Author Manreet Sodhi Someshwar talks to After Hrs about her latest novel, her keen interest in history and upcoming plans for more books

Author Manreet Sodhi Someshwar talks to After Hrs about her latest novel, her keen interest in history and upcoming plans for more books

Author Manreet Sodhi Someshwar’s latest is a thriller that’s a little different from regular literary fiction. The Taj Conspiracy is a tale of love and hate, of admiration and jealousy, of history and reality. “Most people only know the historical love story and talk about the black Taj that was never built and chopped hands of masons,” Manreet says. “We don’t have educated guides who tell the real tales of the monument. That the real route to approach the Taj and view it in all its glory is over the water, and that there are seven storeys under the Taj with crevices and stories to tell,” she adds. So why did she pick the Taj as a topic for her novel? “Once when I was leaving from the Taj, a mist rolled in and at that point, it looked forlorn, as though it was waiting for someone to tell its story,” she says. “The colour white absorbs all the other colours in the rainbow, and just like that the Taj incorporates Hindu design elements and Muslim style. The white Taj is all about India — a true symbol of the country,” Manreet elaborates. She took an urban legend — one that said that the Taj was build over a Shiv temple, and that remnants of the temple were still hidden underneath — and pegged her story around it. Her steep interest in history stems from growing up in Ferozpur, an area what was greatly affected by the Partition. “As a child I saw the worst rioting, leaving the city sufficed with sad memories and stories of loss. Growing up there has played a strong role in making me who I am,” she smiles sadly. The book, she says, is split up by place, helping the reader keep track of the multiple threads of the story, and keeping chapters short, making the book rivetting. While the book is an entertainer, she hopes that the book will allow people to engage with our rich history. After this, what’s coming up next we ask her, and she says two more books featuring the lead character, Mehrunisa, the first one titled The Hunt for Kohinoor. “I also want to write books on Sufism in undivided Punjab, a story based in late 19th century Punjab and another tale set just after Indian independence,” Manreet concludes.