Murder at the Mushaira
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- Create Date：2021-05-07 08:50:59
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Raza Mir
- ISBN：8194937256
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Summary
3 May 1857。 India stands on the brink of war。 Everywhere in its cities， towns， and villages， rebels and revolutionaries are massing to overthrow the ruthless and corrupt British East India Company which has taken over the country and laid it to waste。 In Delhi， the capital， even as the plot to get rid of the hated foreigners gathers intensity， the busy social life of the city hums along。 Nautch girls entertain clients， nawabs host mushairas or poetry soirees in which the finest poets of the realm congregate to recite their latest verse and intrigue， the wealthy roister in magnificent havelis， and the drinking dens of the city continue to pack in customers。
One morning， Kallu， a retainer at a Delhi haveli， cleaning up after a grand mushaira， discovers a poet stabbed to death with a polished agate dagger。 Gruesome as it is， the murder appears to be a fairly run of the mill crime until anxious officials of the East India Company make it a matter of the highest priority。
Instructions are issued for the murderer to be found and arrested immediately。 But who is the killer？ The dead man had many enemies and the investigating officer Kirorimal Chainsukh soon discovers there are dozens of suspects， an equal number of motives， and waves of secrets and lies that threaten to overwhelm him。 As the pressure on him to solve the crime increases， Chainsukh turns to Mirza Ghalib， poet laureate and amateur detective， for help。
Ghalib’s tools are his formidable intelligence， intimate knowledge of the machinations of Delhi high society， ferocious curiosity， and reliance on the new science of forensics that his friend the scientist Master Ramachandra has introduced him to。 As Ghalib begins to collect evidence and dig into the case， he uncovers an ever-widening list of suspects， and a sinister conspiracy that involves many of Delhi’s most important men and women。
Set against the backdrop of India’s First War of Independence， Murder at the Mushaira is at once a brilliantly constructed murder mystery and the finest historical novel by an Indian author in recent times。
One morning， Kallu， a retainer at a Delhi haveli， cleaning up after a grand mushaira， discovers a poet stabbed to death with a polished agate dagger。 Gruesome as it is， the murder appears to be a fairly run of the mill crime until anxious officials of the East India Company make it a matter of the highest priority。
Instructions are issued for the murderer to be found and arrested immediately。 But who is the killer？ The dead man had many enemies and the investigating officer Kirorimal Chainsukh soon discovers there are dozens of suspects， an equal number of motives， and waves of secrets and lies that threaten to overwhelm him。 As the pressure on him to solve the crime increases， Chainsukh turns to Mirza Ghalib， poet laureate and amateur detective， for help。
Ghalib’s tools are his formidable intelligence， intimate knowledge of the machinations of Delhi high society， ferocious curiosity， and reliance on the new science of forensics that his friend the scientist Master Ramachandra has introduced him to。 As Ghalib begins to collect evidence and dig into the case， he uncovers an ever-widening list of suspects， and a sinister conspiracy that involves many of Delhi’s most important men and women。
Set against the backdrop of India’s First War of Independence， Murder at the Mushaira is at once a brilliantly constructed murder mystery and the finest historical novel by an Indian author in recent times。
Reviews
Laveena Behl
，
After a long time I picked a book that I was too eager and too sad to finish。 The character sketches are so beautiful that you feel you are a resident of the 1857 Dilli and these characters are living， breathing around you。 To see Ghalib in such a different spotlight was surprising but amazing！ A very well drafted text based on a crucial historical fragment of India's freedom struggle ane one of the most beloved gems of Dilli's charm - Mirza Ghaalib。 After a long time I picked a book that I was too eager and too sad to finish。 The character sketches are so beautiful that you feel you are a resident of the 1857 Dilli and these characters are living， breathing around you。 To see Ghalib in such a different spotlight was surprising but amazing！ A very well drafted text based on a crucial historical fragment of India's freedom struggle ane one of the most beloved gems of Dilli's charm - Mirza Ghaalib。 。。。more
Anushka Mitra
，
This is one of my best reads of the year so far。 The storytelling is top-notch and if you， like me， have a thing for well-written historical fictions （think Wolf Hall trilogy）， then you will be absolutely delighted。 The character development is superb and there are several underlying threads which are not necessarily explored but they make this a much more layered read。 Mir recreates Delhi of 1857 quite well and yet manages to make it sound contemporary- in the sense that he avoids falling into This is one of my best reads of the year so far。 The storytelling is top-notch and if you， like me， have a thing for well-written historical fictions （think Wolf Hall trilogy）， then you will be absolutely delighted。 The character development is superb and there are several underlying threads which are not necessarily explored but they make this a much more layered read。 Mir recreates Delhi of 1857 quite well and yet manages to make it sound contemporary- in the sense that he avoids falling into the trap of cliched dialogues and motifs that most writers of Indian historical fiction adhere to。 I ultimately gave in and finished reading it quite fast， but savor it if you can; this one is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace。 Highly recommended for those who love historical fiction， poetry， Ghalib， Delhi of the past and generally well written prose。PS。 All this is not to say that the book is without flaws。 However， I am absolutely willing to overlook those for the amount of fun I had reading this！ The mystery itself is not the focal point and if you are reading it for the murder， you are in for a disappointment。 。。。more
Sadiq Kazi
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A brilliant depiction of the last days of the Mughal empire。 The intrigue， the rebellion， the culture of 'tehzeeb' and then the classy and yet curious poet laureate of the Mughal court， Mirza Ghalib！ As suspense， this may not be a classic， but in the detailing of that era， this book scores！ A brilliant depiction of the last days of the Mughal empire。 The intrigue， the rebellion， the culture of 'tehzeeb' and then the classy and yet curious poet laureate of the Mughal court， Mirza Ghalib！ As suspense， this may not be a classic， but in the detailing of that era， this book scores！ 。。。more
Gv
