The old stories know what darkness lies in the hearts of men,

what poison flows in their veins.

Some conquer temptation, sidestep misfortune

and rise above themselves.

And some lose their dispute with the devil...

A prince so reviled that he is determined to become the monster everyone calls him. A queen who crushes every challenger who dares to rise. A craftsman who uses his divine talents to steal from the national treasury. An executioner whose paradisical garden veils macabre designs. Be it king or knave, queen or slave, minister or minion, the barbaric instinct that might is right echoes and re-echoes across lifetimes.

Dramatically revealing the gambles, betrayals and plots of fierce and ferocious rulers of ancient India – from Ashoka of Magadha to Shashanka of Bengal and from Didda of Kashmir to Peruvalathan of Tamilakam – and of commonfolk no less menacing, these are tales of an age when intrigue was rife and offence was the first defence.

Gripping and intense, Rogues and Rajas opens a rare window to a shadowy past, eloquently exposing the underside of the soul, and questioning – how far have we come today?