Age Group: 12+ Years

Description:

A luminous, beautifully told retelling that shifts the spotlight away from Siddhartha and onto Pajapati — younger sister of Queen Maya, and the woman who raised the future Buddha after Maya died giving birth to him. Feisty, sharp-witted, and fiercely loyal, Pajapati chafes against the limits placed on girls in her world, dares to ask difficult questions, grows into a queen, and ultimately sets out on a spiritual quest of her own. Through her vivid, immediate voice, the prophecies, politics, family duties, and quiet sacrifices surrounding Siddhartha's life take on fresh emotional depth, while the story gently explores destiny, duty, love, and freedom. Weaving history, fiction, and seeking together — and never once preachy — it's a thoughtful, moving journey about forging your own path, flaws and all.