Amar Chitra Katha

Sage Narada symbolizes unqualified devotion to Lord Vishnu, also known as Narayana. He is inseparable from his veena and has the name of Lord Narayana always on his lips. In the Puranic stories, it is Narada who puts the lord's devotees to test. But when he himself is put to test will the celestial sage emerge victorious?

He outwitted the Vindhya mountain when, in its pride, it tried to obstruct the natural path of the sun. He drank all the waters of the ocean to expose the wicked Kalkeyas, who hid there after challenging the Gods to battle. Agastya is the most well-known among the Saptarshi. His stories are found not just in the Vedas but are scattered through the Brahmanas and the Puranas as well. These stories are known not only in India but are also a part of S.E. Asian mythology.

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.

Luck seemed to favor Arjuna. The Pandava was not only handsome and skilled but also a brave warrior. He won the hand of a beautiful princess but a past encounter with the mysterious Naga princess, Uloopi, remained with him like an enchanting dream. On that occasion, he had saved her life. Would she now work her charms to bring him back from the dead?

Ganesha revered in India as the remover of obstacles is first and foremost an obedient son. Standing guard at his mother's door, this son of Parvati refuses to let anyone through. Even Lord Shiva is denied entry! This confrontation between father and son has one beneficial outcome, the emergence of Ganesha, the elephant headed god of wisdom.

Descended from the house of Timur and Genghis Khan, Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur founded the Mughal dynasty in India. Babur lived for most of his early life as an exile in and around his homeland in Central Asia. Declared ruler of Farghana at the age of 12, the young boy had to contend with treacherous uncles, tyrant neighbors and rebellious generals. But he dealt with all of them even while moving towards his historic tryst with India.

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.

The story of Roopmati, the princess of Dharampuri and Baz Bahadur, the Sultan of Mandu, is one of India's greatest love stories. From the day of their fateful meeting with the sultan, the princess loved no one else, sacrificing all just to be one with him. Defying every norm she married him. But their happiness was short lived. The Mughal Emperor Akbar wanted Mandu and commanded his general, Adham Khan to march on it.

The only way Kumbhakarna could be kept out of mischief was to make him sleep twenty-four hours a day! Nothing would rouse this hulking ogre, not the trumpeting and trampling of elephants, not the deafening din of drums and certainly not a rain of rocks. But when the aroma of fresh cooking wafted across his nose, he was up in a trice! However, that mightiest of warriors, Rama of Ayodhya, was lying in wait.

Vali's days were numbered. Brave enough to confront the most vicious of demons and strong enough to destroy them every time, he unfortunately could not conquer his own pride. Foolishly, he turned his adoring brother, Sugreeva, into a mortal enemy and drove him to take the help of that supreme warrior, the mighty Lord Rama.

Bhanumati is the granddaughter of Krishna. One day, wandering in the forest, she runs into Sage Durvasa. Known for his short temper, Durvasa curses her to be abducted by a demon. Though Durvasa regrets his words, a curse once made cannot be taken back. When Bhanumati is older, the curse comes true and a powerful demon named, Nikumbha, carries her off. He turns her and himself invisible so they cannot be followed. Now Krishna, Arjuna and Pradyumna must find and defeat Nikumbha and rescue Bhanumati.

The jackal has a bad reputation in the animal world. Devious, selfish, dishonest and boastful, his aspirations are high but his talents few. He seldom repays a favor. Should such a creature be tolerated? Only so long as he uses his cunning for the good of the community, says the wisdom of these Jataka tales which were written as early as the period between 3rd century BC and 5th century AD.

King Indradyumna of Utkal had only one wish - to be able to build a temple that would be the most beautiful in the world. His quest was for the image of the blue-colored Krishna or Nilamadhav. The king came very close to achieving his goal but his pride and arrogance snatched it away from him leaving him groping once more in the dark. Contained in this Amar Chitra Katha is the legend behind the temple of Jagannathapuri in Orissa and the images enshrined in it.

The Emperor Akbar wanted to honor him but for the poet Tulsidas no honor was greater than telling the story of Lord Rama to ordinary people in a language they understood. His rendition of Valmiki's Ramayana in Awadhi, a dialect of Hindi, was different from its Sanskrit original in many ways but such was its popularity that even today every village and town in the Hindi heartland has a troupe that enacts the story of Rama based on Tulsidas' work.

How important is a guest who visits one's home? What could be more important than achieving knowledge through meditation? These tales taken from the Mahabharata tell of age old values that emphasize the divine status of a guest and the importance of dharma or duty above all else and teaching these lessons are simple creatures like a mongoose, a crane and a pigeon.

