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Kannagi
Life is unfair: the virtuous Kannagi deserves a loving husband, but selfish beauties and foolish kings combine to rob her of happiness. Her patience snaps, eventually. Pure in her love, this gentle woman is transformed into an avenging angel, raining death and doom on all her foes, until the gods are forced to intervene. Ilango Adigal's Tamil classic, Shilappadikaram presents life with all its flaws but also with hope.
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Maarthaanda Varma
The old Maharaja of Travancore grew frail and there was talk of who should succeed him. By matrilineal tradition his nephew, Maarthaanda Varma, was the heir. But councilors were plotting to break with custom and install the Maharaja's gullible son on the throne. The best way to get rid of Maarthaanda, they decided, was to kill him. The story of Maarthanda's escape and his coronation has been adapted from the novel Maarthaandavarma by C.V. Raman Pillai, one of the great Malayalam writers. In Maarthaandavarma, he writes a historical romance about an actual Maharaja of Travancore. Historically, Maarthaanda Varma is still remembered for uniting the kingdom of Travancore and providing it with a just and strong government.
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Shakuntala..
Shakuntala was the daughter of a nymph and a sage who abandoned her in the woods. Sage Kanva brought her up. King Dushyanta on a visit to the hermitage was struck with Shakuntala's beauty and they got married in a non-traditional ceremony. The king eventually returned back, leaving with Shakuntala a ring that carried his seal. After a when she came to live with the king, he did not remember anything about her and asked for proof of their being together. Shakuntala had lost the ring and could not produce any proof. So rejected by the king, she was carried away by her mother. The ring was one day found by a fisherman and produced before the king, this brought back his memory of Shakuntala and he longed to meet her. One day, on the way back from a great battle victory Dushyanta visited the sage Maricha's hermitage where Shakuntala and her son Bharata were living. Many were the signs by which the king recognized Bharata as his son. He asked Shakuntala for forgiveness and took both of them with him. Later, Bharata became an illustrious king and it is said that India's name "Bhaarata" is formed to mean 'the land of Bharata'. This story from Mahabharata provided the plot for a renowned play by the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa of the 5th century. The play was translated into English by William Jones at the end of the 18th century. It won praise from the German poet Goethe then and has been widely translated and read worldwide.
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Kadambari
Kadambari is one of the best known Sanskrit romantic novels. It was written by Banabhatta, the court poet of King Harshavardhana, in the early 7th Century AD. It is said that after Banabhatta died, leaving the long text unfinished, his son Bhushanabhatta completed it. The original has a hugely complex plot, with Kadambari herself appearing only half-way through. The story is a popular one, a version can be found in the Kathasaritsagara, amongst many other ancient favorites. It continues to be translated into various Indian languages. Kadambari is often said to be one of the first novels and the word kadambari has come to mean a novel in many Indian languages today.
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The Fool's Disciples
Laugh your head off at the unbelievably foolish antics of paramartha and his disciples but you'll find, surprisingly, that you are always on their side. Their kindly, simple ways have had a fan following since the 17th century, when the tales were concocted by an Italian priest who settled in Madurai. In this Tamil work, the author hits upon a happy combination of sound advice and rollicking humor.
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Birbal The Witty
Birbal, a real person with the name 'Maheshdas', was one of the 'nine gems' of court advisers of Akbar the Great. He also composed poetry by the pen name 'Brahma'. Birbal's fame had spread far and wide. As Akbar's favorite minister, he had an answer to every question and a solution to every problem. In fair tribute to his shrewdness, even the mighty Shah of Persia addressed Birbal as the "Ocean of Intelligence". Combining tact and common sense with a fair pinch of humor, he won his master's heart.
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Raman of Tenali..
When the king saw a strapping lad astride the aged shoulders of his guru, he knew something was amiss. Soon he realized that, if young Raman was around, it was best to expect the unexpected. This village bumpkin was no fool, even the fiery goddess Kali had given in to his wiles. Wheeding his way into the mighty Vijayanagara court, it was but a short step into the heart of King Krishnadeva Raya, who welcomed a laugh or two to lighten his busy day.
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The Magic Grove
The snake which took refuge from snake charmers in Vidyutprabha's lap was actually a divine being. The grateful deity granted the young girl a boon. She would always have a shady grove filled with fruit-laden trees protecting her and her cattle from the b
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The Adventures of Baddu and Chhotu
Baddu and Chhotu were friends but they did not trust each other. So when they set off to seek their fortune together each one was bent upon outsmarting the other, be it in trying to get the more easy-going job or acquiring a pot of gold. A popular folktale from Bengal, this story is part of our oral tradition of story-telling.
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The Jackal and the Wardrum
A hungry jackal finds food when he overcomes fear. A curious monkey meddles with something that does not concern him and comes to a sticky end. Philosophy, psychology, politics and human relations become simple enough to be understood by a child in Pandit Vishnu Sharma's brilliant work, the Panchatantra. Written and compiled in around 200 BC, every story is as relevant today as it was in ancient times.
