same and although I knew it, it was still interesting enough to have me kept reading.

What surprised me was the ending. It is very precise without any over the top details, I guess the author purposefully kept it that way. Of course, I found some differences in some places in the story, which I think is bound to happen when you have so many versions of the same historical reference. I find it better that way, no?

Nevertheless, the gist of the story remains the same. It was an interesting and a quick read. For someone who doesn’t want to get into too many details and wants to know just what happens, this book is perfect.

Well written and short, it makes for a good weekend read. Do try it.

[Anupama C K(b0rn_2_read) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for providing me a review copy

The prologue starts with the introduction of the villain, Alauddin Khalji murdering his father in law Jalaluddin Khalji. Then starts the story of Padmavati, the daughter of Mahisamara and Leelavathi. They lived at Siwana, as Mahisamara was the nephew of the King of Jalore, Kanhadadeva. Padmavati is a beautiful and intelligent girl and has lots of marriage proposals pouring in. To strengthen a political alliance she is married to Rawal Singh Rathore of Chittor. Even Though it is a political alliance Padmavati and Rawal fall heads over heels in love with each other . This causes dissent among his other wives .Padmavati wins the hearts of the people of Chittor as she believes in helping the poor, rather than sitting indoors all decked up. The author takes us through the internal conflicts in Chittor and how that impacts the war between Khalji and Rathore.

The first time I read about Rani Padmavati was in school, we had a chapter which described the Jouhar. Where the queen and all of the women walks into fire while the men have opened the gates for a one last battle. I felt this was missing from the story. I love Padmavati’s character . The author doesn’t depict Khalji as the cruel deplorable villain, this was new to me , as i had thought of him as someone who wanted to possess Padmavati. Padmavati reminded me of Helen of Troy , the beauties for whom wars were fought,but the author tells the story differently

Recommended for historical fiction fan

[Shrilaxmi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am EMBARRASSED to have liked this as a teenager. If a book lacks substance it must at least be entertaining. This was neither. The writing was excessively flourish-ey - all bark and no bite.

[Nira Ramachandran · Rating 3 out of 5]

The age-old legend of Rani Padmavati of Chittor is brought to life by a promising young writer. The fabled beauty Padmavati, daughter of the Chauhan clan of Siwana, is wed to Rawal Ratan Singh of Chittor, by her great uncle, Maharaja Kanhadadeva of Jalore as part of a strategy to gain the support of the Rajput clans against the impending attack of the powerful Alauddin Khilji. The first half of the book focuses on the blossoming love between Padmini and Ratan Singh, which gives rise to much jealousy and animosity among his other wives and concubines. Her beauty and genuine concern for the ordinary citizens of Chittor, however, wins the hearts of the populace, who revere her as a reincarnation of the Goddess Lakshmi. Ratan Singh, who is portrayed as a soft-hearted king, merciful even to those who incur his wrath, earns the displeasure of his advisers, who equate softness with weakness, leading to a revolt among certain factions of his army, and leaving Chittor vulnerable to enemy advance. The tension builds up as rumours of Allauddin’s attack turn into reality, and Padmini’s idyllic world is shattered.
The book is written in a simple, readable style, with one passage, that of Padmini’s vision or hallucination during a smoke-filled pooja in a temple, standing out head and shoulders above the rest. The negative is that this appears tacked on to an otherwise mundane script. Perhaps, a few more such passages would blend in better and help elevate the style. The all too graphic descriptions of the prolonged impact of the siege of Chittor on the thousands incarcerated in the fortress, are not to my liking, but are vintage Chandramouli. The positives are the author’s attempt at a fair portrayal of all the characters. No black or white for Chandramouli. Even Allauddin has his principles, barbaric though they may appear to us. He makes use of traitors, but ensures that they receive their just deserts; he respects the heroism of the Rajputs and ensures that their bodies are treated with full respect; he never forces himself on an unwilling woman. Padmini’s character, which may have become too perfect, is relieved by a touch of mischief, which runs through all her thoughts and actions, and eventually the strength of her Rajput heritage. Ratan Singh is torn between his reputation as a fearless warrior, and his genuine desire to save the lives of his people.
The end touchingly depicts the contrast between silent, suffering dignity, and brazen victory, with dignity triumphing even in defeat.

