Author: Sudipta Sen Gupta
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Have you heard of the famous diamonds from Golconda?
This is the story of the world’s largest diamond—Aasma-i-Noor (sky of
light). This rare red jewel of incomparable beauty surpassed its sister
stones—Koh-i-Noor (mountain of light) and Darya-i-Noor (sea of light)—all mined
from the same womb of the Kollur mine in Golconda. This was a diamond with a
far more violent history than her sisters. The modern-day search for the lost
jewel begins in two different corners of the world, involving a British
research scholar in London and an Indian historian in Calcutta. The British
scholar finds mention of the Aasma-i-Noor in the documents left behind by Sir
Robert Clive. The historian from India is the descendant of a Raja, who was
Clive’s friend and confidante. The Battle of Plassey in 1757, the downfall of
Nawab Siraj-ud Daulah, the death of Clive and the treachery of Mir Jafar, all
combine to create a maze of cryptic clues and devilish dead ends for the
unlikely partners.
I picked up this book because the premise really intrigued me and the
idea of a sister jewel of the Koh-i-Noor and the Darya-i-Noor is something that
made for a wonderful story. Sudipta creates an interesting narrative that brings
together the story of the diamond, the curse it wields and its connection to
the time when the British were finding their feet in India. The storytelling is
interesting and the parallel storylines make for an engaging read as you
explore the story of the diamond as it journeys through different hands. The
first half of the book is quite pacy and the events take place at a rapid pace
and at different points in time as Sudipta sets the plot of the story by
telling us the origins of the diamond, as well as the origins of the intentions
of the people who want it. The second half of the book deals mostly with the
aftermath and the chase which for me was a bit mixed. The story jumps between
the past and the present as we explore the journey of the diamond, the events
of the time, and the current search for the lost treasure. The plot is kept
simple in the first half, but the second half becomes a bit complex as the
focus of the storytelling moves from being plot focused to being focused on the
characters. The climax has been crafted in an interesting manner and I liked
the way it was presented and executed. The thing I loved about the book was the
detailed history and focus on the reference of historical events and
personalities in the book. The attention to detail was quite interesting to
read and it added an aspect of authenticity to the story.
Another aspect of the book that is quite interesting is that it also
explores some important historical events that highlight places and people that
might not be popular, but are an integral part of our history. On a personal
note, I would have loved if a map had been a part of the book to point the
places of interest in the book which would have elevated the overall reading
experience.
Coming to the characters, I liked Sudipta’s style of creating characters
that mimic real life, and that none of them are either black or white. As you
read through the story, you start realizing that the characters are quite
dynamic and their actions cannot be predicted too far into the future. Using historical
characters to fit into the story is not an easy task but Sudipta manages to do
that with ease, and the layering of certain characters had me floored. Another
aspect I loved was that the diamond itself acts like a character and is an
integral part of the entire narrative.
Overall, a wonderful story that takes inspiration from the tales of yore
and weaves a tale of treachery, curses and family that spans across centuries.
The book scores a 4.69/5 for me.
Get a copy of the book at your nearest bookstore or on Amazon India.
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