Skip to main content

The Last Maharani of Gwalior: An Autobiography by Vinjaya Raje Scindia and Manohar Malgonkar: A Book Review

The Last Maharani of Gwalior: An Autobiography

Authors: Vinjaya Raje Scindia and Manohar Malgonkar

Genre: Nonfiction, History, Autobiography

Publisher: SUNY Press

Release Date: 1987

Pages: 279

Source: Personal Collection

Synopsis: A description of contemporary India and some of its recent history.  


     My Review: Vivjaya Raje Scindia was the last Maharani of Gwalior. She was a prominent member of the Indian parliament. She was jailed by Indira Gandhi during the Emergency period for opposing her presidency and even ran against her during the 1980 elections but lost. In her memoir, Vivjaya Raje Scindia chronicles her life from the moment of her birth to the elections of 1984.


Vivjaya Raje Scindia was descended from the Maharajas of Nepal. She went to a women’s college and intended to pursue a bachelor’s degree. However, her family had other plans for her and arranged her marriage to the Maharaja of Gwalior. Eventually, she entered into politics and joined the Indian parliament. After the death of her husband, she continued to be a member of parliament. However, she disagreed with Indira Gandhi’s rule. During the Emergency period, she became a prisoner. After a few years she was released. She ran against Indira Gandhi in 1980 but lost.


Before reading this memoir, I didn't really know anything about Indian history. However, the queen wrote about Gwalior’s history and its rulers in a very comprehensive way. I had never heard of this queen until I read her memoir, and I found it to be truly moving and sad. Vivjaya Raje Scindia had many tragic moments throughout her grand life as Maharani. She lost her husband. She lost her title as queen during Indira Gandhi’s presidency. She was a prisoner during the Emergency period, and she had a troubled relationship with her son due to political beliefs. Thus, I could not help but feel sorry for her.


Overall, this was a very moving memoir of a very important figure in India’s history. Vivjaya Raje Scindia was a queen who cared for her country and people. The story is very comprehensive to those who do not know much about Indian history. After reading her memoir, it makes me interested to read more about her. This is a must read for fans of royalty! The Last Maharani of Gwalior tells the story of one of India’s patriot heroes!


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Juliet by Anne Fortier: A Book Review

Juliet Author: Anne Fortier Genre:  Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery & Thriller Publisher: Ballantine Books Release Date: 2011 Pages: 464 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis:   When Julie Jacobs inherits a key to a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy, she is told that it will lead her to an old family treasure. Soon she is launched on a winding and perilous journey into the history of her ancestor, Giulietta, whose legendary love for a young man named Romeo rocked the foundations of medieval Siena. As Julie crosses paths with the descendants of the families immortalized in Shakespeare’s unforgettable blood feud, she begins to realize that the notorious curse-- “A plague on both your houses!” is still at work, and that she is the next target. It seems that the only one who can save Julie from her fate is Romeo--but where is he?           My Review:  I have always been a fan of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet . I’ve always found...
Post a Comment
Read more

Michal (The Wives of King David #1) by Jill Eileen Smith: A Book Review

Michal (The Wives of King David #1) Author: Jill Eileen Smith Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Biblical Fiction Publisher: Revell Release Date: 2009 Pages:  382 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: As the daughter of King Saul, Michal lives a life of privilege--but one that is haunted by her father's unpredictable moods and by competition from her beautiful older sister. When Michal falls for young David, the harpist who plays to calm her father, she has no idea what romance, adventures, and heartache await her.      As readers enter the colorful and unpredictable worlds of King Saul and King David, they will be swept up in this exciting and romantic story. Against the backdrop of opulent palace life, raging war, and desert escapes, Jill Eileen Smith takes her readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride as Michal deals with love, loss, and personal transformation as one of the wives of David. A sweeping tale of passion and drama, readers will love this...
Post a Comment
Read more

Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams by Louisa Thomas: A Book Review

Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams Author: Louisa Thomas Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography Publisher: Penguin Press Release Date: April 5, 2016 Pages: 499 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review  Synopsis: An intimate portrait of Louisa Catherine Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams, who witnessed firsthand the greatest transformations of her time.        Born in London to an American father and a British mother on the eve of the Revolutionary War, Louisa Catherine Johnson was raised in circumstances very different from the New England upbringing of the future president John Quincy Adams, whose life had been dedicated to public service from the earliest age. And yet John Quincy fell in love with her, almost despite himself. Their often tempestuous but deeply close marriage lasted half a century.       They lived in Prussia, Massachusetts, Washington, Russia, and England, at royal courts, on farms,...
Post a Comment
Read more