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Raza Mir’s Murder at the Mushaira is the most fun book I have read in ages。An obnoxious poet is found murdered at the end of a Mushaira at a haveli in Delhi。 It is 1857 and the last days of the Mughal Empire。 The country and court were as impoverished as its poet laureate， Mirza Ghalib。 Rebellion is afoot though and the murder of the obnoxious poet may well kill it。 （that pun is my own and completely intended）Soon after the murder， British officers descend on the haveli trying to solve it。 In th Raza Mir’s Murder at the Mushaira is the most fun book I have read in ages。An obnoxious poet is found murdered at the end of a Mushaira at a haveli in Delhi。 It is 1857 and the last days of the Mughal Empire。 The country and court were as impoverished as its poet laureate， Mirza Ghalib。 Rebellion is afoot though and the murder of the obnoxious poet may well kill it。 （that pun is my own and completely intended）Soon after the murder， British officers descend on the haveli trying to solve it。 In their quest to beat the truth out of the natives they threaten a Naib-Kotwal who happens to be nephew to Ghalib’s favourite money lender。 As a favour to him， Ghalib， who has had some success with solving other crimes in the past is asked to intervene。 With his deep connections in the haveli and Delhi society of the day， he is soon drawn into the conspiracy。The plot itself is relatively straight forward but the book shines because of its setting in history and the generous polish of Urdu poetry that the author applies。 He keeps what would please an audience like me。 Like references to Lodhi Gardens， Chandni Chowk， Safdarjung， Red Fort and other prominent geographical landmarks that still survive in Delhi。 Or couplets of transliterated and translated Urdu poetry。 He then adds fictions to paper over the parts that a modern， liberal audience might not find palatable。 Ghalib is portrayed as a wise， kind man whose integrity keeps him in relative poverty。 He is a faithful husband， caring older brother and doting grandfather to his adopted grandchildren。 A man quite like the poetry he writes。 We also get his scientific assistants， the converted to Christian gay professor and his Muslim student lover。 In the conspiracy are a Hindu-Muslim love match， courtesans who are protected by orthodox Muslim priests out of the goodness of their hearts and all other harmony that was last found in renditions of Mile Sur Mera Tumahara on Doordarshan。A big part of me wants to believe that these are all true and that the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb with which this book is imbued was all real。 The stream of courtesy and kindness has only gone underground for a little bit and will soon emerge to flood the land。 But till that time comes， we have this fiction to entertain ourselves。The book is not without flaws。The author has been selective in his choice of history。 The role of the Marathas – Nana Saheb， Tantia Tope et al make no appearance in the book。 Perhaps it is a deliberate choice to keep the focus square on the Mughals and Delhi， however， I did wish there had been a way to bring the Maratha element in。 The ending could also have been more light-hearted in my opinion。 A note to happy-ending hunters – it’s not unhappy enough to keep you away from this book。The other device he uses is to write word for word translations of Urdu phrases in English。 This works beautifully on some occasions but turns very awkward on others。 （e。g。 when Ghalib asks someone who they are。 The Urdu “Aap ki tareef” sounds very awkward when rendered as， “how should I praise you。”） I also think some of the poetry is translated very flat， but I’m a philistine South Indian whose knowledge of Urdu comes from the few ghazals that my much more cosmopolitan mother introduced me to。 Better readers than I will have to comment on it。These flaws notwithstanding， this is a good fun read。 Highly recommend。Also published at https://livebythebook。wordpress。com 。。。more
Madhulika Liddle
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Delhi。 The first few days of May， 1857。 At the haveli of a poetry-loving nawab， a mushaira is organized， drawing the greatest poets from far and wide。 The poet laureate， Mirza Ghalib， not best of friends with the nawab， declines， but stops by nevertheless， on his way back from meeting the nawab's daughter Zainab， whom he's teaching poetry。 He also manages to put in his place the obnoxious poet Sukhan Khairabadi， who's being， as is to be expected， nasty。。。And Khairabadi， it seems， was especially Delhi。 The first few days of May， 1857。 At the haveli of a poetry-loving nawab， a mushaira is organized， drawing the greatest poets from far and wide。 The poet laureate， Mirza Ghalib， not best of friends with the nawab， declines， but stops by nevertheless， on his way back from meeting the nawab's daughter Zainab， whom he's teaching poetry。 He also manages to put in his place the obnoxious poet Sukhan Khairabadi， who's being， as is to be expected， nasty。。。And Khairabadi， it seems， was especially nasty to someone else too。 Because the next morning， when a servant arrives at the hall where the mushaira had gone on into the wee hours of the morning， he finds Sukhan Khairabadi's corpse。 The Naib-Kotwal of Chandni Chowk， when called in to investigate， turns to Mirza Ghalib， who has acquired quite a reputation as a detective。 And Ghalib， in turn， brings in Master Ramachandra of the Delhi College， to use his scientific knowledge and ability to help with the forensics。 Murder at the Mushaira is not just about a murder which Mirza Ghalib investigates。 Raza Mir， after all， has set this story in May 1857—it begins just a few days before the outbreak of the uprising that was to be the First War of Independence。 The intrigue， the hectic plotting， the sudden triumphs and the equally sudden reversals， connects to the uprising， also form an important element of the plot。 That said， the murder mystery bit of this novel plays out well。 Mirza Ghalib and Master Ramachandra are two people I’ve long imagined would be perfect historical detectives， and Mir does a very good job of making them （Ghalib， mostly， but Ramachandra as a sort of Watson） the sleuths here。 There are red herrings， obscure clues， and plenty of wit here……until the novel takes a turn， and the mystery solved， jumps wholesale into the story of the gadar， the uprising。 This is when the wit， while it’s still there， to some extent， becomes tempered with a poignancy and a desperation too， especially if you know how the uprising played out。This was an unusual detective story， because the mystery and its detection only form the initial two-thirds （or a little more） of the book。 And yet， I didn’t mind that。 The storytelling is excellent， the pace is good， and there are several well-etched characters whom I found myself rooting for。 Also， the adventures and minor mysteries surrounding the plotting of the uprising are interesting。And Ghalib makes for a wonderfully endearing protagonist: somewhat eccentric， very witty， yet with depth: and his relationships with his wife Umrao， with his brother Yousuf， and his two adoptive granddaughters， are beautifully real。 Bonus: each chapter begins with a couplet in Urdu， most （all？） by Ghalib， with an English translation。 This book needs prequels。 I want more Ghalib-as-detective books。 。。。more
Apurva Nagpal
，
1857， Delhi， the capital。 Set against the backdrop of India’s first war of Independence when the rebels and revolutionaries started planning their revolt against the British East India Company， Murder at the Mushaira by Raza Mir is a perfect blend of historical fiction， murder mystery and great characterisation。A poet is stabbed to death and his body is found during the early hours of the day at a haveli after a grand Mushaira was hosted the previous night。 The British officials anxious and find 1857， Delhi， the capital。 Set against the backdrop of India’s first war of Independence when the rebels and revolutionaries started planning their revolt against the British East India Company， Murder at the Mushaira by Raza Mir is a perfect blend of historical fiction， murder mystery and great characterisation。A poet is stabbed to death and his body is found during the early hours of the day at a haveli after a grand Mushaira was hosted the previous night。 The British officials anxious and finding something oddly suspicious about the situation， make it a matter of high priority to find the murderer; the investigating officer Kiromal Chainsukh then turns to Mirza Ghalib， poet laureate and amateur sleuth， for help。 Ghalib with his intimate knowledge of the scene of crime， a Mushaira and the workings of the Delhi High society digs into what looks like an act of jealousy or could it be more sinister than the initial impression？It was interesting how the murder that seems to bring everything into action runs more as a plot device to the larger historical events that were happening at that time。 I found it initially a bit hard to get into and follow for background building， it left some loose ends with so much going on with a big cast of characters。While the plot didn’t do much for me， I absolutely loved the writing， the lyrical prose with the beauty of Urdu verses， every chapter opening with a few beautiful lines and how wonderfully they matched with the text。 Raza Mir’s vivid descriptions brought Old Delhi to life， the morning Ramadan prayers or evening Mushairas with elaborate dawats and delicacies。 Another thing I thoroughly enjoyed were the characters while some fictional， many of the characters were historical figures we’ve read about but how their personalities were contoured for this story was a treat to read！ 。。。more
