What do you think?
Rate this book
गोली
The most popular historical fiction writer, Acharya Chatur Sen, presents a vivid, entertaining and fascinating account of life in the interiors of the royal households and Rangmahals of Rajasthan. This is a tender story of the ill fortune of Goli, a woman who is prey to the constantly roving eyes of a king, while her husband cannot muster the courage to even lay a finger on her. This edition is the full-text version of this tale and will thus always be considered a document of utmost credibility.
- GenresHistoricalClassics
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2019
45 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 13, 2018
Finishing this book, I find myself realizing two things foremost.
First, the concept of karmic balance sheet. The boomerang effect in real life does occur. Maybe we would face the repercussions in the consecutive lives (Yes, I do believe in the concept of rebirth), but we have to reap what we sow, and pay for what we have done.
Second, the prevalent conviction in the greatness of India (The golden bird), the pride in the values and moral norms, the majestic traditions of our Mother India, well it's utter trash. I do not understand the need of Indians to idolize something/someone and put them on a virtuous pedestal. I would say that to some extent, our culture and ancient wisdom is unparalleled, but it is the truth that India needed the change. The social evils lurking in the precolonial Indian society needed a puncture. I am nowhere stating that the Bristish Raj in India was good, that alone is a different topic of debate. All I am discussing here is the injustice to multiple social classes and the evil traditions the puritans and prudish so-called higher classes stuck to was not a greatness factor. Maybe we needed the wake-up call of the colonial rule to start making the amends, maybe the English rule in India served as a catalyst for our country to adopt a broader mindset, maybe India needed to become a slave collectively to leave the autocratic monarchical governance structure and develop a democracy (in whatever form we practice today). Somewhere, along the lines of strict traditions and class structures, India had lost it's humanity. We needed it back. This novel serves as a reminder of that. Chatursen had written the book in a form where Champa, our protagonist herself is narrating the story. She felt real, she narrated her human desires the same way she discussed her misfortunes. The novel nowhere felt like a call for pity book, instead it made me proud of what Champa had become, had done for herself even when she had the shadow of misfortune dancing on her since she took her first ever breath. Champa reminded me of a hindi proverb my mother is fond of saying, "Keechad me bhi kamal ki tarah khilo." ( "Bloom like a lotus even when there is muck around"). She fought her way and strove to come out of that muck, never losing her spirit. It is said that you can judge a nation, and how successful it will be, based on how it treats its women and its girls. And women were and are still treated as second-class citizens in our country. We have come a long way from child-marriage, sati-pratha, harem culture, widow shaming et al, but we still have a long way to go. I hope, this time, we won't have to lose our freedom and global economical share on such a massive scale to understand a few things.
First, the concept of karmic balance sheet. The boomerang effect in real life does occur. Maybe we would face the repercussions in the consecutive lives (Yes, I do believe in the concept of rebirth), but we have to reap what we sow, and pay for what we have done.
Second, the prevalent conviction in the greatness of India (The golden bird), the pride in the values and moral norms, the majestic traditions of our Mother India, well it's utter trash. I do not understand the need of Indians to idolize something/someone and put them on a virtuous pedestal. I would say that to some extent, our culture and ancient wisdom is unparalleled, but it is the truth that India needed the change. The social evils lurking in the precolonial Indian society needed a puncture. I am nowhere stating that the Bristish Raj in India was good, that alone is a different topic of debate. All I am discussing here is the injustice to multiple social classes and the evil traditions the puritans and prudish so-called higher classes stuck to was not a greatness factor. Maybe we needed the wake-up call of the colonial rule to start making the amends, maybe the English rule in India served as a catalyst for our country to adopt a broader mindset, maybe India needed to become a slave collectively to leave the autocratic monarchical governance structure and develop a democracy (in whatever form we practice today). Somewhere, along the lines of strict traditions and class structures, India had lost it's humanity. We needed it back. This novel serves as a reminder of that. Chatursen had written the book in a form where Champa, our protagonist herself is narrating the story. She felt real, she narrated her human desires the same way she discussed her misfortunes. The novel nowhere felt like a call for pity book, instead it made me proud of what Champa had become, had done for herself even when she had the shadow of misfortune dancing on her since she took her first ever breath. Champa reminded me of a hindi proverb my mother is fond of saying, "Keechad me bhi kamal ki tarah khilo." ( "Bloom like a lotus even when there is muck around"). She fought her way and strove to come out of that muck, never losing her spirit. It is said that you can judge a nation, and how successful it will be, based on how it treats its women and its girls. And women were and are still treated as second-class citizens in our country. We have come a long way from child-marriage, sati-pratha, harem culture, widow shaming et al, but we still have a long way to go. I hope, this time, we won't have to lose our freedom and global economical share on such a massive scale to understand a few things.
