No this is not the movie review. This is a book review that
the movie is probably based on (I am hoping so at least). However, my
motivation behind buying and finishing this book has definitely rooted from the
buzz created by the latest Bhansali epic drama which is releasing today. A beautiful, warrior princess madly in love
with Maratha Peshwa Bajirao I or more popularly known as the Black Prince. Mastani
earned my deepest admiration in no time. And before I knew it, I was googling
madly, hoping to find and gather the complete history of perhaps one of the
most remarkable woman of Indian history who has been sent into the oblivion
quite deliberately.
Mastani by Kusum Choppra is probably the only available book
that throws some light on the tragic tale of the Bundella Princess and Peshwa. Kusum
Choppra has been researching about the history and legends about Bajirao and
Mastani for past two decades and this book is a fruit of that extensive effort.
The book is not a boring history non-fiction though. The author rather took the
route of imagination in order to fashion a riveting saga of love, jealousy,
politics and betrayal. But do not mistake the events as fictional. Indeed there
was a beautiful, brave, warrior princess from Bundelkhand (MadhyaPradesh) who
married Peshwa Bajirao I and their love story ended tragically owing to petty
jealousy and nearsightedness of the Peshwa household that also had a great
impact on Indian political scenario for the next centuries. In fact, if the
stupid Peshwa family had not been so intimidated by Mastani and not so hell
bent on the separation of Mastani and Peshwa, India would have been a differently
structured country; both from political and religious aspects.
Ms. Choppra nullified several myths and misconception in her
book which had been deliberately spread by the Peshwa family and the uptight
school of Brahmin historians only in a desperate attempt to deny this remarkable
woman’s impact on the life of Peshwa Bajirao I. Even Wikipedia provides
painfully wrong and misguiding information about Mastani. Well, Wikipedia is
infamous for its horrendous incorrectness anyway, so I am not giving it much
importance.
Mastani Kunwarsa was the daughter of Maharaja Chhatrasal of
Bundelkhand; the daughter of his lawfully wedded wife who came from a Muslim
royal family. She was very much of a Hindu woman who practiced Pranami faith. Pranami
was a popular religious sect of that time that combined Hindu and Muslim
faiths. Reader, we are talking about a India long time before our preacher of
non-violence, father of the nation came into existence. India was a truly
secular nation then, except the orthodox Brahmin sect. But when did Brahmin do
anything useful for the society anyway except causing mayhem for their limited
personal gain? Mastani was married off to Peshwa Bajirao I at the age of
fourteen as an act of truce between the Bundela and the Maratha. Mind you
reader, Mastani was NOT a dancing girl who was the mistress of Peshwa. She was
the lawfully wedded wife and a princess. In fact the prosperity of the Peshwa
family that took place after the wedding was due to the constant flow of wealth
from Bundelkhand to Pune.
Bajirao’s first wife Kashibai was an incredibly stupid woman
who was intimidated by the beauty and the intelligence of Mastani. Not only was
she responsible for the untimely death of Rao and his Mastani, the Peshwa clan would
be heading for the inevitable fall within the next century due to her
stupidity. And history took sweet revenge when fruits came out of Kashibai’s jealous
stricken, poisonous womb dragged the glorious Peshwa name into mud.
Mastani was the true companion of Bajirao who never knew
what love was until he met his Mastani. It says that, Rao was a Brahmin by
Dharma and a Kshatriya by Karma. He lived his life in the battlefield. Mastani brought
solace and peace into his turbulent, lonely life. Mastani was not only his
partner in bed, but she was his great advisor and the most loyal companion to
the battlefield also. They were soul mates. But the Maratha society and Rao’s
own family never let them live in peace. They condemned him for marrying a ‘Musalmani’.
Although, Mastani was very much of a Hindu by birth. They spread filthy gossips
in order to belittle Mastani which did not stop even after her death.
Bajirao and Mastani died in 1740 when the Peshwa was about
forty years of age and Mastani twenty five. (Wiki says Mastani was one year older than
Rau! Talk about sacrilege.) Mastani was pregnant when she died (read 'was deliberately
driven to death'). After the demise of Mastani and Rao, Gopikabai, daughter in law
of Rao from his first marriage, took Mastani’s only child Krishnasinh aka Shamsher Bahadur under her
protection. Renaming Krishnasinh as Shamsher Bahadur was another despicable strategy of Rao's mother Radhabai and wife Kashibai to deprive him of his Chitpavan Peshwa heritage. Legend says, Krishnasinh was a spitting image of his father and way more efficient a warrior and a human being than Kashibai's incompetent sons. Some says, Kashibai raised him after his parents' death. But that is
not true. Kashibai despised Mastani and anything related to her. She wanted to
abandon and deprive the child. But Gopikabai, wife of Rao’s son Nanasahib did
not let that happen. Gopikabai was a student of Mastani and later she showed
great strength of character that only resembled of Mastani.
The book starts with the battle between Maharaja Chhatrasal and Banghash Khan where the Maharaja would have to seek help from Peshwa Bajirao I later. This would end with the marriage between Mastani and Rau. The book ends with the death of a broken hearted, sick Rau suffering from withdrawal symptoms - a situation deliberately created by Rao's evil mother Radhabai and a sexually frustrated, more evil brother Chimaji Appa and Rao's stupid, evil first wife Kashibai. Soon after Rao's death, Mastani took her last breath and left to join Rao in another world. A love story that remained unfinished. Mastani was with her second child that time.
275 years later, the great love saga of the forgotten
Princess and her Black Prince is being relived on the celluloid. I sincerely
hope Bhansali did not twist the history in his movie. That would be a great impertinence
to the memory of Mastani. And she has already faced a great deal of humiliation
during her lifetime as well as posthumously.
Thank You
ReplyDeleteMy utmost pleasure, ma'am. :)
Delete