25
Aug
Book: The Begums of Peshawar; Author: Najma Yusufi; Publisher: Hachette India; Price: Rs 399; Pages: 306 This book, the debut novel by Najma Yusufi, a filmmaker and lecturer, is her tribute to her ancestors -- the Afghan Durranis settled in Peshawar. A descendant of the Durranis on her mother's side, she tells the story of the last ruling Afghani royal family which separated, scattered and now occupies a small corner of Munda Beri in the Pakistani city. Dispossessed and disheartened, they cling to their former glory. Najma Yusufi, whose father Mehmood Ali Khan Yusufi hails from Uttar Pradesh, has dedicated…