Arambha (English, Paperback, Buchi Ramagopal)

When Hakka and Bukka are taken prisoner by Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq in the battle at the Fort of Hosadurg in 1327, they begin to forge a relationship with their captor. Over time, Tughlaq installs Hakka as the Governor of Kampili, the kingdom where the brothers had initially been captured by the Sultan's army. Slowly, Hakka and Bukka break free of the Sultanate and begin to establish their influence in the South. Over forty years, they lay the foundation for the Vijayanagara Empire - an empire that would last for more than two and a half centuries. This is a story of skill and rapid conquest, as two brothers carve out an empire in the subcontinent. Most of all, it is a story of exceptional people who played a role in building this new entity - the Vijayanagara Empire.