Elephant Driver: A Tale of Adventure and Romance in Ancient India

Jimuta, a poor farm boy in a remote part of ancient India’s great Mauryan Empire, finds and returns the huge war elephant Rudra belonging to his local prince. Most unusually, he is invited to become Rudra’s new driver. The elephant and boy form a close bond.

They are sent on a long journey with Rudra as a gift for the legendary emperor Ashoka. Jimuta realizes he is being used by powerful men for mysterious purposes when, strangely, he is befriended by the wealthy merchant leading the caravan. At the same time his life is threatened by the brutal warrior The Mugger (“The Crocodile”), who orders him to report on his talks with the trader.

At the imperial capital, Jimuta is thrilled to be recruited by emperor Ashoka as a spy. But he finds he is unwittingly a key part of a plot to assassinate his new ruler.

Jimuta falls in love with the beautiful and talented young secret agent Renuka. He is tested to the utmost when she is taken hostage by The Mugger and the other plotters who will almost certainly kill her.

With the help of his giant elephant companion Rudra, Jimuta finds he is capable of a serious attempt to rescue Renuka. And he and Rudra rush to Ashoka’s aid when the emperor is surrounded by the enemy in battle