A Mesmirizing Adventure. Review on Confession Of Sultana Daku, The - Sujit Saraf

Sujit Saraf's novel combines the crisp adventure with a touching human tale. 'Daku Sultana' tells his story through the night; in the morning he will be hanged. He waits for the arrival of Lt Col Samuel Pearce at the Haldwani jail where he is lodged. He then proceeds to tell Pearce the story of his life, which he wants to be written into a letter to his son who is lodged in another jail srun by the Salvation Army. High on charas and the reminiscences of a man about to meet death, he tells the gora saheb the story of his life. A life that has been crammed with daring feats of heroic burglaries, narrow escapes, of life as a bhantu outlaw, his love for Phulkanwar, a natch girl, and the betrayal that cost him his freedom and led him to the gallows. He goes back to his childhood; starting with the story of his 'Dada' his Grand Father - an expert Thief and Criminal ;His life with the Salvation Army ; his love for his mistress the dancing girl ; his stealing King George's crown; his escape from the Najibabad Fort; the many rapes and murders he's been involved in. Having been born into a family of dacoits, this is the only life Sultana knows and, while he believes in his criminal destiny, he dreams of a different life for his son.

Wrapped in charas, the advenutre goes on and on with such quick pace that you would not want to put down the book at any point in time. The swashbuckling adventure is retold in a cinematic fashion with a strong screenplay. His relationship with his Gang Members, Phulkanwar, The Banias, His Dog and of course his immense respect for Jim Corbett or Carpet Saheb [whose life he had spared-as written by Corbett in his book much later] and Freddie Young, the Rotund British IPS Offcier who captured him single handed. Who actually sympathized with Sultana and infact went on to take care of his son for the rest of his life. As the narrative unfolds, your Mind begins to smell and map the scenic pictures of Terai, Haridwar, Nainital and every jungle route with it's twists and twirl.

Once 'Sultana'-The Hard Core Criminal, Bhantu, Philosopher begins to infect you with his Daring and evokes Empathy, he creates an Aura in your mind. Fiction set in the past is always fascinating because it belongs to the era which has gone by.The book becomes all the more interesting, because this was a character who had existed, and who was a legend, whom the local people had grown up listening to stories about.

Sujit Saraf' succeeds in combining Drama with History in this quick paced work which is extremely gripping, highly readable and Pure entertaining. Dont miss this one ....