The Mughal high noon by Srinivas Rao Adige

"The Mughal high noon", a debut novel, by Srinivas Rao Adige. This book is published by Rupa Publications in 2016 and has 183 pages.

Mughal emperor Shahajahan is sick. Hakims can't cure him. Jahanara suggests to take help of a Vaid, a Hindu, a taboo. To do or not to do. Four princes vie for the succession. 

What should Dara, the heir apparent do? How would his brothers Shuja, Murad and Aurangzeb react? How will the power politics play? What are the plans of wily Aurangzeb?

The book traces the events from Shahjahan's illness to his recovery, rebellion by his sons, fighting and alliances between them, the power struggle, wars and finally ascent of Aurangzeb. 

Author has narrated a good story, but it appears a bit imbalanced. He has spent a lot of page space to tell the story of Shuja and Murad that could have been curtailed. Story of Shuja starts in a great detail but then it is suddenly abandoned and we come to know, of what happened with Shuja, only as a news. Considering that this is not a big book, it leaves less page space for Aurangzeb, the main character as the title suggests. 

The story tells what Aurangzeb did but does not tell us what he was made up of. Auranzeb's personality traits are not elaborated. The story ends before his crowning. Some more focus on Aurangzeb, the person, would have done a lot of good to the story. How was he able to garner support and loyalty despite not being viceroy of a rich viceroyalty. 

In the epilogue, Aurangzeb is shown in the mood of repentance on his death bed. Did he really repent?

Author is an IAS officer. It is a new emerging trend, in Indian fiction literature, where IAS and IFS officers with their rich experience turn into authors and mostly good ones. This author has also demonstrated a lot of potential in this debut novel. 

Recommend reading.