Mandala is a novel about an Indian prince, Jagat, who loses his titles and most of his wealth in India's political upheaval. Though Jagat is no longer the Maharana, he is still driven by the responsibility he feels to the people his family has ruled for so many generations.

Jagat and his wife, Moti, make over their home, a ghost-ridden lake palace, into a luxury hotel. Extrasensory perception, reincarnation, mysticism and spirits are very real and a part of their daily lives.

An American woman, and English priest, an American businessman and an old servant, Rodriguez, exemplify the tension between the New and Ancient India. The attraction between East and West play out in a love affair with an American. Jagat's daughter, Veera, ponders refusing an arranged marriage, and is torn between tradition and emancipation.