Vishnu Chevli
，
"Murder at Mushaira" by Raza Mir has attracted my attention the moment I saw the cover photo。 I was attracted to the Detective nature of Mirza Ghalib portrayed in the book。 As the name suggests， the story is based on a murder investigation that happened after a mushaira。 Let me give you a little gist。 One of the royal houses in Delhi had a tradition of holding mushaira during the month of Ramazan。 The royal house is Iftikhar， and Miya Iftikhar had an unspoken grudge against Ghalib as Iftikhar's "Murder at Mushaira" by Raza Mir has attracted my attention the moment I saw the cover photo。 I was attracted to the Detective nature of Mirza Ghalib portrayed in the book。 As the name suggests， the story is based on a murder investigation that happened after a mushaira。 Let me give you a little gist。 One of the royal houses in Delhi had a tradition of holding mushaira during the month of Ramazan。 The royal house is Iftikhar， and Miya Iftikhar had an unspoken grudge against Ghalib as Iftikhar's wife had a crush on Ghalib before her marriage。 Murdered entity here is Khairadabaadi， who was a spy for Angrez and was killed just before he was supposed to give his report on newly introduced Kartoos。 The story is strongly linked with the 1857 independence movement， and murder was making things more mysterious。 Multiple people's lives and wealth were at stake if the case was not solved within a week。 Readout how Ghalib with his unique style works on the case。I was expecting a thriller based on simple historical fiction。 But the book has much more to offer， it presents cultural fit， socio-economic scenario， slow death of Mughal Empire and rise of English rule， people's state， etc。 eEverything is portrayed wonderfully。 The language is appropriate for the culturally-driven novel。 The pace is medium too fast based on the plot's demand。 Characters like Iftikhar & his wife， Umrao （Ghalib's wife）， Inspector were given good space to get mature。 You will find a strong flavor of historical facts while reading。 The mystery behind the killing will keep you to edge。 I will say the book is a masterpiece。 One may give time to enjoy this book。 If you are a ghazal or poem lover you will find multiple stanzas throughout the book。This wonderful book deserves 4。75 out of 5。 。。。more
Rakhi Jayashankar
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Real and fictional characters embrace the plotThe plot revolves around Mushaira （Poet soirees） conducted in the palaces of the Nawab。 The mutual ego clashes between poets， the indulgence of the poets in the internal matters of the Nawab， seemingly uncharacteristic friendships - The book has it all。 The plot is guided by characters， both fictional and real。 While the narrative personifies to connect with the readers， it becomes impossible to distinguish between reality and fiction。Know the real f Real and fictional characters embrace the plotThe plot revolves around Mushaira （Poet soirees） conducted in the palaces of the Nawab。 The mutual ego clashes between poets， the indulgence of the poets in the internal matters of the Nawab， seemingly uncharacteristic friendships - The book has it all。 The plot is guided by characters， both fictional and real。 While the narrative personifies to connect with the readers， it becomes impossible to distinguish between reality and fiction。Know the real freedom struggleA glimpse of the 1857 Independence struggle is imperative for the current generation that thinks that what happened in the 1940s was the only freedom struggle。 Hardly do they know that a century before the foundation for the revolution was laid。 The book gives a detailed account of how they have sacrificed their lives irrespective of their age and gender for the freedom of their motherland。 Though suppressed with the muscle power of the British， the revolution of 1857 is forever the first revolt for independence Strong female charactersThe female characters， real and fictitious are the firebrand women who will inspire the women in the current generation as well。 I am in awe of the ladies。 We need more female characters for contemporary literature to provide a new perspective to Gen Z。All in all， if I write more it would be a sycophantic account of the author's finesse as I am blown with the impeccable piece of literature。 This is a classic for years to come by。 Just grab the book and start reading。 。。。more
Rajaa Farhan
，
Review for this book is coming up next week，watch out for it！
Puja
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I really really wanted to like this book。 It has such an interesting excerpt and I did enjoy Mizra as a character， he is irreverent and intelligent。 I really liked reading the poetry in Urdu （I understand so little of it）。 But the plot is unnecessarily convoluted and the payoff falls completely flat for me。 It definitely made me a little sad。 I would still say， pick it up， because books like this require the audience so that Mr。 Mir can continue writing and developing his art because I really do I really really wanted to like this book。 It has such an interesting excerpt and I did enjoy Mizra as a character， he is irreverent and intelligent。 I really liked reading the poetry in Urdu （I understand so little of it）。 But the plot is unnecessarily convoluted and the payoff falls completely flat for me。 It definitely made me a little sad。 I would still say， pick it up， because books like this require the audience so that Mr。 Mir can continue writing and developing his art because I really do believe he is very talented。 。。。more
Veronica Lobo
，
Murder At The Mushaira had me at Ghalib， playing detective。✨With the backdrop of Mughal / colonial India of the 1850s， the story takes place in Shahjanabad or Old Delhi as its known today。🔮While India was at the cusp of revolting against the administration of the East India Company， the majestic ‘Havelis’ & busy ‘Gallis’ of Mughal ruled Dilli were brewing with their own share of tumult。✨Asked to co-investigate a murder of one of the kingdom's celebrated but most despised poets， Mirza Asadullah B Murder At The Mushaira had me at Ghalib， playing detective。✨With the backdrop of Mughal / colonial India of the 1850s， the story takes place in Shahjanabad or Old Delhi as its known today。🔮While India was at the cusp of revolting against the administration of the East India Company， the majestic ‘Havelis’ & busy ‘Gallis’ of Mughal ruled Dilli were brewing with their own share of tumult。✨Asked to co-investigate a murder of one of the kingdom's celebrated but most despised poets， Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan or Mirza Ghalib， our protagonist， gets caught in the cross fires of the Mughal council， the Company administration & the ordinary residents of Shahjanabad living extraordinary lives。✨Soon， the readers are indulged in a more elaborate web of characters & sub-plots that culminate in a bigger storyline。👌🏻The author has done a wonderful job with the characters。👏🏻Some fictional， some actual names， the personas leave you thinking that the story actually happened but was never included in our history lessons。📖The charms of Purani Dilli， complete with the descriptions of the havelis， the by-lanes of Chandni Chowk， the trade bazaars， the food， & so much more， are brought out so well in the book。 ✨The writing is enigmatic & probably so to match the grandeur of India's Mughal era。👑Lastly， how can you mention Ghalib and not talk about poetry？🥀This book is full of Ghalib's poetic verses; each chapter begins with a verse （in Urdu， translated to English as well） connected to its events & throughout the book there's a couplet here & there。❤️You go into this book expecting a murder mystery but learn that the murder was just the prelude to the story。👏🏻Easily one of the best historical fictions set in India， you do not want to miss this。✨ 。。。more
JM
，
An engaging readThe author has successfully woven an engaging fictional story from historical facts。 I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to all looking for their next book。
Padma Bhamidipati
，
It's one that should。not be missed。 I am still living the characters and it's been an engaging read。 It's one that should。not be missed。 I am still living the characters and it's been an engaging read。 。。。more
Debasmita Bhowmik
，
（Updated rating - 4。5 stars but will give the author the benefit to have 5 stars on Goodreads）Absolute star rating makes it difficult to properly praise books such as this one。 The setting is too attractive and the author used it beautifully to add depth to the book。 Delhi in 1850s， still mentally under a Mughal rule， or hoping to be， and the seeds of rebellion being sown across the country。 The title is a little misleading as the murder is just the preamble for what's to come， but the book is b （Updated rating - 4。5 stars but will give the author the benefit to have 5 stars on Goodreads）Absolute star rating makes it difficult to properly praise books such as this one。 The setting is too attractive and the author used it beautifully to add depth to the book。 Delhi in 1850s， still mentally under a Mughal rule， or hoping to be， and the seeds of rebellion being sown across the country。 The title is a little misleading as the murder is just the preamble for what's to come， but the book is brilliant in weaving together historical landmark events from India's past with fiction， and conjures up characters in line with the times。 My only complaint was the language that sometimes got too flowery for me， but that doesn't hinder the experience of the book。 The ending might be bittersweet because we know how the 1857 revolt ended， but we also know what the characters in the book don't - that 90 years later we'd achieve what they had set out for。 。。。more
Swapna Peri （ Books Review Cafe ）
，
Book Title: Murder at the MushairaAuthor: Raza MirFormat: KindleMy Thoughts:As the story goes: The Ghalib of Raza Mir， in this novel set in eight days of May 1857， is an eager plotter as the conspiracy to rebel against the British develops。 He is sucked into the narrative following the murder of a much-despised poet， Sukhan Khairabadi， at a mushaira。 Before being killed， Khairabadi， spying for the British， had warned them by sending an ivory letter opener — "a signal of the gravest danger， the m Book Title: Murder at the MushairaAuthor: Raza MirFormat: KindleMy Thoughts:As the story goes: The Ghalib of Raza Mir， in this novel set in eight days of May 1857， is an eager plotter as the conspiracy to rebel against the British develops。 He is sucked into the narrative following the murder of a much-despised poet， Sukhan Khairabadi， at a mushaira。 Before being killed， Khairabadi， spying for the British， had warned them by sending an ivory letter opener — "a signal of the gravest danger， the matter of utmost urgency"。This plot made me intrigued that Ghalib in real who was afraid of the British goes against the same British and solves the cases。 Without much ado， I recommend this historical yet interesting murder fiction to everyone。What to expect from the story？Expect a fine and artistic murder story。Expect a story filled with sweet surprises and bloody secrets。Expect a story that has romance， love， relationships and revenge。Expect Mirza Ghalib as the investigative officer and a detective to work on the murder mystery。Who can read？This book allured readers of historical fiction， murder stories and mostly to the people who love and admire Ghalib Saab！ Every Urdu poetry lover has his explanation and reason for liking Mirza Ghalib。 Similarly， in this book and every reader thus resonates and gets attracted to the story。How good are the characters？Mir has lived Ghalib in the story！ Ghalib's verses in every story from Mir's pen is excellent to read。 Every story has this rich Urdu language flavour， which draws the readers' minds closer to the story。 Other than this， many characters I chose not to disclose or else it would become a spoiler are written with grace and equal action。How good is the narration？Being a murder mystery with the famous and historical characters of Ghalib， the story is an absolute treat。 As the story progresses and the poet's death comes into the light， the story takes a drastic turn。 Here， it is to be noted that Author Mir has taken extra care and interest in recreating the 1800's era with poise。 Therefore， the narration sparkles like a gemstone， and it's shine in the form of colourful narration。How good are the language and grammar？The colloquial and rich language with adequate vocabulary adds more beauty to the narration of the story。How good is the Author's writing style？Author Mir's elegant style of writing with unusual plot allures the readers to the maximum level extent。 The intrinsic detailing of the story， the nuggets of history， the story set up in a Haveli， the then riches and flashy lifestyle that can be imagined and visualised - all add up to the great writing。 This happens to be my first book from author Raza Mir， and I am completely spellbound by his writing skills。 But in contrast to the fictional setting， after the murder that unveils in the story， a greyish film flashes at every point。 This is where the Author's experiences spark。How entertaining is the book？The story is set-up in the vibrant and pompous times of the 18th Century in Delhi。 It is undoubtedly entertaining with interesting sub-plots and rich heritage of the then life popping up at every nook and corner of the story。Final VerdictA gripping historical fictional thriller！Rating:4/5 。。。more
Smriti
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Could have been great， but I feel like it got lost within it's self。 Will explain in a more detailed review later。 :） Could have been great， but I feel like it got lost within it's self。 Will explain in a more detailed review later。 :） 。。。more
Hal
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Wow， I can't say enough good things about this book。 The murder mystery taking place during actual historical events with the touches of poetry - this was such a compelling read。 Probably the first book I tried to stop myself from binge reading so I could prolong reading it。 I didn't want it to end！ I hope he writes more books like this。 Wow， I can't say enough good things about this book。 The murder mystery taking place during actual historical events with the touches of poetry - this was such a compelling read。 Probably the first book I tried to stop myself from binge reading so I could prolong reading it。 I didn't want it to end！ I hope he writes more books like this。 。。。more
Sarmistha
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Set in the beautiful city of Delhi，the murder mystery echoes with concerns of common people trapped between the colonial rulers and royal blood and the germinal tremors that led to an unforgettable historical event。The amazing poet Ghalib takes us on a thrilling journey across the bustling city pregnant with nationalism， exotic flavours and enriching language。The author did a splendid job breathing in life into the story。The novel exposed the flickering joy that more often the privileged enjoy e Set in the beautiful city of Delhi，the murder mystery echoes with concerns of common people trapped between the colonial rulers and royal blood and the germinal tremors that led to an unforgettable historical event。The amazing poet Ghalib takes us on a thrilling journey across the bustling city pregnant with nationalism， exotic flavours and enriching language。The author did a splendid job breathing in life into the story。The novel exposed the flickering joy that more often the privileged enjoy even in face of adversity。The flourishing poetic verses arouse a whole range of emotions。The engrossing layered plot-line will keep the readers glued to the book。 But the large number of characters bogged down the pace of the tale and numbed the thrill to a considerable extent。I will recommend the book to all the readers who want to peek into pre-independent India。 。。。more
Hoatzin Aname
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They say that Ghalib's method of expression is something else， but nothing is said of his method of divination which necessarily has to precede expression。 And perhaps that was something else too。 You may hear of a thousand qatils mentioned in a mushaira but what if the word loses its metaphorical aspect and makes a corporeal visit to a mushaira？ Even if the Delhi of 1857 possesses top notch detectives in its ranks， wouldn't it be something else for them to decipher the motive of the perpetrator They say that Ghalib's method of expression is something else， but nothing is said of his method of divination which necessarily has to precede expression。 And perhaps that was something else too。 You may hear of a thousand qatils mentioned in a mushaira but what if the word loses its metaphorical aspect and makes a corporeal visit to a mushaira？ Even if the Delhi of 1857 possesses top notch detectives in its ranks， wouldn't it be something else for them to decipher the motive of the perpetrator who chose this event to realize his objective？ And if it was lacking in such resources， then who else but Mirza Ghalib could they turn to for the unraveling of the layers of meaning in the event and identify the culprit？ Given that he is a sort of "something else" expert？These and a thousand other questions are not only answered but dealt with relish by Raza Mir in Murder at the Mushaira。 It would be a mistake to assume that an exhaustive knowledge of the Urdu language or the personality of Ghalib is a pre-requisite to reading the book。 The author renders the world of Delhi during a tumultuous time rife with political intrigue and class and religious divides in all its variety and complexity。 What makes it a sumptuous experience （just like the delicious buffet dinner that precedes the mushaira that the author delineates in great detail - thanks for the exclusive vegetarian table， sir！） is the presentation of how the event and its background is perceived by various sections of Delhi society， within the household， in the city's outskirts， the ruling Mughal class and the British officers stationed there。 The author seems to anticipate every question that the reader may have at various crossroads and meets with them with surprising revelations that raises further questions， resulting in breathless page-turning。 Above all， he succeeds in bringing an enigmatic intellectual that lived in a very different time directly to you like he is thinking inside your head。 Several satellitic characters also get the same treatment， many of them not aligned with the protagonist's way of thinking or his lifestyle choices。While the author's admiration and fondness for Ghalib is obvious， he takes care to not let this get in the way of character development and renders his multi-dimensionality through the thoughts of others around him。 Ghalib is no Holmes and he doesn't need to be。 Nor does he need any special skills to solve a murder mystery， the skills that he already possesses will have to do。 In this respect， he is closer to Maigret whose success cannot be pinned down to any method and whose readers are inclined to be as interested in his surroundings and motivations （many unrelated to the crime that he is supposed to be solving） as in the resolution of the murder mystery。Certain sub-plots like the whole backhistory around a particular character's time in Afghanistan could have done with some elaboration， but I guess that would have resulted in breaking the narrative flow。 Perhaps that is an opportunity for a prequel？ I would be most gratified if one such materialized in good time！I am not a believer in quantitative ratings of works of art， my five stars can be taken as a reflection of my enjoyment of the novel， nothing more nothing less。 。。。more
Ambarish Ganesh
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Mirza Ghalib as a detective was a hook that could have gone either way， but luckily the role doesn't seem forcefully contrived。 In this historical fiction by Raza Mir， set against the backdrop of the first feud of Indian Independence in 1857， the events take place roughly a month after Mangal Pandey was executed in Barrackpore protesting against tallow-laid cartridges。This book， which serves as a murder mystery and in parallel a brilliant thriller around the Indian Independence， is an enjoyable Mirza Ghalib as a detective was a hook that could have gone either way， but luckily the role doesn't seem forcefully contrived。 In this historical fiction by Raza Mir， set against the backdrop of the first feud of Indian Independence in 1857， the events take place roughly a month after Mangal Pandey was executed in Barrackpore protesting against tallow-laid cartridges。This book， which serves as a murder mystery and in parallel a brilliant thriller around the Indian Independence， is an enjoyable read。 If poetry tickles your heart， the Urdu couplet that introduces each chapter might be something you fancy。Complete review here - https://indiannerve。com/murder-at-the。。。 。。。more
Sabia khan
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#murderatthemushaira ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Murder at the Mushaira is a historic fiction induced with a Murder Mystery you will love。Set in Pre- Independence era ， in May of 1857 at the conclusion of a Mushaira a Murder transpired of one Poet 'Sukhan Khairabadi' in Dilli （Delhi）。 This murder makes the Angrez at the East India Company anxious and the matter is made of a higher priority。 One officer from the Chandni chowk Kotwali 'Chainsukh kirorimal' Investigates the case taking help of Mirza Ghalib ， the poet lau #murderatthemushaira ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Murder at the Mushaira is a historic fiction induced with a Murder Mystery you will love。Set in Pre- Independence era ， in May of 1857 at the conclusion of a Mushaira a Murder transpired of one Poet 'Sukhan Khairabadi' in Dilli （Delhi）。 This murder makes the Angrez at the East India Company anxious and the matter is made of a higher priority。 One officer from the Chandni chowk Kotwali 'Chainsukh kirorimal' Investigates the case taking help of Mirza Ghalib ， the poet laureate 。 As Mirza Ghalib proceeds with the investigation with his excellence ， intelligence and intimidating awareness of the upper class of the Delhiites ， he uncovers a stratagem ， a conspiracy that involves many people from around Dilli and rebels against East India Company from around 'Hindustan' 。The language is engrossing ， it may take time for one to get indulged with the book but once you get into it ， it's hypnotizing。 I loved the way each chapter begins with a Shayari and the characters are well described ， it's like watching a movie。 。。。more
Chitra Ahanthem
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Murder at the Mushaira by Raza Mir is that rare book that is going to be loved by readers across genres:there is historical fiction and there is a murder mystery brought together by a writing that reflects a deep knowledge and understanding of the era the story is placed。 Set in the time of the tumult leading to events in Dilli during May 1857 when discontent across British India was fermenting，this is a narrative that comes to life with a vibrant flourish。 The writer takes you on a deceptive pa Murder at the Mushaira by Raza Mir is that rare book that is going to be loved by readers across genres:there is historical fiction and there is a murder mystery brought together by a writing that reflects a deep knowledge and understanding of the era the story is placed。 Set in the time of the tumult leading to events in Dilli during May 1857 when discontent across British India was fermenting，this is a narrative that comes to life with a vibrant flourish。 The writer takes you on a deceptive path: the aroma of food， the ambience，the bustle at the haveli of a rich and well known Nawab known for his largesse， the domestic lives of the women of the time，the clamour for poets to be recognized。 Enter Mirza Ghalib who gatecrashes the mushaira， slightly exposing the social rivalry and personal jealousies and leads to the undercurrents of the socio political winds that are about。 What follows then takes you to a world that is crumbling slowly， shimmering with discontent and distrust and nationalist fervour on one side and a foreign force that must close ranks to continue their rule and oppression。There is a cast of 81 characters in the book but the writing never veers off from adding to the narrative。Through the conversations around the main protagonists， the author gives a look at the socio cultural identities， the social intellect of the times， the friction and forces of a brief unity that existed in 1857。This is more than just a historical fiction with a murder thrown in， rather it is writing that is well research and presented such that one is thoroughly captivated。This is one book that ought to make it to a screen adaptation as a series。 Full review here: https://bookandconversations。wordpres。。。 。。。more
Pragya Pacholi
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A wonderful book！ Its very rare that a murder mystery is embedded in a narration of historical events。 Most of the murder mysteries have a puzzle as its kernel， where a puzzle is made out in the form of either who has done the murder or how the murder is solved。 Puzzle solving gives pleasure and thus murder mysteries have been so popular。 This book from Mir Ali Raza has all the charm of the Puzzle solving of murder mystery。 The drivers of the book are the historical events which took place durin A wonderful book！ Its very rare that a murder mystery is embedded in a narration of historical events。 Most of the murder mysteries have a puzzle as its kernel， where a puzzle is made out in the form of either who has done the murder or how the murder is solved。 Puzzle solving gives pleasure and thus murder mysteries have been so popular。 This book from Mir Ali Raza has all the charm of the Puzzle solving of murder mystery。 The drivers of the book are the historical events which took place during the first war of independence。 So， Murder At The Mushaira has two mysteries， the larger being the plot to overthrow the British rule; its a well written credible plot。I love the style of the prose。 Ghalib being one of the hero， the dialogues are delightful and well constructed。 I wanted the journey with the book not to end but alas it ended in an afternoon （when the book was delivered） and a night and maybe part of the morning because i dreamed about the characters in the book。 :-） 。。。more
Teenu Vijayan
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Murder at the Mushaira by Raza Mir is unlike your regular crime thriller’s。It took me a while to get used to the premise where pieces that I knew from history mingled with the fictional element and formed the narrative base for the story。 The author’s note saying that the characters are historical， but their personalities are mostly invented sets the tone for this book。The setting of the book is very atmospheric， and it takes you back to the old lanes of pre independent India， where there is a m Murder at the Mushaira by Raza Mir is unlike your regular crime thriller’s。It took me a while to get used to the premise where pieces that I knew from history mingled with the fictional element and formed the narrative base for the story。 The author’s note saying that the characters are historical， but their personalities are mostly invented sets the tone for this book。The setting of the book is very atmospheric， and it takes you back to the old lanes of pre independent India， where there is a mutiny brewing， agitation surrounds the place and the author slowly introduces us to the characters。 A poet is found stabbed at a mushaira。 With an exquisite looking dagger。 what seems like a normal murder starts getting murky and from here on the story picks up。 I never in my wildest imagination could picture Mirza Ghalib the known poet laureate， helping solve a murder crime。 But here we are， are it was honestly fun to read him as the old， agile yet sharp and witty （I cannot call him a sidekick） protagonist who joins hands with the chief investigation officer to solve this unsolvable murder。 The undertones of mystery with the backdrop of familiar historical events blurs the lines between the specific genre of this book and I highly commend the author for doing so。 Another stand out is how we meet characters from various backgrounds， and one is left guessing who did it after all？ And I guess that’s what makes a good murder mystery。 Peppered with drama， love， betrayals and numerous sub plots and interesting side characters， give this a read if you want to read something not so common and predictable。 The pace of the story is slow， especially in the first half but hang in there， you would be delighted with the outcome。 An a coincidence was that both this and my last read had lot of Urdu influence and similar backgrounds， yet it’s always interesting to see how distinct can the writing be when the plots take such diverse tangents。 。。。more
Swetha - a chronically perturbed mind
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4。25 ⭐️ I was not invested into the story in the beginning to be honest。 Because， I had startedwith the hopes of reading a historical fiction， which was more of a murder mystery。 The flowery and descriptive writing was not doing things for me either。 But as I read on， I realised that the whole book was bringing alive a place lost in time。 The author has brought to life Delhi of 1857， which in theory was under the Mughal emperor， but was slowly succumbing to the British rule under the East India 4。25 ⭐️ I was not invested into the story in the beginning to be honest。 Because， I had startedwith the hopes of reading a historical fiction， which was more of a murder mystery。 The flowery and descriptive writing was not doing things for me either。 But as I read on， I realised that the whole book was bringing alive a place lost in time。 The author has brought to life Delhi of 1857， which in theory was under the Mughal emperor， but was slowly succumbing to the British rule under the East India company。 The foreigners who once had to be invited by specific invitations waltz around as if they own the place。 1857 marks the first Independence struggle， fuled by the Sepoy mutiny。 The author has incorporated the organisation of the revolt into this murder mystery， as it also is a part of the same， making this into a beautiful rendition of the rebellion that our soldiers organised from different parts of the country， as the first every organised effort to overthrough the British。The book shifts narrative POVs from Mirza， who plays a pivotal role in the investigation of the said murder，to characters borrowed from history and also fictionalised。Do not go into the book expecting a murder mystery like I did。 Because the book was most definitely more。 The prose takes you back to the dust covered streets of Delhi， during the holy month of Ramazan， as they pray and fast， and also enjoy the company of poets。 This book was gifted to me in exchange of an honest review。 。。。more
Krutika Puranik
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• r e v i e w •Murder at the Mushaira is set during the pre-independence era， at a critical time when Indian soldiers began revolting against the British。 So it comes as no surprise that Raza Mir writes in a rarefied manner， making it appealing to only a particular set of people。 That and his ability to bring back few significant characters to life like Mirza Ghalib， the renowned poet whose work is still considered one of the best in the literary world scores brownie points。 But my interest in t • r e v i e w •Murder at the Mushaira is set during the pre-independence era， at a critical time when Indian soldiers began revolting against the British。 So it comes as no surprise that Raza Mir writes in a rarefied manner， making it appealing to only a particular set of people。 That and his ability to bring back few significant characters to life like Mirza Ghalib， the renowned poet whose work is still considered one of the best in the literary world scores brownie points。 But my interest in this book ends just there。 Although， Mir focuses on patriotism and paints a vivid picture of those who lived back in the days when Mushairas were conducted in palaces and mansions， a life when commoners fought for independence in their own little ways etc， this book is mainly supposed to be a murder mystery and with it comes a certain expectation of keeping the readers satisfied with how the plot unfolds。 The motive， the act and the grand conclusion demands a satisfactory result which I found missing。A poet is murdered at a Mushaira and our witty Mirza Ghalib is asked to assist in finding the murderer by Kirorimal， an investigating officer。 Mirza is old but the twinkle in his eye and the mischievous smile playing on his lips reminds people of the handsome self he once was。 But what appears to be a simple murder mystery proves to be a tangled one， much like a puzzle that refuses to shed clues。 With the involvement of the officers working for the Crown， rebellious Indians who form a secret network to free their country and suspects who are quick to point fingers at others; Murder at the Mushaira takes us on a rather amusing ride。 For someone like me who has read a fair share of murder mysteries， this book failed to make a mark。 Albeit Mir impresses readers with his writing flair and the background of the story， it didn't quite live upto my expectations。 Much of the story felt incessantly dragged， making me want to abandon it at more than one instance。 My review is what one might term as an unpopular opinion but murder mysteries to me are either a hit or miss and this one falls under the latter part。3。4/5。 。。。more
Ankita Chauhan
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Raza Mir's Murder at the Mushaira: Rediscovered the art of storytellingBlog Link: https://soundingwords。blogspot。com/20。。。----------------‘What！ Who？ How？’ Mirza realized he was babbling， but the news had hit his ears like a ringing slap。 A Murder at the Mushaira？ That was a first。 Who had been killed？ This was his community， his people。‘Murder at the Mushaira，’ is an enthralling and unpredicted period drama。 Raza Mir recasts Mirza Ghalib， poet laureate of the realm as detective， he is simply ap Raza Mir's Murder at the Mushaira: Rediscovered the art of storytellingBlog Link: https://soundingwords。blogspot。com/20。。。----------------‘What！ Who？ How？’ Mirza realized he was babbling， but the news had hit his ears like a ringing slap。 A Murder at the Mushaira？ That was a first。 Who had been killed？ This was his community， his people。‘Murder at the Mushaira，’ is an enthralling and unpredicted period drama。 Raza Mir recasts Mirza Ghalib， poet laureate of the realm as detective， he is simply appointed as the chief investigator in horrific murder case of Janaab Sukhan Khairabadi。 Basically， the story of this historical fiction， set against the backdrop of the revolt of 1857。 After celebrating a grand Mushaira at Delhi Haveli， a poet found stabbed to death， he was a nobleman。 The cleaner found his body around the time of the Fajr prayer。 It was not that distressing until the participation of high British officials， mutated it into preferential case。 Once our protagonist， Mirza Ghalib called for help， he initiated the investigation， and the world of all attendees of Mushaira， turned upside down。 First it seemingly impossible to resolve the mystery， as there was many mistakes， and long list of suspects。 By the time you think you have caught up to puzzle， it’s already fades away。 The narrative of conspiracy entwines with myriads of secret and lies skyrockets this conundrum into compelling， entertaining and believable tale。 ‘Murder at the Mushaira’ is a pleasure rush with an ambitious record of world we once knew。 With enigmatic language， Mir managed to capture the shades of vibrant life of Delhi in 18th century。 It is so rich with metaphors and words that shape the story in plausible ways。 Mir’s fresh perspective offers an instant connect to reader。 In spite of web of sub-plots and motifs， the story entrances you in the same way that theatre does。 The writing is genius and scrupulous， especially witty dialogues and hidden insights， able to suck you in and creates an absorbing environment around。 At times， this book behaves as delicacy for admirers of Urdu poetry without dulling its thrill element。 Raza Mir begins each chapter with Ghalib versus along with apt translations; after all， words were his weapon。 It resonates so deeply within readers’ psyche that you feel breathing among those character。 With amazing cadence Raza Mir succeeds in illuminating an experience profoundly。 Bas ke dushwaar hai har kaam ka assaan hona Aadmi ko bhi mayassar nahin insaan honaIt’s impossible for all tasks to be facile， that’s allPeople find it so tough to answer humanity’s callMir’s eloquent prose style tugs at the heart。 Apart from the unusual plot， what stands out this novel， is amount of distinctive detailing。 Raza Mir captured the meditating photographic reproduction of an era。 I think， mere review is not enough to bottle the kindling ambers。 Here， I have been drawing your attention to this piece， ‘Ramchandra was surprised to see how young Ratna Bai was。 Hardly 30 years old， she was beautiful， but in a classical way， with none of the flamboyance that one would associate with a tavern owner。 She was very fair skinned， giving further credence to rumors of British parentage of medium height with a dancer’s build， she was dressed simply in white Chudidaar Kurta with a brilliant multi color Chunni that must have been 8 feet long and 4 feet wide。’ In ‘Murder at the Mushaira， characters come to life， are kind and suspicious as well， the landscape is author’s mind while he pines to rediscover the pleasure of storytelling， Mir brilliantly shows how strongly interlaced anxieties and love can be， ‘Their nervous expressions dissolved into relief at the site of Mirza。 He had always been a favourite of the domestics as he treated them with kindness unlike other members of the Ashraaf。 Now he spoke to them with brusque kindness。’ One can judge ‘Raza Mir’s Murder at the Mushaira’ by its cover， a real pristine beauty。 Yet， I genuinely suggest you to pick this phenomenal read， it would be an intoxicating experience。 I loved this book to eternity and beyond。 Qaid-e-Hayaat –o-Band-e Gum asl main donon ek hainMaut se pahle aadmi gham se najaat paaye kyon。 Can't thank you enough， Vivek Tejuja and Aleph Book Co。 for the review copy。 。。。more
Vanya
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Murder at the Mushaira had me at Ghalib。 I approached it with a giddy anticipation， familiar to the reader whose reading hours are confined by the trappings of the everyday， and emerged sated， reveling in the satisfaction of possessing an unerring judgement， a reading instinct that is slowly but surely getting sharper。Now to the book。 It’s a murder mystery set in the days of pre-independent India at a time when Indians were beginning to tire of the Imperial rule， their mindless cruelties and ter Murder at the Mushaira had me at Ghalib。 I approached it with a giddy anticipation， familiar to the reader whose reading hours are confined by the trappings of the everyday， and emerged sated， reveling in the satisfaction of possessing an unerring judgement， a reading instinct that is slowly but surely getting sharper。Now to the book。 It’s a murder mystery set in the days of pre-independent India at a time when Indians were beginning to tire of the Imperial rule， their mindless cruelties and terrifying indifference towards the plight of the natives。 These are days of turmoil， of revolt that’s simmering just beneath the surface， and yet， we know that even in the most turbulent of periods in history， even when a revolution is underway， there are people and milieus where celebrations big and small continue unabated and unaffected。 And so the Nawabs continue to host mushairas， evenings of poetry and food and shall we say， decadence。 It is on one such evening that a poet is murdered and nobody seems to have any clue as to what transpired。 Police is set in motion， the Angrez are furious too， and nobody can make sense of anything。 Here comes in our hero， the poet laureate， Mirza Ghalib， appointed by one Kirorimal， the investigating officer， as the co-investigator of the case。 Don’t be confused by my description， Ghalib is old and he frequently dodders， but his intellect is sharp as the dagger that pierced the murdered poet’s heart。 As Ghalib descends on the crime scene， queasy yet persisting for Kirorimal’s sake， threads lining the mystery begin to unravel。 The involvement of Company officials， their almost violent lashing out in the wake of the murder is no ordinary coincidence。 As it so happens， there are many undercurrents beneath this mystery turned conspiracy。 And if you’re expecting this to be a feckless， frothy read， dear reader， I would humbly point out that you couldn’t be farther from the truth。 Expect laughs， expect thrill， expect shers， but also expect depth and history and poignance。 。。。more
