Title: The Teenage Diary of Jodh Bai
Author: Subhadra Sen Gupta
Publisher: Talking Club
Publication Date: January 1, 2019
Genre: Children’s Historical Fiction
Total Pages: 168
Targeted Age Range: Children
Content Warnings: N.A.
Goodreads Rating: 4.4/5
My Rating: 4/5
Amazon Link (not affiliated)
- About the Author
- A Rajput Princess Dreams of More: A Peek into Jodha’s Diary
- Quotes and Comments
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About the Author
Subhadra Sen Gupta has written over forty books for children because she thinks children are the best readers in the world. She loves telling stories woven around history; plotting complicated mysteries and crazy adventures; dreaming up ghostly tales and scripting comic books. In 2014 she was awarded the Bal Sahitya Puraskar by the Sahitya Akademi for her children’s books.
A Rajput Princess Dreams of More: A Peek into Jodha’s Diary
The desert wind whispers secrets through the latticework window, carrying tales of faraway lands and battles yet to be fought. Here, in the bustling heart of Amber Fort, Jodha, a wisp of a girl with eyes that hold the fire of the setting sun, sits with a peculiar treasure – an empty ledger book. Unlike the accounts her brothers pore over, Jodha fills hers with a different kind of currency: words.
She’s not a warrior, not in the traditional sense. The clang of steel and roar of battle chants leave her heart untouched. Instead, Jodha’s spirit soars with poetry and dreams. She captures the laughter of the palace women, the silent yearning in their eyes, the stoic pride of the men training for war. She paints the stark beauty of the Thar desert with words as vivid as desert blooms after a rare rain.
But the winds also carry whispers of a different sort – murmurs of the Mughal emperor, Akbar, a name both feared and respected. The whispers grow louder, morphing into a startling reality: Jodha is to be married to the very same emperor.
The news sits heavy in her stomach. A Hindu princess in a Muslim court? Will she be a prisoner in a gilded cage, the Mughal zenana? Will she ever find a kindred spirit in a man from a world so different? Fear mingles with a strange curiosity. Can love bloom amidst political alliances?
History may know her only by a royal title, Mariam-uz-Zamani, but within these pages, Jodha, the dreamer, the poet, takes flight. This is her story, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the power of love, and the unwavering dreams of a young princess who dared to write her own destiny.
In Subhadra Sen Gupta’s captivating fictional diary, Jodha’s story comes alive. We journey with her, a young woman on the cusp of a life-altering decision, as she grapples with tradition, love, and the very notion of home.
Quotes and Comments
◆ Two days later
▪ ‘One day you will let me read what you have written? A princess’s poetry.’ I nodded, returning his smile. ‘That would be an honour to read,’
◆ A fortnight later
▪ I am a queen. I obey.’
◆ That night
▪ Father laughed, ‘Bhatiyaniji, our greatest enemies are all Rajputs!’
(This is how Indian history truly is. They would trust an outsider, an Islamic and foreign king more than they would trust their fellow rulers. They aren’t or weren’t wrong. That’s just how United India truly is; physically united but mentally divided)
▪ What can Amber do alone and we will be the first to be attacked. I have no hope that the other kings will come to help me.’
‘That has always been our problem,’ Mother’s voice sounded sad. ‘We are brave and great fighters, but we spend our time fighting each other. We have never learnt to unite. That is why the invaders always win.’ (very true)
◆ Father returns
▪ ‘You lose a daughter after you lose a war, you do not offer her without a fight.’
(what kind of mentality the old kings possess, I am unable to process!)
▪ Akbar said that Princess Jodh Bai will have her own palace with her own kitchen and temple. We are to send our own cooks and priests. She will stay away from the other zenana women and will only meet them if she wants to. She is free to do her puja, celebrate all our festivals, and she can visit us at Amber whenever she wants.’
(how different was it in Jodhaa Akbar movie where Jodhaa had to ask of this herself! Although this may not be the entire truth, no-one knows what really happened with Jodhaa but imagining Akbar to give the freedom (the initiation part done by him) is a nice thought to have. But sadly, this wasn’t the real Akbar. He had many queens. Jodhaa Akbar’s real story is hidden somewhere and we do not know the entire truth.)
◆ Next morning
▪ ‘He seemed quite excited at the idea of marrying you, actually, maybe because he has two senior queens but they are both much older than him.’ (is this for real?)
◆ The Real Jodh Bai in History
▪ Jodh Bai and Akbar must have been quite close as he used to join in all the Hindu festivals celebrated in her palace. He loved to play Holi, the festival of colours, and celebrated Deepavali with lights and fireworks. He also grew his hair, tied it in a Rajasthani style turban and enjoyed putting a tika on his forehead. It is said that Jodh Bai taught him to chew paan!
(if it is true, it is cute indeed!)
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