Amar Chitra Katha

From imitating animal sounds to igniting a fire with his song, Tansen's genius was unmatched. His voice was so much in demand that wily patrons used it to gain political advantage. Such a talent could win loyal friends and a beautiful wife, but it could also make others viciously jealous. In Emperor Akbar's court, he was a jewel more precious than the diamonds and pearls that were showered on him and he remains to this day a shining symbol of classical Indian music.

Blind and preposterously ugly, Andhaka's life was yet filled with love. Then Lord Brahma gave him eyes and beauty and he became a proud tyrant who refused to see the truth. But Andhaka was the son of Shiva, after all and even Indra, Vishnu and Brahma wished him no harm. Eventually, it was Shiva's firm hand that led him back to happiness.

He was not from a royal family but his vision and ambition set him far above the ordinary. Farid, who was later known as Sher Shah, was the son of an Afghan estate owner of Sasaram. Discriminated by his stepmother he sought refuge with the governor of Jaunpur. From there it was a long and rough ride for the brave young man but he pursued his dream and not only did he become the ruler of Bihar, he also defeated the Mughal forces of Humayun and went on to become the Emperor of Hindustan.

Rogues and scoundrels were forced to tread carefully, even the exalted emperor was not spared when he erred, for Birbal, Akbar's able minister, was at hand to dispense justice. His methods might have been unorthodox, he once summoned a tree as the key witness in a case but he never failed to get the desired results.

The Gita or The Bhagavad Gita is a philosophical exposition that was presented by Lord Krishna. It is in the form of a dialogue between Krishna and his close friend Arjuna. This conversation took place in the middle of a battlefield with the two sides arrayed for war. The Gita (Amar Chitra Katha) is a comic book presentation of the work and is at an introductory level appropriate for younger readers. Amar Chitra Katha is a popular comic book series in India, and it mainly presents tales from Indian epics, the Puranas, and classical works. The Gita (Amar Chitra Katha) presents the profound philosophy of the Bhagawad Gita at a basic level for young readers.

Such was his mastery over Sanskrit that the Sanskrit College of Kolkata conferred the title 'Vidyasagar' on its young student. Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820-1891) went on to become the principal of the same college. As Inspector of schools, he established several schools in Bengal, particularly for girls. He simplified Bengali to make it easy for the common man. He is thus regarded as the Father of modern Bengali prose. A gentle crusader, he championed the cause of women. Through his efforts widow remarriage was legalized and restrictions were placed on child marriages and bigamy that were then widely prevalent.

Rich or poor, old or young, Maryada Rama was fair to all. Though it wasn't always easy to figure who was right and who was wrong, Maryada Rama always found a way. No wonder the king bestowed on the young man the title of City Judge and yet Maryada Rama had had the courage to criticize his king face to face.

His wisdom and scholarship were like the sun, bringing light to the world. When Hiuen Tsang, the learned pilgrim from China, made the perilous journey to the land of Buddha, his prayers were said to work miracles. From Turfan to Bamiyan and from Gandhara to Prayag, hostile rulers and merciless thieves were rendered powerless by his calm courage. His accounts bring 7th-century India to life even today.

Ajatashatru is ridden with guilt. What does a king do when, in a moment of misguided ambition, he orders the death of his own father? Ajatashatru wages war on his neighbours with brilliant new machines, expands his realm to make it a powerful empire and founds the new capital city of Pataliputra (modern Patna). But try as he might, he cannot shed his feelings of remorse and sorrow, until Gautam Buddha shows him the way.

King Shrenika was given a necklace of precious stones by a deva for his good deeds. The deva also told him that if the necklace broke the person who repaired it would die. It happened as the king feared. The necklace broke and Queen Chellana, who was wearing it, insisted that it be repaired. Would anyone string the stones, even for a big reward and risk death and if there was such a man, would the king honor his promise and give the reward to his heirs? This Jain story is based on a retelling of tales from the Agamas (Jain texts) by Muni Mahendrakumar.

Chandra Shekhar was only a little boy when he ran away to Bombay in search of adventure. Little did he know how much he would get involved in the country's freedom struggle. Those were the days when the non-cooperation movement had gathered immense momentum and it was in Varanasi that Chandra Shekhar first confronted British authority. After that there was no looking back. Assuming the surname 'Azad' he and his band of revolutionaries did much to awaken in the Indian people the desire for freedom. Martyred at the age of 25, Chandra Shekhar Azad has left an indelible mark on the history of Indian Independence.

Chokha was a young boy when he first heard the call of the Lord. But all attempts to enter temples were thwarted by those who only saw him as a Mahar, an untouchable. However, Chokha's devotion was such that his heart became a temple and he sang with purity and complete faith. Chokha Mela's Abhangs or verses echo to this day around the temples of Maharashtra.

A jealous brother robbed him of his kingdom, his own courage won it back. Chandragupta Vikramaditya has a special place in history because he proved that the love of power is not all that is needed to create an empire. Also needed are the love of a wise woman and good, old-fashioned honor.

No one dared challenge the might of King Rama of Ayodhya. Famous for his valor and skill as a warrior, he confidently set out to become the King of the World. But then, his force came up against two little boys roaming the forest wilds. Luv and Kush laughed at Rama's powerful weapons and knocked his seasoned generals off their war chariots. Little did the king realize that this young duo could effortlessly capture his soldiers as well as his heart.

The word Upanishad literally means 'sit down near' for the student had to sit close to the teacher to receive instructions. Perhaps, what brought the two still closer were the stories the Guru narrated. These stories provided a meaningful context for the topics under discussion. They also demonstrate that in those days knowledge was not the monopoly of any select group. Thus Janashruti, the ruler of the land, approaches the cart driver Raikva, with humility, to seek the highest truth.

