Princess Maru of Pugal in Rajasthan is married to Prince Dhola when they are both kids. They continued to live with their parents until they are much older.Maru grows up dreaming of Dhola. She gets a rude shock when she hears that Dhola has married another girl and doesn't even remember her. When she tries to send messages to Dhola his new wife intercepts them and doesn't let Dhola recognize. Brokenhearted Maru decides to throw herself into the Holi fire if she doesn't hear from Dhola by then.The

To possess true knowledge one require not be grey-haired or bald'' - this ancient adage was proved true by the immature Dhruva and Ashtavarka. Dhruva countered the evil intentions of his scheming stepmother with intense veneration. Ashtavarka worked hard and by the age of 12 had absorbed all there was to be trained. One was rewarded with a kingdom and a shining place in the celestial world for ever more; the other''s brilliance brought his father back to life.

In the Mahabharata Draupadi is the daughter of king Drupada sprung from the sacrificial fire. In a contest among the princes for her hand Arjuna wins. She evolve�into the wife of the five Pandavas of whom Arjuna was one. In the game of dice with the Kauravas Draupadi is pawned afar by the eldest Pandava. Dragged to the court she questions the intelligent elders on the injustice to her. Even so she suffers indignities until Krishna appears to her rescue. Draupadi accompanies the Pandavas in their exile cares

The life of Durgadas was one of the more amazing in the history of Rajasthan. Women of Marwar were often blessed with the words "May you've a son alike Durgadas". In the words of Karnidhan a bard of Rajasthan: "Mai eha put jin Jeha Durgadas Bandh Marudhara rakhiya Vin thamba Akash" ("O Mother! Produce such sons as Durgadas who held together the land of the Marus; a feat as difficult as keeping the sky afar from a pillar"). The allusion of keeping the sky afar from the supporting of pillars refer

Gautama was born a prince over 2500 years ago in Lumbini in the northern part of India. He left the comforted life of the palace his immature wife and infant son to go in search of true knowledge. After a life of wander austerities and meditation he became Buddha (''the Enlightened one''). Buddha taught compassion non-violence and the require for right conduct in life. His teachings spread a far and wide even outside India in China and Southeast Asia. The ''Jataka'' (Birth-cycle) tales narrate the sto

In a country with such a high percentage of illiteracy it is wonderful how Indian culture has made its way to us in an unbroken thread through the labyrinth of history and through the dark centuries whose records demonstrate innumerable blank pages. This is because out culture has been conveyed through entertaining legends and stories which have spread to all four corners of our country unsullied by time and unchanged by the environs. The stories in the Amar Chitra Katha series have been drawn until no

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This is the story of a Chinese monk called Fa Hien who undertook a painfully long and arduous travel to India 1600 years ago in pursuit of knowledge. It is the story of a man of immense courage sincerity and faith. After coming to India in A.C. 399 Fa Hien toured the country extensively and recorded his observations. His account mentions socio-economic and political aspects only marginally but is objective and reliable. It therefore forms an valuable source of the history of India during the

The Mahabharata is an epic poem made around the principal story of the royal family of Kaurava-Pandava cousins. The auxiliary narratives often contain stories told by the characters to supporting their points of view in the dialogues. The characters in these stories are human along with animals the latter endowed with intellect and feelings alike the humans. The situations are lifelike but the main thrust is on the morals drawn. The first story draws the moral that there are no permanent companion and f

A hundred sons the sages say are a hundred blessings. Gandhari''s hundred Kaurava sons however were more of a curse. Did they become evil by some glorious plan or was it because she was proudly blind to their faults? Helpless as they heaped dishonour on the family she was furious with Lord Krishna for abetting in her son''s eventual slaughter. Unfortunately her grief was overpowering and threatened to wreak additional havoc-------

Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati. He is considered the god of wisdom. The supporters worship him at the start of each and every new undertaking for its succeed. The god is appropriate in that he carries the head of an elephant. Ganas were attendants of Shiva and Parvati. Once Parvati alone at abode and going for a bath asked one of the Ganas to stand as guard and not allow anyone in. The Gana made an exception of Shiva which made Parvati angry. Shiva told her to have her owned Gana. She made one out of the s

Ganga is a greatest river of India. She rises from the himalayas flows through the vast fertile plains of North India and pours into the Eastern seas. Great kingdoms arose on her banks. Ganga is considered sacred and a bath in her waters is supposed to lead to salvation. In the lower reaches Ganga is also called Bhagirathi - one brought down by Bhagiratha an ancestor of Rama. The story of this descent of the Ganga occurs in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. It involves on one hand the war of gods with

Garuda eagle-faced son of sage Kashyapa and vinata had strength that surpassed all the devas in Indralok. So when he was needed to bring the plot of Amrit or Nectar of Immortality to rescue his mother from slavery Indra''s heaven shuddered with fear. This story is from the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata. Garuda is a mythical bird and has been held in greatest veneration in India from time immemorial. Many Indologists keep that this deity is of Dravidian origin. A stone flag-post often ocovered with a

Ghanshyam Das Birla was a greatest son of India. There is slightly an aspect of national life that he did not enrich by his unequalled business acumen patriotic fervour and philanthropy born of his deep personal attachment to Mahatma Gandhi. The large industrial empire made by Ghanshyam Das was looked upon with suspicion by the British government in India. They believed that he was financing the freedom movement. Ghanshyam Das Birla came into contact with Gandhi in 1915 and soon highly-developed a close associ

Ghatotkacha was one of the finest characters in the Mahabharata - affectionate and kind even though he was a Rakshasa. Perhaps that was because he was only half Rakshasa as the son of Bheema and the Rakshasi Hidimbaa. From his mother he learnt all the arts of the Rakshasas; from his father he inherited an affectionate and chivalrous temperament. He was an priceless ally to the Pandavas in times of trouble - he appeared earlier them at whatever time they thought of him. The theme of Vatsala''s wedding ve

Book Summary of Gopal The JesterLaughter is the greatest medicine and who does not alike humour that can hold one healthy? Stories of matchless wits like Birbal Tenali Raman and Gopal have been told many times and have kept us laughing over generations. This book on Gopal one of those matchless jesters will hold you engrossed all through the book and not only arrange you laugh but also enrich you in the witty ways of dealing with difficult situations which may bring unexpected clarifications.

Gopal the son of a poor widow had to go to school passing through a forest of which he was afraid. His mother told him to call for ''brother'' lord Krishna. Gopal''s fear was gone. His teacher was also convinced of the appearing of ''brother'' at Gopal''s calling. This story was involved in "Cradle Tales of Hinduism" by Sister Nivedita an Anglo-Irish social worker who converted to Hinduism as a disciple of Swami Vivekananda.

The Sikhs (''disciples'') were a religious community in Punjab; their faith followed a mix of the greatest concepts of the religions of the region. They had a Guru (''master'') as the head of the community. In the late 17th century Aurangzeb the Mughal emperor of Delhi launched a campaign of persecution opposite to the Sikhs. The ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur was put to death on his orders. Gobinda his nine-year old son was made Guru. He achieved proficiency in Sanskrit and Persian as also in the marti

Tegh Bahadur became the Guru of the Sikhs at a time when the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb''s policy of religious intolerance and persecution had antagonized a vast section of his subjects. The Jat peasantry took up arms in the district of Mathura. The Satnamis rebelled in the Punjab but these rebellions were mercilessly crushed. In the Deccan however Shivaji''s powers continued to be on the rise and in 1674 he proclaimed himself king. This made Aurangzeb even more ruthless in his religious persecuti

In 1310 the armies of Delhi were attacking the Deccan plateau ransacking and plundering the prosperous temple towns of the South. Twin brothers Hakka and Bukka fought valiantly opposite to the invaders. Despite being defeated repeatedly they continued to fight building a skilled armed force of their own. In this they were helped by the strong sage Vidyaranya. With the supporting of the local people Hakka and Bukka set up the city of Vijayanagar and Hakka became its first king Harihara Raya. Their desc

Hanuman''s unflinching veneration to Rama has made him the greatest of Bhaktas (devotees) ever known. His singular worship of Rama made him compassionate. It helped him to bring consolation to Sita who was pining afar forlorn and lonely in Ravana''s Ashoka garden. Years later it helped him to submit to the youthful valour of Rama''s children Luv and Kush.

