The book shifts between how the young prince’s life is being shaped through being educated with his younger brother Hariraj and young boys from other Rajput families who will be his lifelong supporters and the ongoing battles and transitory regal landscape of India around them as time passes and Prithviraj grows. When the boy is born, he is already expected to be the conqueror of the world and is aptly named – PrithviRaj – ruler of the Earth.Īs time goes by, Karpurdevi learns of the history of the family feuds, the political undercurrents and shifting alliances of the reigning kings in the neighbouring areas of Central and North -West India comprising of the Chalukyas, Chahmanas, Parmars, Chandels and various small branches of these dynasties. Like most women of the time, Karpurdevi is disillusioned in her husband and focuses all her love and hopes in this coming child. Here the boys grew up and Someshwar married Karpurdevi, the Chedi princess from Tripuri and now she is expecting their first child. She took refuge in her father’s kingdom that was being governed by Maharaj Kumarpal by that time. However, her rival queen Johiyani Sadhava was intent on making sure that her sons Jaggadeva and Vigrahraj IV should be the next kings and Kanchandevi had to flee Ajmer in order to protect her young sons – Someshwara and Kanha. She was married to Arnoraj, who succeeded on the throne of Ajmer after his father Ajayraj II who founded the city. Since Jaysingh didn’t have any sons, Kanchandevi had been raised like a son and possesses very good governing ability in addition to a fierce intelligence. To give you a bit of background, the Chalukya emperor Siddharaj Jaysingh (who is also a stuff of legends and folklore in Gujarat), had a daughter named Kanchandevi.
We meet the branch of Chahman family that is for all intents and purposes living in an exile in Gurjardesha. Blessed as he is with the tejas of the divine, he will shine brightest when he makes the ascent to the pinnacle of glory, just before his swift descent to darkness and the depths of abject failure. The flame in his soul is destined to burn for as long as his lion’s heart can bear it. He will shine with the brilliance of a thousand suns. A lion among men and as such will be entitled to the king’s share of success, prosperity and happiness. She asks for a boon and receives it – but every boon is also a curse – or so she discovers: A mighty hero needs a mighty background before he can make his entrance and so this book starts with the dreams of an expectant mother and the prophecy for a child she is bearing.