Princess Maru of Pugal, in Rajasthan is married to Prince Dhola when they are both infants. 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 does not even remember her. When she tries to send messages to Dhola, his new wife intercepts them and does not let Dhola know. Heartbroken, Maru decides to throw herself into the Holi fire, if she does not hear from Dhola by then. The romance of Dhola and Maru is hugely popular in Rajasthan. This, Amar Chitra Katha version, has been taken from a popular ballad.

When Vishnu returned to Vaikuntha after his Krishna avatar, Brahma, the creator, began to worry about the earth. Without Vishnu, he was afraid, chaos would ensue. So he and his son Narada, the wandering sage, set in motion a plan to get Vishnu to return to earth. A talking anthill, an arrogant sage, an irate cowherd and even the asura king Ravana, each have their parts to play in these stories that describe the founding of the Venkateshwara temple at Tirupati. Set amongst the lovely Tirumala hills, this temple to Lord Vishnu, is one of the most beautiful temples in the world. It is said that more than 50,000 people visit this shrine every day, to pray to Venkateshwara to wash away their sins.

Kalidas owes his fame to his Sanskrit play Abhijnana-Shakuntala (Shakuntala Recognized by the Token Ring), the long epic poem Kumara-Sambhava (Birth of Kumara) and the lyric poem Meghaduta (Cloud Messenger). Kalidasa, who lived some time in the middle of the 4th and early 5th centuries A.D., has left no account of his life. According to popular legend, he owed his ingenuity as much to Goddess Kali's blessings as to his own talents.

The 'Jamini Bharata' is attributed to a disciple of Vyasa, Jaimini, who is also said to be the founder of the Purvamimamsa philosophy. The book is a treasure house of stories of the devotees of Lord Vishnu. Through each story the author seeks to prove that God does not forsake him who has implicit faith. The repeated attempts on the life of innocent Chandrahasa not only failed to materialize but also finally boomeranged on the villain himself because of Chandrahasa's implicit faith in the Lord.

Victory for Mewari! His father's last words seemed to spur the young ruler on to ever greater feats. His success on the battlefield raised Rajput pride as high as the magnificent tower at Chittor, which he completed in 1448. Tirelessly subduing mighty sultans as well as sly traitors, Rana Kumbha ensured that his name was inscribed as one of the land's most worthy sons.

Dutiful son, doting father, capable general, wise ruler, Bimbisara had earned the right to grow old in peace but his son had other plans for him. Through his darkest hours Bimbisara was sustained by the gentle teachings of his royal-born friend Gautama Buddha, who had renounced his own kingdom. Bimbisara, on the other hand, spent a lifetime building his kingdom of Magadha around present-day Bihar. We get a glimpse of the life and times of this great king, who lived nearly 2500 years ago, in the Buddhist and Jain literature of the period.

Tanaji Malasure was only a boy when he took an oath to support his friend, Shivaji, in fighting the Mughals. Along with their small band of faithful followers they became a thorn in the side of the Emperor Aurangzeb as they conquered fort after fort. Tanaji's prowess was tested when he was entrusted with the near impossible task of capturing Kondana Fort. The present story is based on Shivasmruti by G.S. Sardesai and Shivaji the Maratha - His Life and Times by Sir H.G. Rawlinson.

Bhujyu, the prince of Tugra, was shipwrecked and afloat in a treacherous sea. Sage Atri and his sons were doomed to certain death in a deep pit. Both were staunch devotees of the Ashwins, twins deities next in importance to Indra, Agni and Soma. They appealed to them for help and were not disappointed. The two stories in the Amar Chitra katha are developed solely from the Vedas.

The spices of India can take credit for inspiring some of the greatest maritime expeditions in the world. In a bid to find the sea route to India, European explorers like Bartholomew Diaz, Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama braved uncharted seas, discovered new lands and earned fame and glory for themselves. But for India, the opening of the trade route was both a blessing and a curse.

Telugu, a vibrant language even in medieval times, produced the distinguished poet Manchana. His stories are all delightful lessons in wisdom. Some teach us the value of honor while others tell us that might is not always right. We see a tiny rat outwitting a venomous serpent and then an old turtle saving his friends from a greedy eagle.

Jaichand was furious! His daughter Samyogita had eloped with Prithviraj Chauhan, the warrior king of Delhi. She, like many others, was smitten by tales of his daring, his nobility and his sense of honor. Though the young couple's happiness was doomed, even in his dying hour, it was the brave Prithviraj who chose how his life should end.

This simple Bengali folktale, illustrating the power of faith, was passed down from teacher to disciple from Sri Ramakrishna to Swami Vivekananda and from him to Sister Nivedita, who recounted it in 'Cradle Tales of Hinduism'. Little Gopal is afraid to walk alone through the forest to school. His mother tells him, "Call out to your cowherd brother. He will come and protect you". When Gopal calls out, to his delight, a cowherd with dancing eyes appears and escorts him to school.

Only Sati could fulfill Shiva's exacting demands. As his companion she could match his ascetic ways as well as be a loving wife. Unfortunately, her happiness was overshadowed by an arrogant father. Sati countered Daksha's insensitivity with an immense, horrific sacrifice, which threw the universe into chaos and turmoil. As the heroine of this primeval romantic story she embodies the essence of a perfect spouse.

Even as a child he was known for his honesty and upright behavior. Ram Shastri started his life as a servant in a rich household. However, his determination to learn the scriptures caught the attention of the resident priest. It was a long and arduous journey but hard work and determination took him to the position of Chief Justice under the Peshwas of Maharashtra. Respected by his peers, Ram Shastri's sense of justice and fair play, at a time when corruption and nepotism held sway, earned him the love and loyalty of the people.

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.