Look inside the book

Of all her novels, none has received as much recognition as Raja Gidh which centers around the forbidden truth. The plot builds around the symbol of a vulture, a bird of prey, that feeds on dead flesh and carcasses. The moral thought implies that indulgence in the forbidden leads to physical and mental degeneration. This is creative writing at its best.

Raja Gidh by Bano Qudsia is one of the most widely read and acclaimed Urdu novels. Gidh is the Urdu word for a vulture and Raja is a Hindi synonym for king. The name anticipates the kingdom of vultures. In fact, parallel to the main plot of the novel, an allegorical story of such a kingdom is narrated.

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