[Swapna Peri ( Book Reviews Cafe ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Title : Rani Padmavati - The Burning Queen
Author: Anuja Chandramouli
Format: e-book

Book Title:
The book title 'Rani Padmavati: The Burning Queen ' is intense, historical and interesting.

Book Cover :
The book cover is a is a close-up of a woman clad in traditional Indian Jewelry depicting a bride or a princess or a queen. Personally, the cover could have been better.

Plot:
The plot of the book is about Padmavati, the queen of Chittor who is famous for her amazing and unusual beauty. She is a woman with strong opinions and stern ideas in life. As the historical story that is making rounds in the Indian History says, she is also very famous for the decision she took to end her life rather than being a captive to the most cruelest invader Alauddin Khilji.

The book mainly focuses on the great personality the queen has. Her devotion towards the husband, King Ratan Singh, her balance in playing the character of a strong warrior princess, her conviction towards the kingdom during the invasion by Alauddin Khilji and her responsibility towards the public of the kingdom during famines and droughts.

Unlike the known story,, in this book the scenes between the King and the Queen in various situations are beautifully scripted with intense and lovely emotions. Though the book ends on a tragic note, the reader feels a sight of pride for what the Queen did to save her integrity.

What I liked:
1. The attempt balancing the histroical aspects and little fiction.
2. The strong female characterization

What I disliked:
Nothing to be disliked

Narration:
The narration is very intense and nerve wrecking.

Language and Vocabulary:
A very good language and vocabulary.

My Final Verdict—
A definite page turner though a known story

Book title:5/5
Book Cover: 2/5
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Narration: 3.5/5
Language and Vocabulary: 3.5/5

The overall rating I give is 3.5\5

[Manjri Gopalan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank the author, Ms. Anuja Chandramouli, for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

As part of reading different versions of Rani Padmavati, I read this book. Though very different from the other versions that I have read or watched (including Sanjay Leela Bansali’s controversial Bollywood movie), I can surely say that this was the best one I have come across till date.

The author presents the story succinctly. The writing style of the author is the strongest aspect of this book; the author has used reader-friendly language and narrated this book with utmost ease.

What I loved in the book, were the brief affairs between Rani Padmavati and Rawal Ratan Singh – especially the talks that the newly-wed couple has after their nuptial; how Rawal Ratan Singh despite being under immense stress of the attack, tries to cheer his beloved wife Rani Padmavati, when Rani Nagmati shares the disturbing news of Alauddin Khilji’s cruel intentions of possessing Padmavati. It literally brings a smile on the readers face :)

I only wish that if the author could have provided some more details on the Delhi’s Shah's side of the story, the book would have been complete. Also, I feel all these books should be read with a pinch of salt, as nobody knows what exactly happened, what could have been the true reason for the downfall of Chittor, did Alauddin have any kind of infatuation towards Rani Padmawati or not, etc. etc. I would urge the readers to enjoy the book as an art of fiction.

Overall, I would rate this book 4.0.

[Rahul Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book by Chandramouli that I read, and I have to say that I quite liked this historical fiction. Even though I was a little annoyed with the excessive use of adjectives and complex words, I felt myself fly through the story in the blink of an eye. Some amount of research and studying had gone into this work which was pretty evident by the maintenance of the historicity of the mythical figure Rani Padmavti. The picture of Islam that has always been viewed under the negative light by the Hindu society was brought forth by the characterisation of Alaudin Khalji. The sexism that has always persisted and unfortunately, still persists in Indian society was surfaced through the treatment meted out to various female characters in the story. The ending was poignant yet sound.
Thank you, Chandramouli for sending me this book for review, I am grateful! And India requires writers like you to bring back such historical stories.

[Prashanth Baskaran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eventhough the initial parts of the book confuses by introducing too many characters, the progress is pacy. And for those who are unaware of Rani Padmavati's story, a visceral climax awaits.

A great, well-written, easy-to-read, pacy book.

