This novel moves between the history of Delhi across many centuries and the story of its narrator, an aging Sikh who has a long relationship with a hijra named Bhagmati. The chapters pass from the Mughal emperors and the Persian invader Nadir Shah to the poets of the city, the uprising of 1857, Partition in 1947 and the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. The narrator is observant, bawdy and affectionate toward the city.
Khushwant Singh's blend of history, satire and personal memory will suit readers who like sprawling novels about a place. It is funny, sad and frank about sex, religion and politics.
Contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Evidence Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Language
- UR
