New Delhi: A new illustrated book titled ‘The Book of Emperors’ delves into the rise and fall of the Mughal Empire, spanning from Babur's founding in 1526 to Bahadur Shah Zafar's exile in 1857. Co-authored by Ashwitha Jayakumar and Nikhil Gulati, the book was released by Penguin Random House India (PRHI) on Sunday.

Babur, originally Zahiruddin Muhammad, a descendant of Turkic conqueror Timur and Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan, established the Mughal Empire in India. "I wanted to convey all of the chaos, the colourful characters and the complexity of the Mughal world using a narrative history approach, incorporating anecdotes from primary sources to tell a story that's fun to read while also being informative," said Ashwitha, who has written and adapted over a dozen books for children.

Over 300 years, Babur's successors, including his sons and grandsons, alongside their female relatives, shaped the empire through warfare, cultural patronage, and personal stories. "History would call them the Mughals. 'The Book of Emperors' tells their stories,’" reads the book’s description.

At its zenith, the Mughal Empire encompassed present-day India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, exerting profound influence across the region. The book, priced at Rs 499, is available for purchase both online and in stores, offering vivid illustrations by Gulati and engaging narratives by Ashwitha that bring each emperor to life with clarity and depth.

"The art of the book draws heavily upon the large collection of Mughal miniature paintings that depict the people, places and events spanning three centuries. We cannot go back in time and see what the Mughal world really looked like, but my goal was to give a flavour of the times, based on their art, so that the reader can imagine it for themselves," said Nikhil, the award-winning creator behind graphic novel, ‘The People of the Indus’.

PTI