Melodramatic and steamy as an East Indian jungle, this erotic historical drama tells the lurid tale of betrayal and sexual intrigue to be found within the confines of a great Indian palace during the 16th century. The story centers upon the broken trust between a pair of lifelong friends, a princess and her servant girl. As they grew, Maya the servant became an extraordinary beauty and this roused the jealousy of Princess Tara. On the eve of Tara's marriage to King Raj Singh, Maya unwittingly bewitches the king with her feminine wiles and she ends up in his bedroom chamber, thereby ruining Tara's wedding night. Enraged, Tara calls Maya a whore and banishes her. While on the road, she encounters Jai, a royal sculptor who sees in her magnificent body, his magnum opus. She falls for him, and though he loves her, he turns away, fearful of the intensity of their bond. Thus spurned, Maya becomes a student of the Kama Sutra (the ancient manual of sexual practices) under the experienced hand of a prominent courtesan. This leads her back to the court of the king -- who remains intent on having Maya as one of his own possessions -- and right into the bosom of tragedy.