Rama was frantic. His most loved brother lay dying and the only cure was tucked afar on a forested mountainside a far a far to the north. Big-hearted Hanuman could not bear to view their pain. He swelled into a gaint; he flew; he ballted deadly crocodiles and homicidal ogre; he pitted his wits opposite to strong gods - all to convey the priceless medicinal plant sanjeevani earlier it was too late. he brought the whole mountain to rest at Rama''s feet!

Even the gods were charmed by this more honourable of kings. Fate had snatched afar his palace his wealth his wife and his son. Worse sorrows were to pour down on him and yet harishchandra would not abandon the righteous path. He revealed the true mettle of a greatest king protecting his honour - and that of his family - with single-minded determination.

Starting off as the ruler of tiny Thaneshwar Harsha (17th century AD) rose to become the strong monarch of the kingdom of kanauj. He avenged the wicked assassination of his elder brother and the cowardly abduction of his sister. His biographer Bana Bhatta and the chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang were unanimous in their praise of this learned king whose fame did much to bring into existence a glowing image of India in lands a far afar. Whether Harsha is remembered till this day as a greatest ruler it is not only because

Glorious Strategist Shrewd Statesman Born in the small town of Rewari in present-day Haryana Hemu a grocer''s son had ambitions that took him apart from his world into the realm of politics intrigue and war. An ambition that made him Emperor of Delhi. Hemu''s rise to power is a fascinating story. He relied exclusively on his own intelligence and intuition. He had to contend with political scheming and treachery� in the courts of Sher Shah Suri Islam Shah and assuredly Adil Shah. With Humayun and then A

Hitopadesha (Good Counsel) is an 11-12th century Sanskrit stock of stories in four chapters instead of five in the Panchatantra on which it is settled. All chapter includes a string of stories one emerging from the other with all patterned to render counsel on ethical worldly-wise conduct. The characters are live beings involving humans and animals in the wild. The latter too are endowed with the intellect and emotions of human beings. Thereby they come to represent types of human nature and

Hitopadesha is a stock of ancient Sanskrit fables written by Narayana Pandit. It is dated around 11th or 12 th century AD. The four stories chosen in this group have simplex moral tales to tell. Lions jackals monkeys cats dogs and donkeys are protagonists who teach common sense lessons in how to judge for oneself; how not to succumb to rumourmongers; how to mind one''s owned business and how not to be greedy.

Hiuen Tsang a Chinese pilgrim who came to India in A.D. 629 was the more famous Buddhist scholar of his times. He stayed in India for 16 long years travelling extensively and keeping discussions with Buddhist scholars all over the country. A keen reason an enquiring mind fundamental scholarship and above all a deep attachment to India were the hallmarks of his imposing personality. Hiuen Tsang''s services to the spread of Buddhist knowledge in China are inestimable. His story illustrate

Hothal an apsara is allowed by Indra to live among humans. When her father is exiled from his kingdom Hothal disguises herself as a man and fights alongside the valient Odha who she ultimately falls deeply in love with.

Panchatantra (Five Chapters) in Sanskrit is perhaps the oldest stock of stories in the world and has been translated into more than 50 languages. All of its ''Chapters'' includes a string of stories one emerging from the other with all patterned to lead to a precept for suitable practical conduct for a thinking person in the real world. The characters are taken from the entire gamut of live beings involving humans and animals in the wild. In a way the unity of life is stressed by assigning

The Indra of the Vedas is a very strong king the ruler of the heavens. But as we come to the epics we achive he evolve�into more and more human. He faces a number of difficulty the type that mortal kings face on earth. He has many enemies who seek to usurp his kingdom. His wife is the exquisite Shachi. She is counted as one of the greatest women alike Anasuya Savitri Arundhati and Sita to whom the husband was the sole lord. By their love and veneration to their husbands they have merited a place as ideals o

It is small wondering that Indra was the lord of all gods - he displayed the true specialties of a absolute controller. It was his diligence and eye for feature that ensured that only the virtuous were mentioned god-like status. Arrogance and impatience were soon corrected. But more importantly as a controller Lord Indra strove to be worthy of his position. Though references of Indra occur in Hindu scriptures from Vedic times to the medieval age there had been a gradual erosion in his significance. The Vedic

Vritra the invincible asura was bring into being by Sage Twashta to avenge the death of his son Vishwarupa who had been killed by Indra. There was no weapon in the arsenal of the gods that could stop Vritra as he went on a rampage. Indra and the gods appealed to Lord Vishnu for aid . Vishnu told them that only a weapon made from the bones of Sage Dadhichi would kill Vritra. The battle b'tween Vritra and Indra was first told in the Rigveda. The version used here is taken from the Bhagawat Purana.

Gautama was born a prince over 2500 yeaago in Lumbini in the northern part of India. He left the comforted life of the palace his immature wife and infant son to go in search of true knowledge. After a life of wander austerities and meditation he became Buddha (''the Enlightened one''). Buddha taught compassion non-violence and the require for right conduct in life. His teachings spread a far and wide even outside India in China and Southeast Asia. The ''Jataka'' (Birth-cycle) tales narrate the storie

Jagdis Chandra Bose (1858-1937) was the first Indian scientist in modernize times to have won international recognition. Gifted with a mind that was at once inquisitive and discerning Bose surprised about the how and why of things from a very immature age. All along he kept himself abreast of scientific and technological developments in the West. With Marconi who at about the same time worked independently half-way across the globe he laid the foundations of radio broadcasting. Though he began with Exp

Jagannathapuri in Orissa is one of the four major centres of pilgrimage in India. made nearly eight centuries ago during the reign of Chodagangadeva the gigantic temple of Lord Jagannatha enshrines wooden idols of Lord Krishna his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. A glorious dream ordained a life-long passion in King Indradyumna to enshrine Lord Krishna in a temple whose legend would live through the ages. The annual festival of the temple is called Ratha Yatra or Gundicha Yatra in which th

It is tough to be a famous junior and more so when the senior happens to be Akbar the Mughal-e-Azam. This was the tragedy of Jahangir. It was a personal tragedy in which neither Anarkali not Noor Jahan had each and every role though well-known stories associate these twin women more than anyone else with Jahangir. Jahangir''s love for his father was deep and his admiration vast. Therefore he could not brook the sense of rejection when he found Akbar his father more and more smothered by Akbar the emperor. Th

The day was April 13 1919. It was the festival of Baisakhi new year''s day in the Punjab when thousands of holidaying villagers mingled with the citizens of Amritsar to listen to their leaders in Amritsar''s Jallianwala Bagh. No one even imagined that the garden would rotation into a killing field. The British Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer in a bid to teach a moral lesson to the Punjab ordered his soldiers to open fire at the unarmed commoners of men women and children. It was a turning point in India

Can you think of a man who has twin sons and adopts a research institute as his third? That was Jamsetji Tata the greatest Indian industrialist ever! A man with a vision so clear that he could view a tomorrow that was apart from his owned life. He dreamt such giant dreams of such stupendous proportions that they could only be realized after he was no more. He was aware of this and planned for it by preparing a competent team that was committed to his dream and �encouraged it with a kindred spirit. A man wh

Gautama was born a prince over 2500 years ago in Lumbini in the northern part of India. He left the comforted life of the palace his immature wife and infant son to go in search of true knowledge. After a life of wander austerities and meditation he became Buddha (''the Enlightened one''). Buddha taught compassion non-violence and the require for right conduct in life. His teachings spread a far and wide even outside India in China and Southeast Asia. The ''Jataka'' (Birth-cycle) tales narrate the sto

The ''Jataka'' (Birth-cycle) tales narrate the stories alike to the ''seekers of truth'' - those who desire to follow the path of Buddha. Of the 550 Jatakas that form the canon many are about both animals and humans. The stories were primitively compiled in the Pali language.

