Vaishali ki Nagarvadhu (Hindi:वैशाली की नगरवधू) (literally, Nagar Vadhu or royal city bride/courtesan of Vaishali) is a two-part Hindi novel by Acharya Chatursen Shastri, published in 1948-49.
It tells the story of Āmrapālī, also known as "Ambapālika" or "Ambapali", a celebrated nagarvadhu (royal courtesan) of the Republic of Vaishali in ancient India around 500 BC.
Vaishali was only a republican state at that time, where the people vote on every matter, and is described as incredibly rich and prosperous.
The book is set in a time of great socio-political turmoil, and Ambapali is at the centre of it all, both knowingly and unknowingly.
The book also explores the concepts of caste, gender, slavery, class, and the political systems of the era.