Hyderabad

Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII, is the Nizam of Hyderabad, the largest Princely State of the Crown. It sits in the belly of newly independent India to which Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel want Hyderabad to accede. The Communists have concurrently

mounted a state-wide rebellion.

But the Nizam’s family has ruled Hyderabad for 200 years. As the wealthiest man in the world, whom the British consider numero uno amongst India’s princes, he will not deal with two-penny Indian politicians! An ancient prophecy, however, hangs over the Nizam –

the Asaf Jahi dynasty will last only seven generations. So, he keeps his jewel-laden trucks ready for flight even as he schemes with his army of militant Razakars.

Meanwhile, in the palace thick with intrigue, the maid Uzma must decide where her loyalties lie: with the peasantry or the Nizam. Among the Communist recruits, Jaabili finds love in unexpected quarters. Violence escalates and lawlessness mounts. Caught between a volatile Nizam and a resolute India, what price will Hyderabad pay?

Advance Praise for Hyderabad: Book 2 of The Partition Trilogy

‘Hyderabad! A liberation? A tragedy? The result of the Ironman’s will and Nehru’s vision to build a nation? The daydreams of a Nizam? The diplomatic strategies of Nehru and Dickie? Dreams of a Communist revolution? The common people’s struggles and sacrifices for land and a fistful of grain? But everything finally ends with a never-ending, silent violence on women’s bodies in the formation of a state. This is well-researched history woven as a thrilling novel by a terrific novelist, Manreet Sodhi Someshwar.’ – Volga, author of Vimukta Kadha Samputi

Praise for Lahore: Book 1 of The Partition Trilogy

‘Breathtaking in scope, painful yet gentle to the touch.’ – Taslima Nasreen

‘Vivid and atmospheric.’ – Aanchal Malhotra

‘Current, relevant and important.’ – Sabyn Javeri

‘Deftly weaves the big strands of history with the finer threads of human feeling.’ – Manu S. Pillai

‘Clearly a passion project … brilliantly traces our collective heritage.’ – The Deccan Herald

‘Does not let the subaltern disappear into the shadow of the giants…’ – Scroll.in

‘Deft writing … Lahore is a timely reminder of what hatred among brothers can do … Gripping and laced with pulsating emotions, it is a book worth reading.’ – The Hindu BusinessLine

‘Unputdownable’ – The Week