The Princes By Manohar Malgonkar

Praise for The Princes

 ‘In this fast-paced account, Malgonkar traverses an India that was, a fascinating world of princely states — from their aura of power, tiger hunts, champagne and pearls to their integration into the modern republic. Legitimacy and illegitimacy, fidelity and infidelity, bravery and cowardice go hand in hand—whether of the ruler or the ruled—in this unputdownable novel.’ —Rana Safvi, author 

‘Neither an elegy for nor an indictment of the eponymous princes, Malgonkar draws from his own life to create a memorable portrait of the past, in this cleverly paced and finely wrought masterpiece.’ —Devapriya Roy, author

 ‘Manohar Malgonkar writes detachment and wit … The character of the father is vividly and boldly drawn; that of the son subtly and attractively matures; the social and political history is blended into the novel with considerable skill. And the measured, stately prose of old England proves itself to be still a wonderfully serviceable instrument.’ —The Times Literary Supplement, London

 ‘Abiding interest … The Princes is a wonderfully decent and informative story.’ —The Sunday Times

 ‘A brilliant picture of a vanishing, if not vanished, scene, the world of the small princely states of India … Manohar Malgonkar writes wittily and dispassionately.’ —British Book News

 ‘A brilliantly realised novel about India as seen through Indian eyes.’ —The Western Mail

About the Book
India, 1938. The life of Abhayraj, the heir of Maharaj Hiroji, the ruler of the princely state of Begwad, is not unlike that of many young princes caught between two worlds–indeed, two eras. On the one hand are the traditions of the feudal, close-knit community ruled by his father that he is bound to follow, and on the other the pressures of independence as British dominion over begins to wane.

Seeking a path of his own, Abhay joins the Indian army and fights in the Burma campaign during World War II. On his return, however, he enters into a conventional marriage, and after his father’s dramatic death becomes the Maharaja, to rule for just forty-nine days before he is compelled to merge his state with free India in 1948. 

Hailed as an unusual historical saga at the time of its release, The Princes was first published in New York in 1963 and was selected by the Literary Guild of America as a novel of the month that year. Available now in a beautiful new edition, it offers an enthralling, intimate glimpse into life in India’s princely states through the story of a royal family caught in a struggle for survival, in a nation embracing democracy for the very first time.

Poulomi Chatterjee, Publisher at HarperCollins Publishers India, says ‘Manohar Malgonkar was an absolute legend – a versatile, inventive master-storyteller, who used his craft brilliantly to bring to life historical periods, events and personalities. HarperCollins is delighted to be bringing back his work in sparkling new editions for generations of new readers to rediscover him.’

Ridhima Kumar, Commissioning Editor at HarperCollins Publishers India, says, ‘It’s hard to believe that an entire generation never got a chance to read essential classics by Manohar Malgonkar. I We feel so thrilled to be making these books available for everyone to read again. These must-read classics have never looked so good before!’

About the Author

Manohar Malgonkar (1913-2010) was an eminent post-Independence writer whom R.K. Narayan once referred to as his ‘favourite Indian novelist in English’. He was hailed as ‘one of India’s most exuberant storytellers’ in an article published by The New York Times in 1965. Born near Belgaum, Malgonkar was the grandson of the prime minister of a former princely state of Dewas. He served in the army during World War II, was a big-game hunter, a farmer, a mine owner and an adventurer. Later, he started working as a journalist and thereafter took to book writing. His works are as diverse as his personal life and have a blend of history, romance and military life. Some of his major works include A Bend in the Ganges, The Devil’s Wind: Nana Saheb’s Story and The Sea Hawk: Life and Battles of Kanhoji Angrey.