Akhtarnama by Shamim Ahmed [Hardcover]

"The life of Wajid Ali Shah, the last king of India, is as colorful as the hero of an epic. He did not just spend his days in pleasure and merriment with 377 wives; he was also highly skilled in state administration. The cunning English deprived this generous and secular ruler of Oudh of his crown. The peace-loving Wajid Ali Shah chose the area of Metiabruz in Kolkata as his place of exile. There, he established his beloved 'Chhota Lucknow.' He wrote numerous masnavi, ghazals, marsiya, and thumri. He composed music for songs. The king, an expert in Kathak dance, wrote the history of classical music, created a calendar, and built numerous buildings, zoos, moats, printing presses, markets, and imambaras. One storm after another hit his personal life. King Wajid Ali remained steadfast even in captivity. His illustrious life significantly influenced the Bengali life of the nineteenth century. Based on the epic life of Wajid Ali, young novelist Shamim Ahmed has written a vast novel of approximately one and a half lakh words. He is already a well-known name to readers through his novel 'Bishadbindu,' centered on the life of Yazid."