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

Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words by Andrew Morton

Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words Author: Andrew Morton Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography,  Publisher: Simon and Schuster Release Date: 2009 Pages: 448 Source: My Personal Collection Synopsis: The sensational biography of Princess Diana, written with her cooperation and now featuring exclusive new material to commemorate the 20th anniversary of her death.      When Diana: Her True Story was first published in 1992, it forever changed the way the public viewed the British monarchy. Greeted initially with disbelief and ridicule, the #1 New York Times bestselling biography has become a unique literary classic, not just because of its explosive contents but also because of Diana’s intimate involvement in the publication. Never before had a senior royal spoken in such a raw, unfiltered way about her unhappy marriage, her relationship with the Queen, her extraordinary life inside the House of Windsor, her hopes, her fears, and her dreams. Now, twenty-fiv...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn: A Book Review

The Rose Code Author: Kate Quinn Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Harper Collins Release Date: 2021 Pages: 635 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: 1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire.        Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.       Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, working to translate decoded enemy secrets. Self-made Mab masters the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and the poverty of her East-End London upbringing. And shy local girl Beth is the outsider who trains as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.       1947, London.        Seven years after they first meet, on the eve of the roya...
4 comments
Read more

Tayvie's Story (A Sparrow Alone #3) by Mim Eichmann: A Book Review

  Tayvie’s Story (A Sparrow Alone #3) Author: Mim  Eichmann Genre: Historical Fiction  Publisher: Ballantine  Publication Date: 2024 Pages: 355 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Chicago, IL – December 1923        Terrified, racing from an irate shopkeeper who has accused her of stealing, her comatose mother sprawled in a dark hallway, four-year-old Tayvie Jackson falls asleep while hiding in a car. Hours later, Tayvie, who understands almost no English, awakens many miles from a home she barely knew. Forced to live with deceitful relatives during the Depression in the Jim Crow south, Tayvie and her adopted mother later escape, hoping to build on young Tayvie’s fledgling career as a jazz singer.        In 1938, Tayvie innocently signs a six-month contract to appear at the Moulin Rouge in Paris. Almost immediately, distorted allegations erupt surrounding her inv...
Post a Comment
Read more