The Queen of the Jasmine Country

The Queen of the jasmine country is a contemporary fiction written by Sharanya Manivannan. It has a unique standing of its own because it’s a fictional account of a woman saint and devotional poet named Andal. The story is set in ninth century, in a small town called Puduvai, located in modern day Tamilnadu.

I loved the book because I wanted to read more about bhakti saints like Mirabai. I wanted to originally read about Mirabai but could not find enough books on her but this book came as a happy alternative. The theme and backdrop are similar to Mirabai’s story.

A young girl starts to identify herself with her God and soon her whole world starts revolving around Him. The parents, the society doesn’t understand her stance but she is not alone. Her God is with her. At the end, she merges in the eternal embrace of Divine love. It’s a delightful account which can take the readers through a journey of devotional sentiments.