Is Padmavati a real story? This is a question that I have heard a lot after the controversial movie 'Padmavat' hit the limelight a few years ago. It didn't really catch my attention then. But when I picked up Sutapa Basu's book, I found myself enthralled by her well-written, fictional account of 'Padmavati'. [READ: What is Tantra?] Who was this beautiful Princess who became the legendary Queen of Chittoor? What was Padmavati like in the days when she was newly married and came to her husband's royal household? The more I delved into Sutapa's novel, I felt drawn in by her style of writing, where she deftly blends in a hint of suspense as well through the gaze of another character in conversation with a curious and slightly impatient journalist. As the story moves further, I found myself admiring Princess Padmavati. Her intelligence, courage and conviction make her a legendary personality though I recall nothing about her in my history textbooks, just t...
A Journey To The Inner Self | Reflections on Culture, Spirituality and Bhakti