SHE – The Forgotten Epoch by Dr Santosh Singh

Title: SHE – The Forgotten Epoch

Author: Dr Santosh Singh

Publisher: Leadstart publishing

Genre: Historical fiction

First Publication: 2022

Language: English

Book Summary: SHE – The Forgotten Epoch by Dr Santosh Singh

An emotional roller-coaster set against the backdrop of 11th century India – little mentioned in the books.

This is the tale of the charming and gentle Udaymati, trusting and elegant queen of Anuhilwara, who was proud of her family and country. Prudent in her thoughts and decisions, she yearned for a genteel way of life, which unfortunately eluded her.

Udaymati is caught in the vortex of turbulent life, when King Bhimdev, who promised her enduring love and a lifetime of happiness, turns back on his promise. This was a turning point in her life, when she realises, deception brings with it nothing but anguish.

When a ruthless invader from a foreign land across the border goes on a looting spree, and her country is plunged into untold miseries following the invasion, Udaymati rises above her personal conflicts, and together with Bhimdev and Vimal Shah, focuses on the safety of the people, and the safe-keeping of the royal treasure and the cache of the Somnath.

Udaymati resolutely believes that every defeat can be turned into a victory and every lost war can lay the foundation of a whopping resurgence in the future… What remains to be seen in this tale is, whether the same is applicable in the case of her personal life.

The story vividly describes a time when attitudes to life, society, religion and politics, in general, were in many ways, different from the ones which are prevalent today; yet, the fact is that they are very much relevant even today. It is an aperture that focuses on a fascinating world.

Book Review: SHE – The Forgotten Epoch by Dr Santosh Singh

After telling a tale of the stunningly beautiful and noble Fateh Kanwar, the princess of Bikaner, in Zenani Deordhi, Dr Santosh Singh brings another powerful and fierce queen. Many of us know the story of Udaymati, the beautiful and famed queen who built ‘Rani Ki Vav‘, a stepwell situated in the town of Patan in Gujarat. But how many know what made her the great queen of her time? “SHE – The Forgotten Epoch” by Dr Santosh Singh tells a story about the kind and soft-hearted Udaymati, the brave and elegant queen of Anuhilwara. Sensible in her thoughts and actions, the queen’s ambition was to lead a genteel life, which she unfortunately wasn’t able to achieve. Having promised her enduring love and a lifetime of bliss, King Bhimdev breaks his promise to Udaymati, sending her spiralling into a turbulent life. At this pivotal point in her life, she came to realise that deception brings with it nothing but pain and anguish.

When a ruthless invader from a foreign land crosses the border and her country suffers unimaginable misery as a result, Udaymati rises above her personal conflicts and works together with Bhimdev and Vimal Shah to protect her people and the treasures of the Somnath. Udaymati is at the heart of all these events, and her fate changes with the fulfilment of her ambitions alternating with tragedy. The author conceives of her as an ambitious woman striving to have a role in this male-dominated world by using all her means, her intense personality, her ability. Queen Udaymati is many things: a courageous woman and a loyal wife; she is ambitious and deadly; she is strong and ruthless.

It is apparent in this tale that Udaymati strongly believes in the notion that every defeat can become a victory and every war lost can be a stepping stone to a massive resurrection in the future. But her biggest strength is her endurance and stubbornness, because no matter how conflicted her personal life was, she still lived a fulfilled life and learned from her experiences. Dr. Santosh Singh managed to describe the inner world, the emotions, and the long-suffering fate of Udaymati. Through her writing and her deep knowledge of history, the author brings the political principles, values, and religion of the 11th century to life.

Dr. Santosh Singh is a master at getting into the minds of historical figures; she takes the events and narrates them from the perspective of how the said character may have perceived them. She knows her material inside and out, and on top of that, she has an ear for dialogue pacing and an eye for detail. And she deftly mixes the known with the unknown in such a way that makes it easy to believe. It is such an enthralling story, a blend of historical fiction, harsh realities, the beauty of nature, and the redemptive qualities of love. But the real genius of the book is in accurately depicting the mindset of the early 11th century with regard to women. It helps that she wrote about such a tumultuous and dramatic time in Indian history—ripe for literary exploration. With the way she approaches her subjects and writes, I think Dr. Santosh Singh could make almost any period in history sound interesting.

Overall, “SHE – The Forgotten Epoch” by Dr Santosh Singh was satisfying in its portrayal of the queen Udaymati, and her trials and tribulations. It was a memorable, engaging read. It’s a book about the power of a woman and the importance of her activities in the background of the great events of that time. I completely recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and anyone interested in reading a riveting story about a strong woman. I look forward to the next book by Dr. Santosh Singh.