From fierce women warriors to never-told-before stories behind your greatest epics, we are bringing to you some eternal tales to introduce the next generation of readers to!
Scroll down for stories of EPIC proportions!
The Puffin Mahabharata
by Namita Gokhale
‘A long, long time ago, in the ancient lands of India, known in those days as Bharatvarsha, a family quarrel grew into a bloody war. There had been wars before, and there have been wars since, but that mighty battle between warring cousins of the Kuru clan has become a part of the mythology and history of India. Told and retold a million times, the story of the Mahabharata is about defeat as much as victory, about humility as much as courage. It is the greatest story ever told.’
Like a modern-day suta or storyteller, Namita Gokhale brings alive India’s richest literary treasure with disarming ease and simplicity.
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The Serpent’s Revenge: Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata
by Sudha Murty
How many names does Arjuna have?
Why was Yama cursed?
What lesson did a little mongoose teach Yudhisthira?
Award-winning author Sudha Murty reintroduces the fascinating world of India’s greatest epic through the extraordinary tales in this collection, each of which is sure to fill you with a sense of wonder and bewilderment.
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The Man from the Egg: Unusual Tales about the Trinity
by Sudha Murty
Did you know that Brahma once had five faces?
Why do snakes have a forked tongue?
Do gods cheat?
Why does Shiva sport a crescent moon on his head?
Sudha Murty walks by your side, weaving enchanting tales of the three most powerful gods from the ancient world. Each story will take you back to a magical time when people could teleport, animals could fly and reincarnation was simply a fact of life.
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Two-Epics-in-One (The Girl Who Chose and The Boys Who Fought)
by Devdutt Pattanaik
What were Sita’s choices?
What was the outcome of the fight of the five brothers against a hundred princes?
A tale told two thousand years ago, of Ram and Ravan-the sun-prince of Ayodhya who follows the family rules and the king of Lanka who had little respect for others’ choices-is one that has been reinterpreted in myriads of ways, exalting the virtues of the princes. Few notice, however, that the story is actually lead by the girl who chose, Sita.
The other is the tale of the five Pandavas and their cousins, the hundred Kauravas, who threw out the family morals. Instead of taking care of their five orphaned cousins, the princes burnt their house, abused their wife and stole their kingdom. This is the saga of the boys who fought not for revenge but for dharma.
The country’s favourite mythologist, Devdutt Pattanaik, empowers and entertains with a double bill of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata for a whole new generation of readers!
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The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology
by Sudha Murty
Did you know that the Trinity often turned to goddesses to defeat the asuras?
Did you know that the first clone in the world was created by a woman?
The women in Indian mythology might be fewer in number, but their stories of strength and mystery in the pages of ancient texts and epics are many. They slayed demons and protected their devotees fiercely. From Parvati to Ashokasundari and from Bhamati to Mandodari, this collection features enchanting and fearless women who frequently led wars on behalf of the gods, were the backbone of their families and makers of their own destinies.
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The Upside-Down King: Unusual Tales about Rama and Krishna
by Sudha Murty
Did you know there was a time when bears spoke, the moon laughed and babies were found inside fish?
Have you heard of the two-horned sage who had never seen a woman in his life?
Did you know Ravana’s half-brother was the god of wealth?
Have you ever seen a man with a thousand arms?
The tales in this collection surround the two most popular avatars of Lord Vishnu-Rama and Krishna-and their lineage. Countless stories about the two abound, yet most are simply disappearing from the hearts and minds of the present generation.
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