The Mauryan Empire (322 BCE - 185 BCE) was the first and one of the most influential empires in the Indian subcontinent.

Imagine a young boy, not born to privilege or power, but to struggle and obscurity. A boy who watched mighty rulers sit on golden thrones, while he roamed the streets, yearning for something greater.

Set out simply and engagingly, Sen takes his readers on a tour of the different aspects of the Kumbh, beginning with its ancient history, when visitors to Chandragupta Maurya’s court heard of ...