The Third Prince

By Phiroz H. Madon

I have not read many historical novels in English, although I am an ardent fan of Tamil historical novels. Deciding to route my historic knowledge from Southern India to the North, I bought this book. The novel is penned by Phiroz H Madon, a technocrat living in the US, originally from India.

Parvati, a young concubine tries to make a mark in Agra as a dancer. Her notable belongings include an important piece of paper and a jewel. The author walks us through her everyday struggle as a concubine and a dancer. Orphaned at an early age and let down by her only aunt, Parvati craves for constant attention. She even proves her dancing abilities by dancing with a snake.

There is a critical situation in Akbar's court. The court has the magnanimous task of finding an heir to the famous Akbar. With Jahangir notorious for his alcoholism and womanizing abilities and his son Khusrau, too young to make decisions on his own, the ministers have their hearts on the third prince. The third prince was believed to be fathered by Akbar in a secret marriage. The vicious Jahangir decides to eliminate the trace of the third prince.

Parvati's life suddenly takes a turn, when she loses her jewel and finds people following her to kill. Being a smart woman, she thinks out of the box to face the danger at every step. A romance with the snake charmer, an affair with the head of the robbing group or a housemaid's role in her best friend's home come in handy for her escape. The rest of the story reveals the fate of Paru and the third prince.

The book was interesting and a decent page-turner, but it was not exactly what I expected. I was trying to find the beauty and richness of the bygone era, which remained elusive throughout. Agra was portrayed as a place filled with just the Wine and Women, there is no glimpse of the Agra's well-known royalty.

Akbar was not what I have always imagined him to be. He was sick, weak and withered. While this portrayal is fine in his deathbed, it was sadly the same in the battlefield with Jahangir. There are some interesting characterizations like Nur Jahan though her transition from the timid Mehrunissa to the vehement Nur Jahan is impractical. The novel might satisfy the ones with no idea of the Mughal empire and its culture, but for anyone with the tiniest knowledge of the Indian history, this will be a letdown.

Read it at your own risk.