On first reading, this is the story of how Bharatavarsha came into being. But more than that it is the story of Bharata—in the configuration of the continents, the world’s peoples and their location in the brahmanda. It is thus a fascinating account of how a vast geographical expanse is integrated by cosmic awareness. Rivers and mountains crisscross the landscape of this dramatic story, livened up by great colourful races and individuals.Equally challenging is the underlying search for answers to ancient, profound questions. Which of the known Bharatas is the Bharata in Bharatavarsha? How far did this Bharatavarsha extend? What was the Suryasadan or solar observatory? How many siddhis and vidyas were there to be learned, which we seem to have lost now?What are the cosmic entities? How many worlds are there? What are the key forces of nature? How do these forces exist externally as well as within living beings? What is jnana? What is vijnana? What is the connotation and denotation of the word ‘veda’?Throughout the book run such investigations of profound questions and the answers are sought in ancient texts—the search illuminated along the way by sparks of surprising insights.