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Stories of Courage
There is strength in numbers, says a wise pig. Being honest and selfless can change your destiny, says a young fawn. A friend is your most precious possession, advises a gentle crab, while loyalty is a noble swan's prized virtue. But it is courage that really helps these exceptional creatures gain freedom and respect.
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The Inimitable Birbal
Only Birbal could outwit Akbar and get away with it. A witty and wise diplomat, he ensured that both the emperor and the empire retained their greatness. This collection of tales highlighting Birbal's presence of mind, his kindness and his shrewdness guarantees a good laugh. At the same time, it divulges some useful tricks for overcoming sticky situations.
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Two Oxen-Stories By Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand was an iconic writer, best known for his short stories. Through his tales, he managed to depict social conditions in a manner so emotional and direct, that they are relevant even today. 'Budhi Kaki' talks of the necessity for caring for the elderly, while 'Two Oxen' shows us why we need to be compassionate towards all creatures. In 'Stories by Premchand', we retell these two stories in a graphic form, while retaining the language and flavor of his writing.
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Birbal The Genius
It takes a wise man to recognize another's wisdom. While Akbar's courtiers were jealous of Birbal, the emperor was quick to notice his agile mind. The two men loathed hypocrisy and deceit and they also shared the complete delight in a good joke.
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Jamsetji Tata
They said Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata turned mud into gold or was it skilful management, clear thinking and honesty that did the trick? He had an uncanny knack for recognizing a good business opportunity and a selfless will to improve the lot of his countrymen. Thus a little known Zoroastrian family became the foremost business house in India's industrial history.
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Jagadis Chandra Bose
Jagdis Chandra Bose was the first Indian scientist in modern times to have won international recognition. Gifted with a mind that was at once inquisitive and discerning, Bose wondered about the how and why of things from a very young age. His contribution to the world of science was invaluable. As the 1945 edition of 'Encyclopedia Britannica' wrote: "His work was so much in advance of his time that its precise evaluation was not possible."
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Jawaharlal Nehru
From his father he learned social etiquette from his mother, India's age-old philosophy and culture. From his Muslim mentor he learned to respect different faiths and from his English tutor the best of Western and Indian thought. But none of them could have molded the young Jawaharlal Nehru into the fiercely idealistic Indian so famous throughout the world today, that distinction he achieved by his own intelligence, keen observation and hard work.
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Ekanath
He rejected formal education and yet began a world-famous university. His poems were mocked for their colloquial language but they were adopted as anthems by two countries. Bengali society despaired of him until he was awarded the coveted Nobel Prize for Literature and a knighthood! Rabindranath Tagore, whose multi-faceted life was as fascinating as it is inspiring, lives on in his books, his music and his thought-provoking, unconventional ideals.
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Ghanshamdas Birla
Ghanshyamdas Birla was a great son of India. There is hardly an aspect of national life which he did not enrich by his business acumen, patriotic fervor and philanthropy born of his deep personal attachment to Mahatma Gandhi. He gave substantial financial aid to the Mahatma's constructive programmes. Ghanshyamdas Birla was also closely associated with other important leaders of his time, such as Lokamanya Tilak, Motilal Nehru, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru.
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Rabindranath Tagore
He rejected formal education and yet began a world-famous university. His poems were mocked for their colloquial language but they were adopted as anthems by two countries. Bengali society despaired of him until he was awarded the coveted Nobel Prize for Literature and a knighthood! Rabindranath Tagore, whose multi-faceted life was as fascinating as it is inspiring, lives on in his books, his music and his thought-provoking, unconventional ideals.
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Vivekananda
He revived the Indian spirit that lay shackled by Western domination. He inspired his countrymen to be proud of their heritage. He urged them to be fearless. In his short life and in the face of tremendous odds, he initiated a world-wide movement to uplift the human race and opened the eyes of the West to the wonders of ancient Indian thought.
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Hanuman to the Rescue..
Rama was frantic. His beloved brother lay dying and the only cure was tucked away on a forested mountainside far, far to the north. Big-hearted Hanuman could not bear to see their pain. He swelled into a giant, he flew, he battled deadly crocodiles and murderous ogre, he pitted his wits against powerful gods, all to deliver the precious medicinal plant, sanjeevani, before it was too late. He brought the entire mountain to rest at Rama's feet!
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Thanjavur.
Legend has it that the ancient town of Thanjavur came up on the spot where Vishnu defeated an evil demon. The mighty Cholas made it their capital in the 9th century CE, following which they increased, through conquests, the size and strength of their empire. Finally, after realizing all his military ambitions, the Chola monarch Raja Raja Chola I decided to build a great temple in Thanjavur dedicated to Lord Shiva. Thus Thanjavur became home to the majestic Brihadeeswara temple and many other shrines. Amar Chitra Katha tells the stories surrounding this ancient town and its monuments.