[Subhajit Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Name (with subtitle): Rani Padmavati (The Burning Queen)
Author Name: Anuja Chandramouli
Format: Paperback
No of Pages: 101
Publisher: Juggernaut (15/11/2017)
Blurb: The blurb has been written neatly in a compact way, while highlighting the base of the story, without revealing the key factor; thus it will tempt the reader to go through the pages of the book.
Cover: Front cover of the book is looking beautiful, eye catching and as it is complementing the title of the book fully, so, it is apt for the story indeed.
Title: The title (along with the subtitle) is enough for the readers to pick this book up and go through it. It is catchy, and completely depicting what the story is all about. Hence, I consider this appropriate.
Language & narration: Language of the book has been enriched with lots of classic & authentic words at places. I won’t say that it is so lucid to comprehend for any kind of reader, but one thing I’d like to mention that way of formatting the sentences with selective words and ornamenting them maturely is a commendable quality and the authoress is Ace at it. Especially, keeping the sensitive background plot in mind, some events have been described with such ease, that impressed me I admit. Narrating style of the author is noticeable because, as per the theme of the book, there is small but highly significant places, where the narration of the story was needed to be presented carefully; and author has not just only successfully maintained the elegancy in her style of narrating those events, but the visualizing narrating made me feel like I have been transferred to that phase and was witnessing those incidents to happen one after another. I liked the descriptive details too in some places of the story.
Plot: As the plot has been developed as a historical fiction, because of this, author’s prime concern was to keep the incidents and the historical significance of the events and characters intact; and the base plot is intertwined with several sub plots which can be discovered as the progress of the story. So, as the historical importance of those events are so case sensitive, still the way author managed to develop and maintain the strongest impact along with mixing her own powerful writing style is indeed commendable. This story has two different sides running at the same time; the central character Rani Padmavati has actively proven to be the main charm of the book indeed, but simultaneously, the different shades of Alauddin Khalji and his ruthless journey towards the Delhi throne managed to hold the grasp of the readers no doubt. So, with this contradiction, I will say that the plot has been woven the best way possible.
Setting: Setting of those historical events is- Kara, Jalore, Siwana, Ranthambore, Mewar, Gujrat, Chittor, Khambayat, Delhi and other places around; time span around ad 1299 & 1300 BCE.
Characterization: One of the toughest jobs in the book was to maintain the originality of the characters intact and to reflect every shade of their characteristics (be it major or minor, protagonist or any other one) with crystal clearance; because only this way, the reader can understand and feel the significance of the historical events and the value of these characters. In this aspect, I can say that, the author portrayed each and every character (Especially Rani Padmavati, Rawal Ratan Singh, Maharaj Kanhadadeva, Sthaladeva, Rai Karan Vaghela & Alauddin Khalji) with the most justified way and all of them have done justice to their respective role through the ink of the author. Let’s have a look at the names of the characters that are mentioned in the book- Ahmad Chap, Jalaluddin Khalji, Balban, Alauddin Khalji, Ulugh Khan, Sidi Moula, Genghis Khan, Almas Beg, Malik Chajju, Malika Jahan, Padmavati (aka Padma), Mahisamara, Leelavati, Maharaj Kanhadadeva, Sthaladeva, Saraswati, Pratap, Jajjadeva, Arkali Khan, Hatim Khan, Prithviraj Chauhan (III), Hammira Chauhan, Rawal Ratan Singh, Samar Singh, Virama, Maladeva, Maharani Trinetra, Samanta Simha, Khader Khan, (Late)Sultan Kaiqubad, Bappa Rawal, Nagmati, Tara, Maya, Rai Karan Vaghela, Dhruva Rani, Veer, Raghav Chetana, Menaka, Senapati Dhanpal, Maitreyi, Zafar Khan, Nusrat Khan, Alap Khan, Deval, Kamala Devi, King Ramchandra, Khizr Khan, Senapati Devadutta, Lakshman Singh, Jaitra Singh, Khabru, Yalhaq, Burraq, Muhammad Shah, Kublai Khan, Malik Aizuddin, Qutlugh Khwaja, Amir Khusrau, Malik Kafur, Akat Khan, Devalla Devi, General Ranmal & Ratipal, Gora, Badal, Mahap, Rahap, Kshem, Hammir Singh, Bayala, Bika, Hira Devi.
Theme: Mythological figure, history, historical fiction.
Story in a nutshell: The story starts from a horrendous murder of the Shah, the ‘peaceful ruler’ Jalaluddin Khalji and the killer was none other than, the most devastating opportunist and powerful ruler in Indian history, Alauddin Khalji. Alauddin was (by relation) the nephew & the son-in-law of Jalaluddin Khalji, and Jalaluddin had blind faith in him (that’s why, unfortunately, he was unaware about the real face of his daughter too!). The attack by the men’s of Aladdin to behead the Shah, Jalaluddin Khalji was so sudden and unexpected, that he had even realized or believed the incident properly, till the last breath of his life, and just like that, the Throne of Delhi transferred from its old Sultan to the new one, and the era of terror (synonym of Alauddin Khalji) started.
