Grahankal by Moitri Ray Moulik [Hardcover]

From Changhan (Shanghai) to Kashgar, almost sixty percent of the route is under the control of Chinese merchants. Along this route, silk threads travel across the Mediterranean to European markets. Only Chinese silk farmers know the technique of extracting threads from cocoons, and for commercial reasons, this secret is kept hidden from the outside world. This secrecy is surrounded by mystery and folklore. China’s society is devastated by foreign invasions, and the country’s defense system is weak. People are fleeing, losing their land and homes. In the northern Gobi Desert, an enterprising man is working to establish an independent nation. His methods of warfare do not align with those of any civilized country. To the so-called traditional and affluent nations, he is considered barbaric and devilish.

During this time, a group of ambitious youths from Hindustan, by buying silk from Chinese merchants in Kashgar and delivering it to the Greeks, quickly earns a large sum of money. Will this emerging middle merchant class along the silk route gain complete ownership of the magical threads? The story of a path, three countries, and four unlucky individuals encapsulates the essence of the 12th century Orient.