Gidh is the Urdu word for a vulture and Raja is a Hindi synonym for king.

In fact, parallel to the main plot of the novel, an allegorical story of such a kingdom is narrated.

The metaphor of the vulture as an animal feeding mostly on the carcasses of dead animals is employed to portray the trespassing of ethical limits imposed by the society or by religion.

[citation needed][2] The novel was first published in 1981 and such has been its popularity that on average, "a new edition has come out every year".

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