On the other side, in Siwana, a born Princess, the most beautiful creation of God, with unmatchable beauty, brain, and personality, and tenderness of heart, the one and only, Padmavati had been born & brought up with the best and utmost possible care & love in the home of The Mahisamara and Leelavati. Padmavati was the complete and perfect example of beauty with brain; she was stunningly beautiful, gentle, soft spoken, and tenderhearted, with mature thoughts and vision, brave, sincere, responsible, and in any every aspect the best Princess that the history ever witnessed! It was believed that Padmavati was the reincarnation of the Goddess Lakshmi. Though her mother, Leelavati, thought about making the most powerful, with unmatched velour, handsome, brave, and the best affordable match as a groom for Padmavati, but for making some powerful trustworthy alliance (and the greater cause related to defeating the “Alaudding Khalji”), as a result of the ‘strategic’ mind of her grandfather Maharaja Kanhadadeva, Padvati got married to the King of Chittor, Rawal Ratan Singh. Ratan Singh was the most brave, matured, far visionary, powerful, loving, romantic, sensible, caring, calm & with firm personality King and was the best match for Padma.
After their wedding, their days were passing by getting lost into each other’s love in their hearts. They started to love each other’s soul to the core and they created their World of Dreams & happiness and succeeded in finding the solace in each other. But, not everyone blessed them or welcomed them with open heart; Rani Nagmati (another Wife of Ratan Singh) was one of them, even the mother of Rawal Ratan Singh was pathetically rude towards Rani Padmavati. Already life threatening attempts were noticed several times on Rani Padmavati. Jealousy was turning to be a fate turning weapon; and the effect of the extreme beauty of Rani Padmavati, was not limited to her admirers only, her beauty was gradually causing something unimaginative and…inevitable fate…which was awaiting Chittor..
Most horrifying news was that, soon Rawal Ratan Singh realized the fact that, Alauddin Khalji was already working on his grandiose plan to bring not just Aryavarta but the entire World under his dominion…
What will happen after that? Will Rawal Ratan Singh be able to protect Chittor? Will he succeed in defeating the most devastating and ruthless ruler in the history ever? What is awaiting the fate of Chittor? This time, the name of the terror is Alauddin Khalji; and not only Chittor, but his intention is to become the most dominative unmatched ruthless “King” of the History…ever… Will he spare anybody in his way? What is awaiting the destiny of the finest Queen of the Aryavarta, Rani Padmavati?
To get all these answers, pick this book up and go through it.
My Verdict: Authoress Anuja has done a heavy amount of deep and thorough research before penning down this historical saga of love & bravery. She has perfectly captured the time and the actual essence of the era back then, and it was like a time travelling journey for me to go through those incidents one after another. The violence, the greed for power, the super strategic mind of Rulers, the merciless punishments, ruthless tortures, they are so evident in the story. The deep plotting and planning of Alauddin Khalji, the love and concern of Rawal Ratan Singh, the divine beauty of Padvati, the concern of a mother, the mature thinking and active knowledge of Padmavati about the present scenario, the sensitive side of Rawal Ratan Singh, the soulful love between them, the protective nature, everything was heart teaching and commendable. The various clans of Rujputs (Rathods, Hunas, Chavadas, Hariyadas, Dodiyas etc), their bravery, their sacrifices, the political scenario, demolishing the ruling era and rising a new one, The bravery of Rawal Ratan Singh, the mental dilemma and hesitation of him at the last, the helpless situation of Chittore because of the epidemic, the firm decision of Rani Padmavati, the strong personality of her, and the brave sacrifice… everything portrayed in this book stating the significance of all. The devastating terror of Alauddin Khalji, his unmatched power, coming to the Rajputana- the equations of making alliances at that time and making marriages as a ‘deal’ (for a greater cause of course), the contradictory strange sides of Alauddin Khalji- these are the potential that this story is positively consist of. The religious aspect and its “strategic use” running that time for own profit, the place & value of Women and the way of treating them- this can never go unnoticed in the story. The jauhar practice of Rajput Women was something really the most ‘proud’ ‘sacrificing’ and utmost ‘bravery’ that can ever be heard of in the history… The ending left me speechless…for a long time…and…the last mental conflict while facing each other (Alauddin Khalji & Rawal Ratan Singh), that realization of Alauddin Khalji was the masterstroke in this entire book. Last but definitely not the least, Rani Padmavati (in every aspect) proved that she was truly the reincarnation of Goddess Lakshmi…
Recommendation: I’d like to recommend this book to every history lovers, mythology enthusiasts, and to everyone looking forward to a classy tale of action, love, bravery & sacrifices. This book won’t disappoint them I can say. Thank you.
My Favorite Line: “There is always a choice, but he is a Rajput. Hammita Chauhan will choose death”.
Rating (Overall): 4/5 Stars.