Bipin Kumar
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A delightful mysteryI am a fan of murder mystery and so my eyes caught this tittle。 Boy am I glad that I purchased this book！ The plot is a murder take place during a mushaira。 The incident take place during the times of First war of Independence。 Ghalib is called to help in investigation。 Another thread in the story runs through the activities of mutineers。And in the end all the thread nicely tie together。 I do not want to reveal more because it may spoil a very good mystery。 The language and d A delightful mysteryI am a fan of murder mystery and so my eyes caught this tittle。 Boy am I glad that I purchased this book！ The plot is a murder take place during a mushaira。 The incident take place during the times of First war of Independence。 Ghalib is called to help in investigation。 Another thread in the story runs through the activities of mutineers。And in the end all the thread nicely tie together。 I do not want to reveal more because it may spoil a very good mystery。 The language and dialogues are joy to read。 。。。more
Deepan Maitra
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“Murder at the Mushaira” inculcates a mighty nationalist perspective into our flesh and bones。 It injects a sense of pointed independent spirit into our blood， sweeping across the whole canvas of India in the 1800s， when resistance against the outside colonial forces had started to condense。 The book is truly justified to be a splendid historical fiction。 The fictionalization is so spontaneous， that it almost acts as true history in disguise。 It glues the various common grassroot tremors that in “Murder at the Mushaira” inculcates a mighty nationalist perspective into our flesh and bones。 It injects a sense of pointed independent spirit into our blood， sweeping across the whole canvas of India in the 1800s， when resistance against the outside colonial forces had started to condense。 The book is truly justified to be a splendid historical fiction。 The fictionalization is so spontaneous， that it almost acts as true history in disguise。 It glues the various common grassroot tremors that instigated the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857， adding into them fresh doses of raw Indian feelings， sensitivity and might。 The lens of the author focuses on an exotic set of characters from time to time， and it catches hold of the rise of new sentiments among them。 The sentiments of loyalty， of fierce protectiveness and advancing nationalism。 The story is threaded on perhaps hundreds of anchor points。 It is stringed with jewels and stones， with happenings bold and cowardly， with experiences dull or bright。 But precisely speaking， this tangled mess also has a certain rhythm to which it dances， like the lute of the snake-charmer dazing the poisonous snake。 This tangled mess of threads and ropes is seldom too asynchronous to handle。 Rather， it appeals to us quite naturally， shifting attention as it moves from one part of the stage to another， letting the author zoom in and out。 The Delhi of 1857 was inhabited by Muslims and Hindus alike。 The titular Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar had been seated on his regal throne， stripped off his influence or gallantry。 His poet laureate Mirza Ghalib was a name heard far and wide， his Urdu poetry soothing ears till today。 ‘Murder at the Mushaira’ casts Ghalib as an amateur detective， and he uncovers the mystery behind the curious murder of an attendee of the celebrated mushaira。 The mystery element in the story almost serves as an undertone。 The primary standpoint that the story roots itself upon is the historical significance of the plot， shedding light upon the fact that the protest of 1857 was indeed a unanimous and much-awaited affair。 The emotions that had fuelled this event had been derived from all parts of the population， since there were no social strata whom the colonial power had left to impose and impact。 The author has thereby picked his characters from a multitude of backgrounds， allowing them to carry forward the story on their respective shoulders。 Each of the characters have an interesting ancestry， they all have scandals attached to their past， but even then， they are memorable and induce a great deal of empathy。 The most bizarre fact about them is that they are all trying to hide something from someone。 Be it from the civil forces， or the British government， or their employer， or their spouses—all the men and women carry an air of secrecy。 They have hot news that cannot be leaked， some have sensitive secrets that should be safeguarded and some have been privy to conversations they wish they hadn’t。 With this complex web of sub-plots and paths crossing one another， out comes a most surprising story of love， betrayal， affection and forgiving。 There’s revenge in their voices， but very justified。 Their actions reek with anger， with hostility—but they all are also very loyal， very compassionate and ultimately， they want a happy life for their dear ones。 Raza Mir’s book is so intricately observant and deeply consolidated， that there is no linearity in any of the ways the story progresses。 It has the quality of being very emotion-driven， and so it hits right at the heart。 It is so dazzlingly illuminating at points， that understanding all of it becomes an exciting， but tedious affair。 Raza Mir captures the Indian way of living across all the senses。 His portrayal of Delhi is so flamboyant and beautiful， that it ceases to be just a city， but transcends to become an experience in itself。 Speckled with generous amounts of sensual Urdu poetry， he ensures that his book is a delight to read。 The poetry in this book is a major driver of the plot， and it is poetry that gives sort of a respite to the incessant trauma。 It is through poetry that we see pain getting rhythmised， it is through verses do we see the most unfortunate of massacres turning into the artistic muses of creative humans。 Ghalib’s character is manifested with so much poetry， that he punctuates all his actions with certain beautiful pauses， several subtle introspections and many levels of deeper understanding。 Ghalib is almost the hero here， the true protagonist who emerges dramatically amidst the tangled web of crowded subplots。 The story is infused with drama。 More than the rising conflict between the existent Indian royalty and the colonial regime， there is a dramatic portrayal of personal clashes， of interpersonal wars that sow the seeds of much more turbulence to follow。 The terror of the characters， the helplessness of the one who dies—it all somehow connects together into a picture， which although being stained and torn， is largely our own—aligned with our hearts。 Pleasing to the mind， to the imagination and to the thought， ‘Murder at Mushaira’ also twists itself to be deeply disturbing at points， churning out insecure， riveting emotions from the crevices of the readers。 Such is the quality of the book; it almost gives off a distinctive， recognizable odour of the past: of India’s pre-independent history that can almost never be encompassed fully。 Thanks Aleph Book Company for the copy。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Murder at the Mushaira
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Murder at the Mushaira&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft