Meadows Taylor’s "Tara - A Mahratta Tale" is a sweeping historical romance set in 17th-century India during the rise of the Maratha Empire under the legendary warrior king, Shivaji. The novel immerses the reader in the political and military turmoil of the era, as the Hindu Marathas fight for independence from the oppressive rule of the Muslim Bijapur Sultanate and the looming threat of the Mughal Empire. At the heart of this epic struggle is the eponymous heroine, Tara, a beautiful and high-born Brahmin girl. Her life is shattered when she is abducted during a raid, an event that sets her on a dramatic and tragic path. Her story becomes intertwined with that of the central figures of the Maratha resistance, including the cunning and charismatic Shivaji himself. The narrative follows Tara's trials as she navigates a world of fierce loyalties, religious conflict, and court intrigue, her fate symbolizing the suffering and resilience of the land itself. Meadows Taylor, who spent his career in the British administration in India, writes with a deep knowledge of the country's history, customs, and landscapes. "Tara" is not just a personal love story, but a grand tapestry of a people's fight for freedom, rich with details of battle, strategy, and the complex social fabric of the period.

Table of Contents:

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 1

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 2

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 3

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 4

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 5

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 6

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 7

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 8

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 9

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 10

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 11

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 12

• Tara - A Mahratta Tale. Part 13