Explore inspiring lives of India's Maharanis and Begums on this podcast

A womenled heritage organisation Enroute Indian History came into being in 2019 No one would have been able to predict that the next year a pandemic would derail the world For a project that organises heritage walks across cities particularly Delhi uncovering hidden histories often found in monuments 20202021 would have been particularly challengingMaharani Jind KaurHowever founder Anoushka Jain a postgraduate in history did not surrender to the limitations posed to her initiative because of lockdowns and restricted mobility Instead she continued to focus on putting together research on art history and heritage and organising virtual walks with her team of researchers Most recently they launched their podcast Badass Begums to dive into the lives of Indian princesses who left behind a legacy by defying societal expectations and social normsAnoushka JainThe series caught our attention because the stories have been narrated in a natural manner as though a friend were reading out a personal letter Alternating between Hindi and English Jain recounts events like how Jahanara Begum was the reason that the famous Chandni Chowk of Delhi got its name and how Maharani Jind Kaur escaped captivity from Chunar Fort and found political asylum in Nepal for 11 years We also learn about ldquothe footless queenrdquo Maharani Didda of presentday Kashmir who had to take bold steps to protect her kingdomIt is easy to picture the stories frame by frame as the narrations take place Equally important however is not to mistake Jainrsquos voice to be that of a storyteller who fashions something new out of thin air despite her style These are all historical facts researched from books and extant documents To keep them sharp and engaging Jain has limited each episode to no longer than 14 to 20 minutes within which we are whisked back to several periods in timeJahanara Begum Pics courtesyWikimedia CommonsOne of the most fascinating stories has to be of the lsquoRadio Princessrsquo Indira Devi of Kapurthala During World War II she became an important voice to the Indian soldiers stationed in Great Britain as part of the British Army More than a million soldiers found assurance listening to her during her 30yearlong career at the BBC London radio Through a programme called Hello Punjab she read out letters written by them for their families back home in Hindustan presentday India She would also drive the ambulance for the French Red Cross Such stories give us a more nuanced view of history and help us deepen our understanding of the world around usLog on to SpotifyPod One podoneEnrouteIndianHistoryPodcast