Peruvali

Writer, poet sukumaran's second novel is on the life of a mughal princess. Jahanara begum was the eldest daughter of Mughal king shah jahan and his beloved queen mumtaz mahal. She had the political expertise to advice her father at the age of fourteen, and has learnt hindu puraanas, persian books and the Quran. She knew history, poetry, dance, music and architecture among other things. She was a dreamer and had plans to carry out her dreams. She had elephants,horses, ships and wealth. She had power. But she was also denied a freedom that gives meaning to all this things. The historical injustice as she was a woman is portrayed in this excellent novel, through her own perspective, and that of her friend a hijra from shahjahan's court.