The last queen’ by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni might be the most prided book ever written on Indian heritage. It narrates the tale of Rani Jindan, the daughter of the Royal Kennel Keeper who grew on to be Maharaja Ranjit’s Singh youngest and beloved queen. Her unmatched valour , keen eyed and her love for Punjab are the prime elements of her character. She was barely eighteen when she was married to the Sarkar’s sword embodied with jewels. The Sarkar, Ranjit Singh himself was engaged in political affairs. After the Sarkar’s death she became Queen Reagent, her son Dalip barely six.
‘I am Rani Jindan, Mother of the Khalsa. That is my identity. That is my fate.’
Nightmares keep coming to her when Jawahar, her brother whom she loved so dearly is exterminated by the Panches in accusation of murder. The British arrive to snatch everything from the Queen Reagent. Her palace, her Punjab, her estates and even her small son. She is told to be the ‘ Messalina of Punjab’ and the ‘ She devil’. She is pensioned of and sent to exile seperated from her son. She escapes and travels barefooted to Nepal until more than a decade. However mother and son unite.
The story is a parable of love and betrayal and highlights the indestructible bond between Rani Jindan and her son Dalip Singh. Her love for Hindustan and predominantly Punjab is something which instills the spirit of the book.
Rani Jindan was in sooth braver than the ‘lion of Punjab’ having cast off her veil and directed the Khalsa directly. Chitra Banerjee writes to draft the happening and crafts to make the readers visualise.
As Shabana Azmi quotes , The last queen is an unforgettable story about the fearless, much feared queen whom history seems to have forgotten. Jindan is heroic. Her strength and spirit is a lesson for us.
Jindan kaur also has the spirit of nationalism indoctrinated in her. Although she was exiled and her allowance is meagre she helps in the cause of Indian freedom fighters aiding them with weapons and ammunition and is glad when Tantia Tope, Begum Hazrat and Jhansi ki Rani rise in revolt. She convinces Jung Bahadur to grant asylum to Begum Hazrat Mahal and her son.
She is an embodiment of high cultural values. Her kismat has already spoken . She is the Mother of the Khalsa, Queen Reagent and mother of the Maharaja. She is Rani Jindan Kaur .




















