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  • Daughters of the Sun

  • Empresses, Queens and Begums of the Mughal Empire
  • Written by: Ira Mukhoty
  • Narrated by: Shernaz Patel
  • Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (190 ratings)

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Daughters of the Sun

Written by: Ira Mukhoty
Narrated by: Shernaz Patel
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Publisher's Summary

In 1526, when the nomadic Timurid warrior-scholar Babur rode into Hindustan, his wives, sisters, daughters, aunts and distant female relatives travelled with him. These women would help establish a dynasty and empire that would rule India for the next 200 years and become a byword for opulence and grandeur. 

By the second half of the 17th century, the Mughal empire was one of the largest and richest in the world. The Mughal women - unmarried daughters, eccentric sisters, fiery milk mothers and powerful wives - often worked behind the scenes and from within the zenana, but there were some notable exceptions among them who rode into battle with their men, built stunning monuments, engaged in diplomacy, traded with foreigners and minted coins in their own names. Others wrote biographies and patronised the arts. 

In Daughters of the Sun, we meet remarkable characters like Khanzada Begum who, at 65, rode on horseback through 750 kilometres of icy passes and unforgiving terrain to parley on behalf of her nephew, Humayun; Gulbadan Begum, who gave us the only document written by a woman of the Mughal royal court, a rare glimpse into the harem, as well as a chronicle of the trials and tribulations of three emperors - Babur, Humayun and Akbar, her father, brother and nephew; Akbar’s milk mothers or foster mothers, Jiji Anaga and Maham Anaga, who shielded and guided the 13-year-old emperor until he came of age; Noor Jahan, ‘Light of the World’, a widow and mother who would become Jahangir’s last and favourite wife, acquiring an imperial legacy of her own; and the fabulously wealthy Begum Sahib (Princess of Princesses) Jahanara, Shah Jahan’s favourite child, owner of the most lucrative port in medieval India and patron of one of its finest cities, Shahjahanabad. The very first attempt to chronicle the women who played a vital role in building the Mughal empire, Daughters of the Sun is an illuminating and gripping history of a little known aspect of the most magnificent dynasty the world has ever known.

©2018 Ira Mukhoty (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Daughters of the Sun

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

About the forgotten daughters of the Mughal Empire

As someone whose knowledge about the women of the Mughal Empire was limited to Noor Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, this book has been such an eye opener. Pick it up if you have a love for history and would love to read about how women's contribution has been deeply buried in all of our history lessons.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A journey to India’s beautiful past

Nicely narrated and creates an imagery of the time and space. The fables and foibles of the past are also greatly educational and of entertainment.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A beautiful pice of history.

A well written and researched book by Ira Mukhoty. The narration was also good. While buying it, i was not so sure if this will give me a sneak peek into Mughal Empire the way i want but man was i wrong or what!! This book has beautifully shown us the magnificent Mughal Empire from the eyes of very strong, intelligent, powerful Mughal women which you can find mentioned in the normal historic books glorifying the kings and rulers only.
This book answered everything from how and why did the Mughal come to India to their ultimate inevitable fall. The family betrayals and politics behind the drapes of Mughal Zenanas and Haramans. I never knew how independent, rich and powerful the Mughal women were and how they were responsible for creation of various architectural wonders of the Mughal Era.
Its a well articulated piece of writing and would recommend to go for it if you are interested in history from a different point of view.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Astounding and thorough.

Thank you, Ira M ,Shernaz P and Audible. Loved the subject also the reading.

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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliantly written and wonderfully narrated

History is not just about battles and conquests. It’s also about arts, fashions, etiquette, customs, music and poetry of a bygone era. This book is a scintillating reminder.

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  • YN
  • 17-06-19

Fantastic book with a splendid performance.

This book is very well thought out and detailed. The journey it takes one on is further accentuated by a wonderful performance. A must read for any person interested to know about the Mughals.

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Quite impressively written

The extraordinary journey of the great mughals we well be knowing but behind is left the stories of their women. Mugal harem contained women of great repute and respect. Educated, skilled and soft in their conduct. Besides some of them were knowledgeable in conducting the court practises and ruling the empire as well. This book has given quite a close look into their lives and stories. It contains tales of love and loss and smell of India of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

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Never to be missed

Top class , excellent research and Narration. I am going to buy a hard copy .. This is a keeper

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loved it very well written and well Narrated voice is very clear and understandable wov

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A must read to know about real Indian history

loved it completely ! the narration was awesome and the content was truly enlightening. very different from the history written by British.

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