Read
February 3, 2014I jst want to read
December 21, 2024
A moving story with occasional doses of dark humour (although not sure if that's what the author intended). The only major negative is that it is at times repetitive.
The book does a great job of portraying the social evils of the pre independence era while still providing enough nuance to most (but not all) of its characters - both good and bad. It even does an interesting analysis of the interplay of the British rule with such a system. Some of the characters are cartoonishly evil though but that helps with the pacing. The plot gets a bit soap opera at times but the weight of the characters' pain is able to justify it. And usually the author moves through such action beats fast enough without wasting too much time.
The language is beautiful and flows quite well.
A couple of minor issues are the repetition of same lines and thoughts multiple times along with some small inconsistencies. These might have stemmed from the serialized publication of the story in its original form. I also think a little more time could have been devoted to the protagonist's internal conflict during a few key scenes.
The book does a great job of portraying the social evils of the pre independence era while still providing enough nuance to most (but not all) of its characters - both good and bad. It even does an interesting analysis of the interplay of the British rule with such a system. Some of the characters are cartoonishly evil though but that helps with the pacing. The plot gets a bit soap opera at times but the weight of the characters' pain is able to justify it. And usually the author moves through such action beats fast enough without wasting too much time.
The language is beautiful and flows quite well.
A couple of minor issues are the repetition of same lines and thoughts multiple times along with some small inconsistencies. These might have stemmed from the serialized publication of the story in its original form. I also think a little more time could have been devoted to the protagonist's internal conflict during a few key scenes.
July 24, 2019
An account of a Goli(a derogatory term used for women from a specific community in Rajasthan who were bonded to their masters/kings).Acharya Chatursen has done a great job in putting down the life of a woman named Champa,who was sent as a dowry with her kings daughter.How her life changes when the new master chooses her instead of his new queen,her kids with him,her marriage with one her servant,her life with the king,how she gets away with an attempt on her life. The books gives its readers a glimpse into the life of people of this community who has suffered a lot at the hands of their masters for centuries and how karma plays its role.
The only problem with the books was the printing,there were quite a few printing errors and at some places the print seems as if it has got smudged.
The book is in Hindi and people who can read hindi should go for it.
The only problem with the books was the printing,there were quite a few printing errors and at some places the print seems as if it has got smudged.
The book is in Hindi and people who can read hindi should go for it.
April 23, 2019
Never have I ever read book with such a realistic words ,it took me back to that era and made me realise the agony and pain o those ladies.
September 3, 2019
Best
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 16, 2021Knowledge about history castism is epic. Every emotion described with reality not fake or made up but honest. Dilemma champa faced was awful. All total beautiful book. Painful though.
March 25, 2023
What to say I don't have word to say anything other than this is my favorite hindi book now. I love the writing style the plot and every other detail about this .
March 21, 2015
आचार्य चतुरसेन की इस कहानी मे राजस्थान के दास दासियो के जीवन और राजस्थान के राजाओ की झूठी आन बान का बड़ा मार्मिक और रोचक वर्णन हे ।
ये कहानी एक दासी की हे जिसका बचपन उस ठाकुर के यहा बीता जिसके यहा उसकी माँ दासी थी ,जवानी मे उसी राजा के यहा दासी बनना पड़ा जहा ठाकुर की बेटी का विवाह हुआ । उसके जीवन की उथल पुथल,प्रेम,यंत्रणा,भय,उल्लास का सुंदर चित्रण पड़ने को मिलता हे । एतिहासिक उपन्यासों मे रुचि लेने वालों को ये अवश्य पसंद आएगा ।
ये कहानी एक दासी की हे जिसका बचपन उस ठाकुर के यहा बीता जिसके यहा उसकी माँ दासी थी ,जवानी मे उसी राजा के यहा दासी बनना पड़ा जहा ठाकुर की बेटी का विवाह हुआ । उसके जीवन की उथल पुथल,प्रेम,यंत्रणा,भय,उल्लास का सुंदर चित्रण पड़ने को मिलता हे । एतिहासिक उपन्यासों मे रुचि लेने वालों को ये अवश्य पसंद आएगा ।
Want to read
October 27, 2015to read
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews