Interview with Tanushree Podder, author of Escape From Harem
– a Mughal saga of romance, revenge and retribution.
– a Mughal saga of romance, revenge and retribution.
Tanushree Podder considers travelling and writing as her twin passions.
Her latest book, Escape From Harem, goes into the Mughal zenana and examines the lives of its women inhabitants.
Her latest book, Escape From Harem, goes into the Mughal zenana and examines the lives of its women inhabitants.
Many historical novels are based on kings, queens, wealthy or influential people of the times. Why did you choose to cast Zeenat, a kaneez (or servant girl) as your protagonist?
I don’t like to travel trodden paths so I deliberately chose to reflect the historical events through the eyes of Zeenat, a kaneez in the harem. It also provided me the scope to add the elements of drama, without which the novel would have been just another historical fiction. The daring escape of Bahar, Jahangir’s concubine, along with her kaneez has the ability to stir the imagination as much as the historical events of the time. I have sketched the protagonist’s life from age 15 to almost the age of 60, which gave me ample scope to document a vast series of events. Also it provided me the opportunity to mirror the Mughal harem right from a teenager’s rose tinted glass to an astute mature woman’s perception.
Escape From Harem presents the brutality and subterfuge behind the wealth and glamour of the Mughal court. Was it hard balancing the writing about an era and the lives of ordinary men and women, the human stories?
The Mughal courts as in any other court had their share of palace intrigue, subterfuge and machinations behind the glossy façade of a hedonistic lifestyle. Sometimes, it requires a vivid imagination to write about an era which one has not seen through one’s eyes. Yet, neither human emotions nor nature changes with the changing times. The basic elements of human traits remain unchanged. The gamut of relationships, avarice and romance still remains the same. To be honest, it is a challenging task to write historical fiction since extensive research cannot be avoided.
What sources did you consult while writing the novel? How did you choose the bits of history to leave in and out?
I did extensive research in various libraries, reading and copying vast material from the books written on the subject. The process began with my first book – Nur Jahan’s Daughter. While I was compiling notes for that book, I came across a lot of information about the Mughal harem. I was mystified by the life of the inmates, their dreams, joys and sorrows. I decided that the protagonist of the next book would be a woman who escapes the harem and lives to tell the tale. The exhaustive research I had done for the first book helped me flesh out the details. Since I had already decided to stick to a timeline that began with Jahangir’s regime and ended with Shahjahan’s reign, it was easier for me to formulate a storyline. Most of the important events in that timeline have been included in the book.
Escape from Harem is said to be a preview of the Mughal way of life and culture; what did you find most intriguing about the Mughal era?
Undoubtedly, the life of women in the Mughal harem was of immense interest to me. There is a lot of mystery and intrigue connected with a harem in the minds of most people; the idea of unravelling the mystery excited me. There was much that went on within the confines of a harem yet the aspirations, emotions and dreams of its inmates were not very different from those of the modern women.
One book that you would love to have written?
I would have loved to have written Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind. The character of Scarlett O’Hara is one of the most fascinating characters ever created. Her trials, tribulations, triumphs and tears take the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride. Long after you have put the book down, you continue to live in the world of its protagonist.
You have written many non-fiction books as well. As a writer, which do you enjoy more – fiction or non-fiction?
As a writer I have evolved over time. It has been a long journey from the world of non-fiction to the world of fiction. One step at a time, I have covered a long distance during which I have experienced joy, frustration and satisfaction. I am an impulsive writer. I write about subjects that make me curious and throw up a challenge or one that makes me feel strongly about. For instance, I wrote Death Of A Dictator – the Story of Saddam Hussein after the US invasion of Iraq because I was so angry about the invasion. Boots Belts Berets, set against the background of the National Defence Academy, was written as a tribute to army officers. To be honest, each book has been a fascinating experience and a joy.
*Photo credit: Tanushree Podder.
Women's Web - 8 June 2013
I don’t like to travel trodden paths so I deliberately chose to reflect the historical events through the eyes of Zeenat, a kaneez in the harem. It also provided me the scope to add the elements of drama, without which the novel would have been just another historical fiction. The daring escape of Bahar, Jahangir’s concubine, along with her kaneez has the ability to stir the imagination as much as the historical events of the time. I have sketched the protagonist’s life from age 15 to almost the age of 60, which gave me ample scope to document a vast series of events. Also it provided me the opportunity to mirror the Mughal harem right from a teenager’s rose tinted glass to an astute mature woman’s perception.
Escape From Harem presents the brutality and subterfuge behind the wealth and glamour of the Mughal court. Was it hard balancing the writing about an era and the lives of ordinary men and women, the human stories?
The Mughal courts as in any other court had their share of palace intrigue, subterfuge and machinations behind the glossy façade of a hedonistic lifestyle. Sometimes, it requires a vivid imagination to write about an era which one has not seen through one’s eyes. Yet, neither human emotions nor nature changes with the changing times. The basic elements of human traits remain unchanged. The gamut of relationships, avarice and romance still remains the same. To be honest, it is a challenging task to write historical fiction since extensive research cannot be avoided.
What sources did you consult while writing the novel? How did you choose the bits of history to leave in and out?
I did extensive research in various libraries, reading and copying vast material from the books written on the subject. The process began with my first book – Nur Jahan’s Daughter. While I was compiling notes for that book, I came across a lot of information about the Mughal harem. I was mystified by the life of the inmates, their dreams, joys and sorrows. I decided that the protagonist of the next book would be a woman who escapes the harem and lives to tell the tale. The exhaustive research I had done for the first book helped me flesh out the details. Since I had already decided to stick to a timeline that began with Jahangir’s regime and ended with Shahjahan’s reign, it was easier for me to formulate a storyline. Most of the important events in that timeline have been included in the book.
Escape from Harem is said to be a preview of the Mughal way of life and culture; what did you find most intriguing about the Mughal era?
Undoubtedly, the life of women in the Mughal harem was of immense interest to me. There is a lot of mystery and intrigue connected with a harem in the minds of most people; the idea of unravelling the mystery excited me. There was much that went on within the confines of a harem yet the aspirations, emotions and dreams of its inmates were not very different from those of the modern women.
One book that you would love to have written?
I would have loved to have written Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind. The character of Scarlett O’Hara is one of the most fascinating characters ever created. Her trials, tribulations, triumphs and tears take the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride. Long after you have put the book down, you continue to live in the world of its protagonist.
You have written many non-fiction books as well. As a writer, which do you enjoy more – fiction or non-fiction?
As a writer I have evolved over time. It has been a long journey from the world of non-fiction to the world of fiction. One step at a time, I have covered a long distance during which I have experienced joy, frustration and satisfaction. I am an impulsive writer. I write about subjects that make me curious and throw up a challenge or one that makes me feel strongly about. For instance, I wrote Death Of A Dictator – the Story of Saddam Hussein after the US invasion of Iraq because I was so angry about the invasion. Boots Belts Berets, set against the background of the National Defence Academy, was written as a tribute to army officers. To be honest, each book has been a fascinating experience and a joy.
*Photo credit: Tanushree Podder.
Women's Web - 8 June 2013
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THE HINDU - DECEMBER 4, 2013
Gypsy queen
PREETI ZACHARIAH

Tanushree Podder writes about things that make her curious and throw up a challenge Harem. The word evokes pictures of beautiful, silk clad women with long dark hair and troubled eyes idling their day away, waiting for the summons of their lord and master. Writer Tanushree Podder became fascinated by the dynamics of this female-dominated universe while researching for her first historical novel,Nurjahan’s Daughter, “I was compiling notes about the Mughal harem and was mystified by the life of the inmates, their dreams, joys and sorrows, I decided that the protagonist of the next book would be a woman who escapes the harem and lives to tell the tale. The exhaustive research I had done for the first book helped me flesh out the details,” she says over email, talking about her second book Escape From Harem-the story of Zeenat, a young girl brought to assuage Emperor Jehangir’s frustration over his rejection by Meherunnisa.
Both the books recreate the splendour and romance of the Mughal dynasty. Talking about her fascination for the Mughals, “We had a three-year tenure at Agra and while going around the Fort, Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri and other Mughal structures, I developed an interest in the Mughals. I did some research into their lifestyle and culture and decided to write a book with Jahangir’s period as a background.”
Surprisingly, Tanushree has not formal trainings in History. “I am a science graduate with a management degree. Although I didn’t study history as a subject, I developed a keen interest in the subject later in my life.”
However, she admits that she loves travelling and attributes that to her burgeoning interest in history.
“I am sure I have some gypsy genes in me. My father had a transferable job so I travelled all through my childhood and loved living in the different cities and states of India. Having married an Army officer, it was natural that I travelled to the most distant parts of the country. We have been posted to places, which are not easily found on the maps of the country. Honestly, even my parents had not heard of places like Hathigor and Tangla till I travelled to them,” she says, adding, “Maybe it has something to do with the amount of travelling I have done. Each time I visited a palace or a fort I would find myself trying to visualise the life within the four walls of the structures. The curiosity kindled an interest in history.” It doesn’t just stop with history, Tanushree has written close to 20 books covering a variety of subjects. “I write about subjects that make me curious and throw up a challenge or one that makes me feel strongly about something.”