[Jiten Upadhyay (Team ThinkerViews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Detailed review is available at: http://thinkerviews.com/books/english...]

Rani Padmini aka Padmavati's character is an integral part of the history of Rajasthan. Some considers it as a fictional character while others claim to have the proof of her existence. Before many years when Shyam Benegal made his magnum opus - Bharat Ek Khoj - based on Late Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru's acclaimed book - The Discovery of India; he has dedicated an episode to Padmavat [Ref: http://thinkerviews.com/tv-serial/hin...] . Padmavat is considered as a poetry written by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi. The tale of queen Padmini is more remembered for the brave warrior duo (uncle-nephew) Gora and Badal.

Recently, more and more people got interested in knowing more about this Rajput queen, especially due to the controversy associated with the movie.

Almost around the same time (much before movie release though), this book by Anuja Chandramouli was released and many copies of the same are sold in the same light.

Of course, the book is an historical fiction which was inspired by a poem which itself is considered as historical fiction by many, so rather than finding historical (in)accuracies in the same, let us focus on the literary aspects only.

I think telling much about the plot is not required, as most of the readers had already searched for the references on WikiPedia, watched the movie, read the book blurb and many other reviews. So let us directly come to the point.

Our first impression was that this is a very short book and hence sometimes the story moves too fast and the characters appear to behave in a conflicting manner e.g., Alauddin Khilji is a looter and assassin at the start who orders the most barbaric killings of children and pillage of property and women by his troops throughout all the battles. But at many places in the book, he is portrayed as almost noble with no dishonourable intentions towards women!

Does the author plans to portray dual-personality in his character or is trying to avoid some of the controversies to come her way?

The story takes a novel point of view about the cause of the battle and that’s a food for thought, indeed.

Anuja Chandramuli’s strength is how she paints pictures of the space and narrates the scenarios. She creates the characters and turns of events that are significantly different from the folklore in some ways.

Here is an interesting line from the book:
A king’s job was to serve the best interests of his people, even if they didn’t know it themselves.

Summary:
All in all, a swift little read if you would like a different take on the story of Padmavati.

Rating:
I would like to give it 2.5 stars out of 5 (It is rounded to 3 stars above).

[Taanya Ahuja · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Awakened by the cacophony of the wretched, the gods gathered to watch the passing of one who had been the brightest souls to have adorned Mother Earth."




BLURB

Padmavati is the most beautiful uqueen Chittor has ever had. Everyone who sees her is enthralled by her grace and goodness. When the greedy gaze of the Sultan of Delhi, Alauddin Khalji, falls upon Chittor and its queen, Padmavati's flawless beauty turns against her, because it inspires both love and hate in equal measure.
Beset by the threat of an invasion and scheming political rivals who are envious of her immense popularity, Rani Padmavati must rise to the demands of war and fight for everything she believes in. This is the story of a remarkable woman who lived gently, loved passionately, and embraced her destiny with unmatched courage.



