Tanjore, 1765. Young Maya plays among the towering granite temples of this
ancient city in the heart of southern India. Like her mother before her, she is
destined to become adevadasi, a dancer for the temple. She is instructed in
dance, the mystical arts and lovemaking. It is expected she will be chosen as a
courtesan for the prince himself.
But as Maya comes of age, India is on the cusp of change and British dominance
has risen to new heights. Far from home, the East India Company is acting like a
country in its own right and the British troops are more of a