Bhoodevi, the earth, was being ravaged by evil asuras. She turned to the gods for aid but even the powerful trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, were helpless. Concerned by the events, their consorts, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati combined their powers and created Vaishnavi, a woman of unsurpassed strength. Vaishnavi fought and destroyed the asuras but the goddesses asked her to stay on and not return to heaven. Though Vaishnavi did not realize it, her story was only just beginning. Amar Chitra Katha tells the story of Vaishnavi's transformation into the meditating goddess, Vaishno Devi, whose abode in the Himalayas is visited by millions of pilgrims every year.

The heroes of these tales value their friends, their families and their honor. They are brave and selfless. Though each one of them is a bird they are almost always exceptionally wise, at times cunning and often blessed with a sense of humor, just the sort of role models people need to survive the workaday world.

He was a child, who only wanted to ride elephants and hunt tigers. Crowned emperor of Hindustan at the age of 13, he was mature enough to choose his friends carefully. Enemies and dangerous courtiers, on the other hand, were dispatched mercilessly. For his courage and generosity, his love of the arts and universal justice, history gave Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar an enduring label - 'Akbar the Great'.

Sudama's gift was small and inexpensive, but Krishna found it priceless as it came with selfless love. Krishna, who had both wealth and fame at his command, received it with pure joy. Life had taken the two friends on different paths and Sudama was now painfully poor. Their affection overcame all differences, however. A simple meal became equal to a luxurious feast and magically turned a poor hut into a mansion of gold.

Vritra, the invincible asura, was created 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 help. Vishnu told them that only a weapon made from the bones of Sage Dadhichi would kill Vritra. The battle between Vritra and Indra was first told in the Rigveda. The version used here is taken from the Bhagawat Purana.

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!

When his rakshasa army was destroyed in the battle against Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, Ravana, the Lord of Lanka, called for his son Mahiravana, a powerful magician. Would he succeed in killing the noble Rama and Lakshmana? Not while Hanuman was around, for this faithful friend had a trick or two of his own. The Bengali "Krittivasa Ramayana" written by poet Krittivasa in the 15th century describes how Hanuman manages to get around the wily sorcerer's schemes.

Vishnu, they say, is just one of a powerful threesome - the highest lords of the universe. However, though Brahma created the universe and Shiva can destroy it, it is up to the great god Vishnu to keep all creatures within well and happy. Always compassionate, he is also the wisest of the trio. It is he who good-naturedly sorts out the mess the others create and best of all, Vishnu always favors goodness and honesty.

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 required to woo and win, a beautiful princess. Wit was to be his most valuable weapon. Strong, handsome and yet wise, such a battle was easy for the young man. But for the many others who coveted his throne, it was an insurmountable hurdle.

Shishupala's mother was shocked when she came to know that her child was destined to be killed by Krishna. She extracted a promise from him that he would forgive Shishupala a hundred offences. As he grew up Shishupala had enough reasons to be angry with Krishna. Especially after he was jilted by Princess Rukmini, in favor of the merry-eyed cowherd. He provoked Krishna repeatedly and was forgiven a hundred times and then one day Shishupala committed his hundred and first offence.

This dark beauty was no ordinary woman. Born from the pure flames of a sacred fire, Draupadi was devoted wife to the five famously talented and virtuous Pandava brothers. The evil Kauravas wanted her for themselves and eyed the Pandava kingdom as well. Raging at their impertinence and ranting at her husbands' helplessness, Draupadi inspired a deadly war which wiped out the Kaurava scourge for ever.

Even the merciless Lord Yama is charmed by Savitri. This gentle, beautiful princess is admired by gods and kings, the rich and the poor, the young and the old. But when the shadow of death hangs over her husband she is filled with courage spurred by her selfless love for him. She strives for a miracle, with amazing success!

When Drona went to his childhood friend, Drupada, to remind him of his promise of eternal friendship made long ago, Drupada rebuked him and spurned him. Burning with anger and humiliation, Drona was filled with a desire for revenge. That was the only tragic flaw in a brave and supremely talented archer who taught the use of arms to the Kaurava and the Pandava princes.

Even the gods were charmed by this most honorable of kings. Fate had snatched away his palace, his wealth, his wife and his son. Worse sorrows were to pour down on him and yet Harischandra would not abandon the righteous path. He revealed the true mettle of a great king, protecting his honor and that of his family, with single-minded determination.

The world saw him as the son of a lowly charioteer, but Karna had the bearing of a prince. With his skill as a warrior, he could have re-written the tale of the Mahabharata. Fate, however, had other plans. This haunting tale of passion and loyalty presents the other side of the war and a hero as shining as the sun.