REVIEW OF DANIEL'S DIARY

REVIEW OF DANIEL’S DAIRY

(a novel by Rajeshwari Chauhan)

First of all it was so dumb of me to keep this book shut in the cupboard for months without reading. But then it proved a wine for me, the older the better. The same is with the theme of this novel. Aha! Daniel’s Diary, finally something which fits into the category of ‘classic literature’ Rajeshwari Chauhan, women with the magical hands, has described the Mughal era so realistically that it seems to be her first hand experience. As if it was not Daniel but she present over there at some point of time with the King Akbar and Begum Jodha at Agra (in case Daniel was for real not fiction). The smoothness with which the story moves from the contemporary place Sumangarh to 1560s Agra is where the readers flow profoundly. Mrinalini, though young and in the prime of her life shows her fondness for the historical paintings, buildings, scripts and her concern for them gives a shine to her personality. When looking at Arrow, her boss in a way, she has glimpses of a prince she always imagined in her dreams and read in poems. Her liking towards Sumangarh increased when she found Daniel’s diary. In a way this diary of Daniel was the reason behind her proximity with Surajsingh. It was an amazing journey into the 16^th century from an eye of a Portuguese artist. The narration and the vocabulary used to describe the minutest things related to Islamic and Hindu culture, the forts and mahals, the festivals and weddings, the royal family and common citizens is eye-widening and mind-bobbling. This novel is not only historical but also thrilling. The suspense keeps on developing with the pages and revelations are sometimes heart breaking and sometimes heart pleasing. Daniel’s anguish of love and his falling in love with the court dancer Mahamaya is actually pious. The dreadful separation of both and the aftershocks of these incidents on Daniel will surely put readers into tears. One remarkable thing to be noticed here is two contradictory pairs at Sumangarh.  On one side there is a concerned pair of Mrinalini and Surajsingh who at the stake of their lives and in disguise want to save the historical treasure of the country i.e. the paintings, scripts, Rang Mahal, valuables of Mughals and antics. Whereas on the other hand there is callous pair of Suman and Arrow who in the lust of pelf are ready to use, sell and make a show of these things. Both the pairs belong to the same era and yet a wide difference in their preference. Couplets in the middle of the prose make it a novel perfect. The minor characters too are finely crafted. Personally the only thing that I can’t decide is what I liked the most. The present time or the diary of Daniel because whenever the story jumped from Daniel’s diary to the present time I got irritated and when from present it went to the diary I got irritated again (well take it as a compliment). Ms. Chauhan I would be desperately waiting for your upcoming work and I swear then I won’t keep it in without reading. Keep writing and keep spreading a moral message as done here.