Jaipur: The recently-concluded Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) saw the launch of From Dynasties to Democracy: Politics, Caste and Power Struggles in Rajasthan, a non-fiction book written by senior journalists Deep Mukherjee and Tabeenah Anjum and published by Pan Macmillan India.Mukherjee is assistant editor at The Wire.The book traces the journey of Rajasthan – geographically the largest state of India – from its integration into independent India in 1949 to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, revealing how entrenched caste hierarchies, feudal legacies and social divisions have continued to shape its politics.The book chronicles and portrays the state’s complex socio-political landscape marked by caste atrocities, Dalit and Adivasi mobilisation, riots, lynchings and persistent power struggles.It delves into the rise of kisan sabhas and praja mandals, the enduring influence of royal families on the state’s politics, and the fierce competition between major political forces such as the BJP and Congress, as well as the role of the RSS in spreading the Hindutva ideology.Through archival research blended with firsthand ground reporting, From Dynasties to Democracy also profiles key figures in Rajasthan politics such as Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Ashok Gehlot, Vasundhara Raje and Sachin Pilot.The book was launched on January 17 by senior Congress leader and former Union minister C.P. Joshi and former BJP president of Rajasthan Satish Poonia, who is the present in-charge of the BJP in Haryana. The launch was followed by a short discussion moderated by Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) spokesperson Anish Gawande.“We first thought about writing the book in 2020 when Rajasthan was engulfed in a political crisis in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. Thereafter it took us five years of research as we sifted through state assembly archives, interviewed many politicians and people on the ground who were witness to important moments which have been chronicled in the book. We also extensively travelled the state to present a narrative that goes beyond the general perception about Rajasthan as merely a land of forts and deserts,” said Anjum.Mukherjee added that the book blends reportage with research to present a theme-based analysis of Rajasthan’s politics, where the roots of many contemporary issues impacting the state could be found in its feudal past.A panel discussion being held at the Jaipur literature festival on January 17 after the launch of the non-fiction book From Dynasties to Democracy: Politics, Caste and Power Struggles in Rajasthan. Photo: By arrangementCongress leader Joshi, a former state Congress president and ex-speaker of the Rajasthan assembly said that one major feature of Rajasthan politics is the fact that differences of opinions have not translated to personal enmity.When, NCP (SP)’s Gawande, who was moderating the session, asked about the trend of the incumbent government in the state being voted out every five years since the late 1990s, BJP leader Poonia said, “It could be said that the state’s public doesn’t spare anyone,” inviting laughter from the audience.The Jaipur Literature Festival is considered among the most popular literary meets globally. The speakers at the 2026 edition of the festival included International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq, Booker Prize winners Richard Flanagan and Kiran Desai.