Deepti Kapoor’s novel Age of Vice takes its title from the Hindu term Kali Yuga. In Hindu scripture and mythology, humanity is destined to cycle repeatedly through four great eras, known as yugas. Opinions as to the length of a single cycle (Kalpa) vary greatly — from around four million to four billion years — suffice to say, essentially an immeasurably long time in human terms.

Each of the four yugas has a different character. The first of these, the Satya Yuga (the Age of Truth) is often described as humanity’s golden age, a period of "truth, virtue and righteousness." Also known as Krita Yuga, it’s considered the age of perfection, a time when all humankind lives in harmony with each other and with nature, and war does not exist. Every person is enlightened, and the majority of their time is spent in meditation. People are fearless and content, and have no sorrow or concern for material gain. During Satya Yuga, the Dharma bull, the Hindu...