The flame-gatherers

The opening transports listeners to the sun‑kissed plains of Narmáda in the year 1205, where the mighty river glints beneath a plateau called Mandu. This ancient stronghold, reachable only by an age‑old stone causeway flanked by watchtowers, thrums with the quiet rhythm of harvest and the distant murmur of a kingdom’s daily life. As Brahmins, merchants, laborers and outcasts go about their work, the air is suddenly pierced by the frantic cries of birds and the thunder of hooves, hinting that an approaching army may shatter the fragile peace.

Amid the looming towers a lone fakir lights a ritual fire, his solitary flame a stark contrast to the looming threat. Two guards on the bridge spot the incoming riders and sound the alarm, their shouts echoing across the plains. The scene sets a vivid tapestry of history, landscape, and looming conflict, inviting listeners to step into a world where destiny hangs in the balance.