The Vault of Vishnu

The Vault of Vishnu is Ashwin Sanghi's 2020 historical-mythological thriller and one of his Bharat books. It threads two timelines: the seventh-century world of the Chinese pilgrim-monk Xuanzang and the South Indian Pallava dynasty's links to Cambodia and China, and a contemporary story of military operations and espionage along the Indo-China frontier.

The modern plot follows Wing Commander Paramjit Khurana and the reclusive scientist Dr. Raja Rao, whose research into ancient human engineering makes him a target. As agents converge and a young investigator races the clock, Sanghi's trademark mix of temple history, geopolitics, and speculative science drives the balance of power toward a single hidden secret.

Fans of code-and-conspiracy thrillers rooted in Indian and Asian history will find a dual-timeline adventure that spans ancient pilgrimage routes and present-day border tensions.