A podcast looks at Maharanis and Begums of India who went beyond their call of duty and left us with a treasure trove of inspiring stories
Indira Devi at the BBC Studios in December 1942
A women-led 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, 2020-2021 would have been particularly challenging.
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Maharani Jind Kaur
However, 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 norms.
Anoushka Jain
The 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 “the footless queen”, Maharani Didda of present-day Kashmir, who had to take bold steps to protect her kingdom.
It is easy to picture the stories, frame by frame, as the narrations take place. Equally important, however, is not to mistake Jain’s 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 time.
Jahanara Begum. Pics courtesy/Wikimedia Commons
One of the most fascinating stories has to be of the ‘Radio Princess’, 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 30-year-long 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 (present-day 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 us.
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