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Jayadratha was a despicable man - vindictive, arrogant and selfish. In the Mahabharata battle, Jayadratha had shamelessly hidden himself away, for Arjuna had taken a terrible vow to put an end to his own life if he failed to kill the villain before sunset that day. With the wise Krishna by his side, would the mighty Arjuna fail to find his mark?

When Albert Einstein was a very young boy, his teachers and his father despaired about his apparent lack of interest in studies. To top it he had speech difficulties and was vague and inattentive. Albert hated the kind of rote learning he was obliged to do in school, memorizing dates and texts. But as he grew older, it became clear that Albert was no ordinary person. 1905 is often termed his 'miracle year', the year he published not one but four entirely new papers, on four completely different topics.

Every ruler needs a friend like Birbal - faithful, intelligent and blessed with a wonderful sense of humor. Birbal dealt with every tricky situation, every palace intrigue and every demand of his petulant queen with characteristic aplomb. His gentle tact gave him a unique advantage, he became the all-powerful Akbar's alter ego. With wisdom to match his wit, he soon had both friend and foe under his spell.

Abbakka, queen of Ullal, a small principality (in what is now South Karnataka), had made a pledge to her dying mother that she would avenge her defeat and humiliation at the hands of the Portuguese. Defying her over-cautious husband, the king of Bangadi and the under-confident nobles in her court, Rani Abbakka rallied her army to challenge the might of the Portuguese and wrest freedom for Ullal and later even for Mangalore.

King Udayana was a lucky man. He was handsome and strong and had the love of two beautiful princesses. He also had the undying loyalty of able ministers. They pulled every trick in the book to ensure that he overcame his enemies and won back, not only his vast kingdom, but the happiness he richly deserved.

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 valiant Odha, who she eventually falls deeply in love with.

The king of Vijayanagara, Vira Narasimha, was very ill. He was afraid that after his death, his much loved and popular brother, Krishnadeva Raya, would seize the throne from his little son. So he asked a trusted minister to put Krishnadeva to death. The conscience-stricken minister could not perform such a heinous deed and convinced the bewildered prince to escape. Fate had already decreed that Krishnadeva Raya would one day rule the Vijayanagara empire and take it to its zenith of glory.

A reputed national airline, world-renowned scientific and medical institutions, an industrial empire catering to a nation's needs from tea to trucks and from cosmetics to common salt, how did he achieve so much? With hard work, humility and value for tradition but also with an overwhelming desire for progress. Moreover, his spirit of adventure soared higher that the planes he so skilfully piloted.

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.