Kiran Nagarkar’s Cuckold (1997) has been heralded as the best novel
by an Indian by Khushwant Singh.
The novel is set in the early sixteenth century, in the kingdom of
Mewar and follows the life of its Maharaj Kumar, the heir apparent.
Historically rich in its content and showcasing the wars and political
upheavals of the time, nothing compares to the personal life of the Maharaj
Kumar. Married to none other than Meera, one of the biggest devout of Lord
Krishna in the history of India, Maharaj Kumar competes against a God for the
love and attention of his wife.
Nagarkar is known for putting in the spotlight characters that are
normally considered extras and are not paid much attention. He does not write
in the style of Rushdie or other authors who cater to the West, even though
Nagarkar writes in English.
The former Marathi writer manages to make even the strategies of war
(which might get just a bit tedious because one awaits the part with Meera in
it with bated breath) sound interesting, but he shines when he focuses on the
Maharaj Kumar and his wife.
Cuckold is a must read and
again in the words of Khushwant Singh, it is “historical fiction at its best”.
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