RAJKAHINI

The Rajput hero has always held a special place in India's cultural landscape. Legend, myth, history and literary imagination combined to present the Rajput as the ultimate embodiment of heroism, honour and chivalry, capable of inspiring the most profound sacrifices among his dependants and clan.



History is his source, and imagination and language are his tools to infuse characters with vitality. Each of the stories in Abanindranath Tagore's Rajkahini, dealing with the lives and events of a dynasty of warriors of ancient Mewar of erstwhile Rajputana, is superbly singular. Yet they have a common vein running through them - gripping accounts of Rajput courage and valour.



Abanindranath Tagore's lyrical style of narration weaving oral tales and history, has helped characters like Shiladitya, Goha, Bappaditya, Padmini, Chanda and others live a life beyond the pages of history books.


Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951), nephew of Rabindranath Tagore, joined the University of Calcutta as Bageshwari professor in 1921, and became the chancellor of Visva-Bharati University in 1942. His wrtings include Shakuntala (1895), Khirer Putul (The Sweetmeat Doll), Banglar Vrata (Festivities of Bengal), amongst others.

THE TRANSLATOR
Monimala Dhar is principal of K.L. Bajoria College, Shillong. A 'compulsive translator', as she describes herself, she had earlier translated Byomkesh Bakshi and When the Earth was Young: Reincarnation Stories, both by Saradindu Bandopadhyay.