A powerful story set in post-1857 Rohilkhand, Western Uttar Pradesh, Gold Dust of Begum Sultans journeys from the plains to the mountains—Mohammadpur, Aligarh, Nainital. In this intensely patriarchal setting, the book explores Akbar Ali Khan’s household, paradoxically dominated by strong Begums across three generations—Qamar Zamani, Jahanara and Shehzadi. The Nawabs and Sahibzadas watch helplessly as their fortunes dwindle and the strong, tempestuous matriarchs come to the fore.

Even while studying a crumbling feudal binary of the traditional and the modern, this novel captures the cultural ethos of one of the richest riyasats—a culture in full display in the strong passions and extravagant indulgences of the patriarchs. As their antics come under the scrutiny of the British, the novel considers the manoeuvrings of the women protagonists. All the while, a new India struggles to be born.

Gold Dust of Begum Sultans is a fascinating and unforgettable exploration of the history of the powerful Rohillas and their times.