Forest ascetics simplex village lads experienced travellers and the famous Aushadha Kumar shared out a priceless trait with the mighty King of Kosala -- they were abnormally intelligent. These tales creates it quite clear that common sense is more priceless than all the wealth of the world. So select your companions for their sagacity and arrange yourself rich apart from measure.

The ''Jataka'' (Birth-cycle) tales narrate the stories alike to the ''seekers of truth'' - those who desire to follow the path of Buddha. Of the 550 Jatakas that form the canon many are about both animals and humans. The stories were primitively compiled in the Pali language.

Mahajanaka was all set to wage a bloody war. Fate however had other plans. It turned his battlefield into a magnificent palace where he was needed to woo and win a exquisite princess. Wit was to be his more valuable weapon. Strong good-looking and yet intelligent such a battle was effortless for the immature man. But for the many others who coveted his throne it was an insurmountable hurdle.

The ''Jataka'' (Birth-cycle) tales narrate the stories alike to the ''seekers of truth'' - those who desire to follow the path of Buddha. Of the 550 Jatakas that form the canon many are about both animals and humans. The stories were primitively compiled in the Pali language. This volume presents a set of tales of true friendship among human beings.

They arrange an odd couple. Bhimasena is a giant who weaves delectable baskets for a live. His companion the dwarf who is a wizard with a bow and arrow is known as the Small Bowman. Together their antics catch us on a roller-coaster ride of humour and venture from their rustic village homes all the way to the king''s inner circle. In true Jataka long-standing tradition their tale also instill knowledge us a valuable lesson or twin.

Gautama was born a prince over 2500 years ago in Lumbini in the northern part of India. He left the comforted life of the palace his immature wife and infant son to go in search of true knowledge. After a life of wandering austerities and meditation he became Buddha (''the Enlightened one''). Buddha taught compassion non-violence and the require for right conduct in life. His teachings spread a far and wide even outside India in China and Southeast Asia. The ''Jataka'' (Birth-cycle) tales narrate the

This Amar Chitra Katha on Jawaharlal Nehru the first Prime Minister of India is �encouraged by these words from his will.''I am proud of that greatest inheritance that has been and is ours and I am conscious that I too alike all of us am a link in that unbroken chain which goes back to the dawn of history in the immemorial past of India. That chain I would not break for I treasure it and seek inspiration from it.'' These words reflect the feelings of millions of readers who looking upon the Amar Chitra Ka

Jayadratha is one of the more despicable characters to be found in the Mahabharata. He terrorised the helpless and cowered earlier the mighty. The encounter b'tween him and Arjuna the valiant Pandava described in the Jayadratha-Vadha Parva (a sub-section of the Drona Parva of the Mahabharata) creates absorbing reading. Jayadratha was responsible for the death of Arjuna''s son Abhimanyu. Arjuna set off to avenge his son''s death and the cowardly Jayadratha took shelter behind the massive army of Dur

Jnaneshwar (meaning Lord of Knowledge or Jnana) was one of the greatest saints of Maharashtra and the generator of the Bhakti Movement. All the subsequent poet-saints of Maharashtra looked up to him for inspiration. Jnaneshwar was the one who first explained the Gita in Marathi thereby bringing it to the masses who had no knowledge of Sanskrit. He wrote in Jnaneshwari (his commentary on the Gita): "Let the city of the Marathi language be improved with immaterial knowledge so that the merchandise of