Tharoor releases historical tale on India

A historical tale of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's reign, told through the eyes of two European travellers, has been released. The Crimson Throne by noted writer Sudhir Kakar...

A historical tale of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's reign, told through the eyes of two European travellers, has been released.

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The Crimson Throne by noted writer Sudhir Kakar was released by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor who moderated a discussion between the author flanked by the ambassadors of France, Jerome Bonnafont and Italy, Roberto Toscano.

"The interplay of the perspective of two travellers dealing with the years of the rule of Dara Shikoh and the rise of Aurangzeb makes for good reading," said Tharoor who was making his appearance in the national capital after a break.

The book set in the 17the century India is a narrative by two travellers Niccolao Manucci and Grancois Bernier who arrive in India and find their way into the innermost circles of the Emperor.

The narrative is about how the country braces itself for the brutal succession to the Peacock throne.

"The book is about the rivalry between Aurangazeb and Dara Shikoh and Aurangazeb....It is about rising Europe and declining India or in terms of adjectives it can be said as about the rising Euro and declining India," said author Kakar, a psycho-analyst and novelist.

The author who wrote about the love of Dara Shikoh for his subjects asked Tharoor in the discussion following the release why there were no roads named after him in the capital even though there was one named after Aurangzeb.

"Yes, there is a road named after him," replied Tharoor.