The Peacock Throne: The Drama of Mogul IndiaEpics of history are rare and The Peacock Throne is one of them. No royal lineage offers such a spectacle of high drama as the Mogul Dynasty of India which created the world`s most famous monument-the Taj Mahal. Not since Greek tradedy has there been so stark a revelation of the excesses of human behavior: incest, fratricide sons revolting continuously against fathers and the madness of uncontrolled aggression. These are the forces animating The Peacock Throne which brings India to both Eastern and Western readers as never before. |
Contents
1 | |
9 | |
20 | |
Intermezzo at Agra | 93 |
A Voice from the Womb | 106 |
The Smell of Apples | 116 |
Martial Airs | 131 |
9 | 144 |
Pursuit in the Punjab | 280 |
Enigma in Arakan | 303 |
FALL OF THE HOUSE OF TIMUR | 329 |
24 | 370 |
A La Tour Abolie | 413 |
Two Sisters | 435 |
This Stupendous Caravan of Sin | 467 |
Epilogue | 488 |
10 | 161 |
Paradise on Earth | 178 |
12 | 195 |
An Invasion of Cobras | 210 |
The Crystal Tower | 228 |
The Battle of Samugarh | 244 |
A Game of Finesse | 258 |
A Lovers Farewell | 270 |
Acknowledgments | 495 |
67 | 501 |
93 | 517 |
116 | 524 |
160 | 548 |
244 | 554 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Agra Akbar already army arrived Aurangzeb battle became become began Begum Bengal Bernier brother camp cited command court crown Dara Shikoh Dara's daughter dead death Deccan Delhi died effect elephant emperor Empire enemy English entered entire European face father final followed forces fort four further gold hand harem head Hindu horse hundred imperial India Jahanara Jahangir Jai Singh Jumla Khan King Lahore later less letter lived Manucci matter miles military Mogul Mohammed months Moslem moved Mumtaz Mahal Murad mystic never night nobles offered officers once Persian present prince prisoner province rajah Rajput reached rebel received remained river royal Sarmad seemed sent Shah Jahan Shuja soldiers sons soon Sulaiman Sultan Taj Mahal taken thousand tion took troops turned women write young
Popular passages
Page 412 - There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet.
Page 85 - Jahangir, by general consent Shah Jahan was proclaimed at Lahore, and the khutba was read in his name. Dawar Bakhsh, whom the supporters of Shah Jahan had deemed it advisable to set up in order to...
Page 542 - A Sketch of the History of Hindustan. From the First Muslim Conquest to the Fall of the Mughol Empire. By HG Keene, CIE, MRAS, Author of " The, Turks in India,
Page 108 - Life was offered for a loaf,* but none would buy ; rank was to be sold for a cake, but none cared for it; the ever-bounteous hand was now stretched out to beg for food ; and the feet which had always trodden the way of contentment walked about only in search of sustenance.
Page 154 - Through these perverted opinions he had given up the prayers, fasting, and other obligations imposed by the law. ... It became manifest that if Dara Shukoh obtained the throne and established his power, the foundations of the faith would be in danger and the precepts of Islam would be changed for the rant of infidelity and Judaism.
Page 154 - He was constantly in the society of Brahmans, Jogis and Sannyasis, and he used to regard these worthless teachers of delusions as learned and true masters of wisdom.