COVER PAGE

The cover page of the book is very beautiful having a picture of Rani Padmavati. It is in bright red colour and the title of the book is written in golden colour. The cover page is very attractive and eye catchy. I loved it.



REVIEW

The Burning Queen Rani Padmavati by Anuja Chandramouli is a tale of passion, bravery and betrayal. A historical book which showcases who Rani Padmavati was. I've heard a lot about Rani Padmavati but never got a chance to read in detail about her but this book about her took me to a ride exploring her life as a princess and then as a queen.

The Burning Queen Rani Padmavati is an intriguing read written in simple and a fluent manner which showcases the beautiful relation between Rawal Ratan Singh and Rani Padmavati that I was not able to put it down. The plotline is very interesting and tight with a blend of different elements such as love, hate, jelousy, betrayal and war. The way it is beautifully penned down in a crisp manner made it a very enjoyable read and the scenes between Rani Padmavati and Rawal Ratan Singh are very well told and are very serene.

The book is fast paced which can be easily finished in few hours. It is set in different historical regions such as Jalore, Siwana, Gujarat, Chittor and Ranthambore and the way the author vividly described the events is marvelous. I really liked the description of the marriage of Rawal Ratan Singh and Rani Padmavati and all the events can be well visualised as if watching a movie. There are lot of characters which are well described and the originality of each character is maintained which is amazing. Rani Padmavati's character is so strong that she stood for her own self respect and rights which is a true example of women empowerment.

The emotions in the book are marvelously penned and I was able to empathize also especially Rani Padmavati's emotions when she was missing her maternal home as she got married in Jalore.
Overall, a beautiful and a satisfying read focusing on Rani Padmavati. I loved this book a lot and Rani Padmavati has left a big impact on me to be strong and standing up for own rights. An amazing historical fiction and I would highly recommend this to all the historical fiction lovers.

* I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange of a review. Thank You

[SCULPTOR Of EMOTIONS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blurb-
Padmavati is the most beautiful queen Chittor has ever had. Everyone who sees her is enthralled by her grace and goodness. When the greedy gaze of the Sultan of Delhi, Alauddin Khalji, falls upon Chittor and its queen, Padmavati's flawless beauty turns against her, because it inspires both love and hate in equal measure.

Beset by the threat of an invasion and scheming political rivals who are envious of her immense popularity, Rani Padmavati must rise to the demands of war and fight for everything she believes in. This is the story of a remarkable woman who lived gently, loved passionately, and embraced her destiny with unmatched courage.
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Review-
Padmavati. By now whole nation is familiar with this name. A name which represents fire and inspiration.
This review eschews historicity, and the strife seems pointless for this alluring beauty who may have well been the creative liberty of a poet rather than a well-entrenched and accepted character of yesteryears.
The word Padmavati is having or holding lotuses. From the rich cover of the book, page after page is the experience of unpeeling the petals of a lotus as writer Anuja Chandramouli takes the reader on a captivating and plausible journey of Padmavati. From her idyllic upbringing in Singhaldweep to Bharatdesh to become Rawal Ratan Singh’s wife and the queen of Chittaurgarh and her tragic end to escape the lust of the villainous Sultan Allauddin Khilji, Anuja’s sketch seems picture perfect.
Writer’s command over the English language is deft, delectable and deep as she weaves a wondrous tale. A tale which is as mysterious as the night shadows shrouding the Chittaurgarh fort.

Anuja fleshes out the characters in bold and myriad hues, doing justice to each. Her research appears thorough as her descriptions bring alive the players in a story that captures the morals of labour of love, values of valour, and the catastrophe that coveting and carnality could beget, in equal measure.
Did Padmavati really exist? These imponderables are an exercise in futility; what remains are the many life’s lessons that the trajectory of Padmavati’s passage tells.
Perhaps between the bridge spanning chimera and reality, “Rani Padmavati, The Burning Queen” will hold you breathless and the denouement spellbound.
Overall ratings-4.8/5
Narration-4.5/5
Plot-5/5
Title-5/5
Cover-5/5