My Mastani take vindicated


Finally the truth of Mastani is coming out, thanks to painstaking research which took more than two decades of scratching patiently for the tiniest of clues. yes, it took me more than two decades to get behind the actual story of Baji Rao and Mastani's lives and deaths, wiping away the falsehoods that had been attached to both of them - in their persona and the deaths. it has given me tremendous satisfaction to see this speaking tree clip that affirms the truth, rather than perpetuating false myths.

Sept 9, 2015, www.speakingtree.in carried a video story of Peshwa Bajirao I in which 6 of the 12 clips reaffirmed my blasting of the myths surrounding Bajirao and Mastani, including their lives and deaths --quoting from my book Mastani a Rupa publication of 2012.

Hard on the heels of that came endorsements from Manjula Tekal, a US based scholar of maratha history and Dr. Usha Ram a Pune based scholar

 "An able warrior and administrator, Mastani was done great disservice by being
edited out of the legitimate Maratha history, to be relegated to a ‘muslim dancing
girl status’ who won consistent mention.
“Mastani” is a revelation of the facts regarding the real Mastani...
As often happens with historical events and facts, Mastani’s life & times were
veiled by political writers for political purposes.
Ms Choppra rent the veil, delving into several undeclared records to reach the
truth about Baji Rao's Mastani...
In Maharashtra, 'Mastani” is talked about, popularly, for her beauty which  was,
perhaps  on account of her fair skin than beauty in features and looks!
Her role in her husband's life , in his administration had been ignored.
My perception of her is that she must have been a good administrator,
assisting him as long as long as was possible.....
Records may need to be re-evaluated and substantiated to reveal
'Mastani’: the Lady behind Peshwa Bajirao I: a strong, able, determined

administrator than his reported keep…."

Last but not least, a  three page spread titled The Mastani Mystery in various editions of the TOI's Mirror editions in which yours truly was quoted as 'biographer of Mastani' , endorsing the stands I took on the basis of long research and an emotional connect with Mastani and her tragedy.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Deepika Vs Madhuri

The music channels are full of the  “Deewani Mastani” song. It takes one back Madhuri Dixit’s so many kg ghagra kothawali dance in Devdas.  Pet obsession? Chitpavan women would never be caught in public watching such a performance, as Priyanka Chopra is seen, with perhaps the most authentic expressions crossing her face as she looks on at the interplay between Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. Deepika, in   her pale gold avatar in a net outfit reminiscent of flamenco dancers, with many   co-dancers, seems to inhabit the same Madhuri  space.   She dances in a huge ornate space, more European than Peshwai in design.    Peshwai architecture was noted for its long, perhaps narrow halls and tall distinctively fluted and carved wooden columns based on stone to prevent damp and   insect damage --- all topped with intricately carved wood ceilings and all polished black in color.   Noted examples are the Mastani resurrected palace at the world renowned Kelkar Museum in Pune and the
Read more

Age-old Patriarchy??

  All our Puranas n mythologies are basically stories created to propagate concepts that the writers were promoting. and every subsequent re-writer gilded the previous -- the whole system elastic enough to accommodate differences and flavors to cater to different cultures, North, South, E ast, West, etc. So how about Our (2021) interpretations? They said Parvati created Ganesh from her own body.  Doesn't every woman fashion babies in her womb; nourished by her intake, the fetus becomes a baby in 9 months. No Immaculate Conception --  perhaps Shivji slipped away from his boisterous pals for a romantic rendezvous.  Voila! Baby boy Hua! Could have happened?? Hai an! Did that make Shivji n Parvati first human parents?   Kya khayal hai? Another conundrum: That solid wall of Patriarchy of ancient times. Was it really so solid? Why was Vidur called Daasi Putra when his father Ved Vyas also fathered Drithrashtra n Pandu too? Why was Krishna called Devaki Nandan? His father was King Vas
Read more

Where do we go? Pitralok Congames?

What is the meaning behind Hindu last rites?   Mental rifling and Google Baba on death show     our ancient Vedas have lyrical hymns to Man’s relationship with Nature, plus ways and means of dealing with it,   that were unfortunately overpowered   by   Brahminical platitudes and money-making practices, but the essence has   survived. The soul/Atman is immortal. It is released at the Antyeshti rituals that return the body to the five elements, air, water, fire, earth and space…denoted in the Rigveda, section 10.16: “Burn him not up, nor quite consume him, Agni: let not his body or his skin be scattered, O all possessing Fire, when thou hast matured him, then send him on his way unto the Fathers.When thou hast made him ready, all possessing Fire, then do thou give him over to the Fathers,   When he attains unto the life that waits him, he shall become subject to the will of gods. The Sun receive thine eye, the Wind thy Prana (life-principle); go, as thy merit is, to earth or heaven
Read more