Amita Kanekar’s brilliant second novel is based on a little-known revolt of the late 1600s. The Satnami Revolt drew its name from the community involved; farmers, artisans, traders and others who eschewed caste and religious boundaries and lived as self-reliant groups. The revolt in Narnaul, near Delhi, was triggered by a fight between a foot soldier and a Satnami: it escalated into an armed conflict that dragged Emperor Aurangzeb into the field. With a lot of historical material drawn from records of the Satnami community, Kanekar examines the nature of society in Mughal times. Fear of Lions; Amita Kanekar, Hachette, ₹399.

Source: The Hindu October 12, 2019 10:41 UTC