The Mountain of Light (44 page)

I
NDU
S
UNDARESAN

A Readers Club Guide

Spanning over forty years,
The Mountain of Light
follows the story of the coveted Kohinoor, an extraordinary diamond that kingdoms and countries fought to possess. Beginning in 1817, the novel tracks the Kohinoor from Shah Shuja to Maharajah Ranjit Singh to Queen Victoria and chronicles the adventures of the men and women who are touched by its existence. The diamond is embedded in political turmoil that is only perpetuated when it slips from Indian royalty to the English monarchy, and while the Indian Maharajah Dalip Singh attempts to reclaim the Kohinoor from English control, it becomes clear that the fate of the diamond—and India—is already set in stone.

1. 
The Mountain of Light
features a long list of colorful characters. Who is your favorite character in the novel? Who is your least favorite?

2. After visiting Maharani Jindan Kaur, sisters Emily and Fanny Eden debate whether their brother's desire to invade Afghanistan and their presence in India are appropriate. Emily argues that the East India Company, and England, has a right to be in India.
Do you agree with Emily? Explain why or why not.

3. Cultural differences between English and Indian cultures are prevalent throughout the book, from differences in marriage practices to the difference in attire between the Indian and English women. What cultural difference did you find the most interesting? What difference is the most significant? Explain.

4. During a discussion with Henry Lawrence, Misr Makraj, treasurer to Maharajah Ranjit Singh, tells Henry that Shah Shuja was a “
pawn in your Afghan war
.” Do you agree with Misr's assessment? Who is the biggest pawn in the novel?

5. Were you surprised to learn about Shah Shuja's ultimate fate? Why or why not?

6. Princess Roshni gives Henry Lawrence the Kohinoor because she believes he's a good man. Why do you think she believes this? Is she right?

7. Colonel Mackeson is led on a whodunit search when someone steals the Kohinoor from him. He ultimately discovers that the thief is Misr Makraj's son, Multan Raj. Were you surprised by this discovery? Who did you think took the diamond?

8. From Shah Shuja to Ranjit Singh to the Queen of England, the Kohinoor is coveted—and possessed—by an array of rulers. Who do you think most deserves the diamond?

9. In the opening pages of the novel's last section, Sophia, Maharajah Dalip Singh's daughter, is described as knowing “
how young sixteen can be
.” Based on Dalip's experiences as a teenager, and his observation that “
I am now, at sixteen, a grown man
,” how subjective are youth and age in
The Mountain of Light
? Was Dalip an “older” sixteen than most teenagers? Explain your answer.

10. 
The Mountain of Light
spans from 1817 until the late 1800s. What period was your favorite to read about and why?

11. Most relationships in
The Mountain of Light
are enmeshed in politics and custom. Even some of the most deeply personal relationships, such as the bond between Henry Lawrence and Maharajah Dalip, were also influenced by politics between England and India. What relationship was the most authentic in the novel? What relationship was the least authentic?

12. The story of the Kohinoor is told in third person until the last section, which features first-person narration from Maharajah Dalip Singh. Why do you think the author chose to switch to first person? Was it an effective literary device? Explain your reasoning.

13. Maharajah Dalip Singh describes Lord and Lady Login's dedication to watching after him as waning, observing that “
here in England, some . . . thread is broken
” between him and his English companions. What do you think caused this change in behavior? Does it foreshadow other treatment Dalip receives from the English?

14. Dalip is left brokenhearted by an unrequited love, Cecilia Bowles. What is the most tragic love story in the novel? What is the most successful?

1. Learn more about author Indu Sundaresan by visiting her website:
www.indusundaresan.com/
and following her Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/pages/Indu-Sundaresan/331750008182
.

2. Loved
The Mountain of Light
? Have an Indu Sundaresan reading challenge! Read the Taj Mahal trilogy and have a bonus discussion about the series.

3. Learn the history behind the fiction. Find out one interesting fact about the characters and the Kohinoor to share with your book club.

4. Have an Indian-themed discussion of
The Mountain of Light
. Bring traditional Indian food, music, and other cultural items to share with your book club.

ALSO BY INDU SUNDARESAN

Shadow Princess

The Twentieth Wife

The Splendor of Silence

The Feast of Roses

In the Convent of Little Flowers

Washington Square Press

A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

1230 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2013 by Indu Sundaresan

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Washington Square Press Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.