A self-confessed bibliomaniac, Tanushree says that she loves reading the work of authors like PG Wodehouse, Ayn Rand, Amitav Ghosh and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni among others. “Atlas Shruggedis an all-time favourite followed by Gone with the Wind and Dr. Zhivago,” she says, adding that she is especially fascinated by the character of Scarlett O’Hara.
Though she loves historical fiction, Tanushree says “it takes more out of you than contemporary fiction. Books with historical background take much longer to write since one can’t afford to go wrong with the dates or sequences. Every aspect has to be carefully researched. “I haunted the libraries of the places I lived in while doing my research.”
On future plans she says, “There are two things I love best in life – travelling and writing - and I hope to continue with the two passions till I can don my boots and key in words on my computer.”
Both the books recreate the splendour and romance of the Mughal dynasty. Talking about her fascination for the Mughals, “We had a three-year tenure at Agra and while going around the Fort, Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri and other Mughal structures, I developed an interest in the Mughals. I did some research into their lifestyle and culture and decided to write a book with Jahangir’s period as a background.”
Surprisingly, Tanushree has not formal trainings in History. “I am a science graduate with a management degree. Although I didn’t study history as a subject, I developed a keen interest in the subject later in my life.”
However, she admits that she loves travelling and attributes that to her burgeoning interest in history.
“I am sure I have some gypsy genes in me. My father had a transferable job so I travelled all through my childhood and loved living in the different cities and states of India. Having married an Army officer, it was natural that I travelled to the most distant parts of the country. We have been posted to places, which are not easily found on the maps of the country. Honestly, even my parents had not heard of places like Hathigor and Tangla till I travelled to them,” she says, adding, “Maybe it has something to do with the amount of travelling I have done. Each time I visited a palace or a fort I would find myself trying to visualise the life within the four walls of the structures. The curiosity kindled an interest in history.” It doesn’t just stop with history, Tanushree has written close to 20 books covering a variety of subjects. “I write about subjects that make me curious and throw up a challenge or one that makes me feel strongly about something.”
A self-confessed bibliomaniac, Tanushree says that she loves reading the work of authors like PG Wodehouse, Ayn Rand, Amitav Ghosh and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni among others. “Atlas Shruggedis an all-time favourite followed by Gone with the Wind and Dr. Zhivago,” she says, adding that she is especially fascinated by the character of Scarlett O’Hara.
Though she loves historical fiction, Tanushree says “it takes more out of you than contemporary fiction. Books with historical background take much longer to write since one can’t afford to go wrong with the dates or sequences. Every aspect has to be carefully researched. “I haunted the libraries of the places I lived in while doing my research.”
On future plans she says, “There are two things I love best in life – travelling and writing - and I hope to continue with the two passions till I can don my boots and key in words on my computer.”
When the bugle calls
DEEPA ALEXANDER
The Hindu, November 16, 2015
Tanushree Podder’s On The Double holds a mirror to the fascinating but tough life of a cadet in the Indian Military Academy At the passing-out parade, when Gentlemen Cadets assemble on the steps of the Khetarpal Auditorium and jubilantly throw their caps in the air, it signifies the end of an exacting but rewarding journey. It is this story, of five young men caught between the rigours of military training and the everyday experiences of growing up, that Tanushree Podder explores in her latest book, On The Double: Drills, Drama, and Dare-Devilry at the Indian Military Academy (Roli Books). The novel, released at the Pune International Literary Festival, follows the heroes of Tanushree’s earlier book, Boots Belts Berets. Both books have their own storyline and can be read independently. Says the Pune-based author, “On The Double begins whereBoots Belts Berets left off and follows the continuing adventures of Pessi, Maachh, Porky, Sandy and Zora, as they navigate life in the Indian Military Academy (IMA). Both books are set in the 70s, when my husband was training at the academy. His reunion — where I saw seasoned soldiers once again live out their carefree cadet days — sealed my decision to write the books. Despite the years, they were still the same — their camaraderie transcended ranks.”
Tanushree, who quit the rigours of a corporate job to indulge her passion for writing, has authored a wide range of books — the intrigues of the Mughal court in Nur Jahan’s Daughter and Escape from Harem, on Saddam Hussein in Death Of A Dictator, the interpretation of dreams in A Mystic World and the key to good health in You Are What You Eat. “I was schooled across India and graduated from Lady Keane College, Shillong. It translated into a love for travel writing. On The Double was an anniversary gift for my husband, and life in the Academy was a story waiting to be told,” she says. The book is set in IMA, Dehradun, a cornerstone of the Indian Army.
ts iconic Chetwode Hall has borne witness to thousands of boys transform into resolute men since 1932 — three from the inaugural course went on to head the armies of India, Pakistan and Burma. In this green-leaved campus at the foot of the Himalayas, five friends make the tough journey to become both officers and gentlemen. From cadets buffing their boots, commanding a parade and crawling through rain-sodden trenches to spending days doing drill without end, falling in love with the lone young lady on campus, raiding a girls’ college orchard and saving the Academy from a terrorist threat, all the while learning lessons in leadership,
Tanushree tells a charming tale of boys on the cusp of manhood, ready to take on a brave new world. “IMA graduates are older, more refined. But they are no different from young men their age elsewhere, dreaming of what life has to offer. My research for the book included compiling the unique lingo that military establishments use and the bittersweet relationships that cadets share with their drill ustad,” says Tanushree, who finds Maachh the most fascinating character in the book. But what the novel does for the reader is that it sets these boys in fatigues, who will meet their destiny in some lonely frontier, in a hallowed space that not many can aspire for. In an age of entitlements, the book also raises a toast to a fine institution that teaches its officers to laugh heartily, fight bravely and die gallantly.
Tanushree Podder’s On The Double holds a mirror to the fascinating but tough life of a cadet in the Indian Military Academy At the passing-out parade, when Gentlemen Cadets assemble on the steps of the Khetarpal Auditorium and jubilantly throw their caps in the air, it signifies the end of an exacting but rewarding journey. It is this story, of five young men caught between the rigours of military training and the everyday experiences of growing up, that Tanushree Podder explores in her latest book, On The Double: Drills, Drama, and Dare-Devilry at the Indian Military Academy (Roli Books).
The novel, released at the Pune International Literary Festival, follows the heroes of Tanushree’s earlier book, Boots Belts Berets. Both books have their own storyline and can be read independently. Says the Pune-based author, “On The Double begins whereBoots Belts Berets left off and follows the continuing adventures of Pessi, Maachh, Porky, Sandy and Zora, as they navigate life in the Indian Military Academy (IMA).
Both books are set in the 70s, when my husband was training at the academy. His reunion — where I saw seasoned soldiers once again live out their carefree cadet days — sealed my decision to write the books. Despite the years, they were still the same — their camaraderie transcended ranks.” Tanushree, who quit the rigours of a corporate job to indulge her passion for writing, has authored a wide range of books — the intrigues of the Mughal court in Nur Jahan’s Daughter and Escape from Harem, on Saddam Hussein in Death Of A Dictator, the interpretation of dreams in A Mystic World and the key to good health in You Are What You Eat. “I was schooled across India and graduated from Lady Keane College, Shillong. It translated into a love for travel writing. On The Double was an anniversary gift for my husband, and life in the Academy was a story waiting to be told,” she says. The book is set in IMA, Dehradun, a cornerstone of the Indian Army. Its iconic Chetwode Hall has borne witness to thousands of boys transform into resolute men since 1932 — three from the inaugural course went on to head the armies of India, Pakistan and Burma. In this green-leaved campus at the foot of the Himalayas, five friends make the tough journey to become both officers and gentlemen. From cadets buffing their boots, commanding a parade and crawling through rain-sodden trenches to spending days doing drill without end, falling in love with the lone young lady on campus, raiding a girls’ college orchard and saving the Academy from a terrorist threat, all the while learning lessons in leadership,
Tanushree tells a charming tale of boys on the cusp of manhood, ready to take on a brave new world. “IMA graduates are older, more refined. But they are no different from young men their age elsewhere, dreaming of what life has to offer. My research for the book included compiling the unique lingo that military establishments use and the bittersweet relationships that cadets share with their drill ustad,” says Tanushree, who finds Maachh the most fascinating character in the book. But what the novel does for the reader is that it sets these boys in fatigues, who will meet their destiny in some lonely frontier, in a hallowed space that not many can aspire for. In an age of entitlements, the book also raises a toast to a fine institution that teaches its officers to laugh heartily, fight bravely and die gallantly.
Tanushree, who quit the rigours of a corporate job to indulge her passion for writing, has authored a wide range of books — the intrigues of the Mughal court in Nur Jahan’s Daughter and Escape from Harem, on Saddam Hussein in Death Of A Dictator, the interpretation of dreams in A Mystic World and the key to good health in You Are What You Eat. “I was schooled across India and graduated from Lady Keane College, Shillong. It translated into a love for travel writing. On The Double was an anniversary gift for my husband, and life in the Academy was a story waiting to be told,” she says. The book is set in IMA, Dehradun, a cornerstone of the Indian Army.
ts iconic Chetwode Hall has borne witness to thousands of boys transform into resolute men since 1932 — three from the inaugural course went on to head the armies of India, Pakistan and Burma. In this green-leaved campus at the foot of the Himalayas, five friends make the tough journey to become both officers and gentlemen. From cadets buffing their boots, commanding a parade and crawling through rain-sodden trenches to spending days doing drill without end, falling in love with the lone young lady on campus, raiding a girls’ college orchard and saving the Academy from a terrorist threat, all the while learning lessons in leadership,
Tanushree tells a charming tale of boys on the cusp of manhood, ready to take on a brave new world. “IMA graduates are older, more refined. But they are no different from young men their age elsewhere, dreaming of what life has to offer. My research for the book included compiling the unique lingo that military establishments use and the bittersweet relationships that cadets share with their drill ustad,” says Tanushree, who finds Maachh the most fascinating character in the book. But what the novel does for the reader is that it sets these boys in fatigues, who will meet their destiny in some lonely frontier, in a hallowed space that not many can aspire for. In an age of entitlements, the book also raises a toast to a fine institution that teaches its officers to laugh heartily, fight bravely and die gallantly.
Tanushree Podder’s On The Double holds a mirror to the fascinating but tough life of a cadet in the Indian Military Academy At the passing-out parade, when Gentlemen Cadets assemble on the steps of the Khetarpal Auditorium and jubilantly throw their caps in the air, it signifies the end of an exacting but rewarding journey. It is this story, of five young men caught between the rigours of military training and the everyday experiences of growing up, that Tanushree Podder explores in her latest book, On The Double: Drills, Drama, and Dare-Devilry at the Indian Military Academy (Roli Books).
The novel, released at the Pune International Literary Festival, follows the heroes of Tanushree’s earlier book, Boots Belts Berets. Both books have their own storyline and can be read independently. Says the Pune-based author, “On The Double begins whereBoots Belts Berets left off and follows the continuing adventures of Pessi, Maachh, Porky, Sandy and Zora, as they navigate life in the Indian Military Academy (IMA).
Both books are set in the 70s, when my husband was training at the academy. His reunion — where I saw seasoned soldiers once again live out their carefree cadet days — sealed my decision to write the books. Despite the years, they were still the same — their camaraderie transcended ranks.” Tanushree, who quit the rigours of a corporate job to indulge her passion for writing, has authored a wide range of books — the intrigues of the Mughal court in Nur Jahan’s Daughter and Escape from Harem, on Saddam Hussein in Death Of A Dictator, the interpretation of dreams in A Mystic World and the key to good health in You Are What You Eat. “I was schooled across India and graduated from Lady Keane College, Shillong. It translated into a love for travel writing. On The Double was an anniversary gift for my husband, and life in the Academy was a story waiting to be told,” she says. The book is set in IMA, Dehradun, a cornerstone of the Indian Army. Its iconic Chetwode Hall has borne witness to thousands of boys transform into resolute men since 1932 — three from the inaugural course went on to head the armies of India, Pakistan and Burma. In this green-leaved campus at the foot of the Himalayas, five friends make the tough journey to become both officers and gentlemen. From cadets buffing their boots, commanding a parade and crawling through rain-sodden trenches to spending days doing drill without end, falling in love with the lone young lady on campus, raiding a girls’ college orchard and saving the Academy from a terrorist threat, all the while learning lessons in leadership,
Tanushree tells a charming tale of boys on the cusp of manhood, ready to take on a brave new world. “IMA graduates are older, more refined. But they are no different from young men their age elsewhere, dreaming of what life has to offer. My research for the book included compiling the unique lingo that military establishments use and the bittersweet relationships that cadets share with their drill ustad,” says Tanushree, who finds Maachh the most fascinating character in the book. But what the novel does for the reader is that it sets these boys in fatigues, who will meet their destiny in some lonely frontier, in a hallowed space that not many can aspire for. In an age of entitlements, the book also raises a toast to a fine institution that teaches its officers to laugh heartily, fight bravely and die gallantly.