Showing Books By Genre : Kids

Velu Thampi

It was a time of corruption and despotism in the state of Travancore. Balarama Varma, the Maharaja, was a helpless teenager who watched his Diwan take advantage of his inexperience to impose crushing taxes on the people and pocket the money himself. It was Velu Thampi who led a rebellion and overthrew the Diwan. The grateful Maharaja proclaimed him the Diwan and the people enjoyed a period of justice and firm administration. But then a greater foe awaited Velu Thampi, the British East India Company, which had begun to interfere with the internal affairs of Travancore.

Veer Savarkar..

This Amar Chitra Katha highlights the life of revolutionaries who were exiled to the dreaded cellular prison on Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. Many went insane and a few committed suicide, but Veer Savarkar refused to be daunted. He valiantly continued the fight for human dignity and freedom, even in prison. What was the secret of Savarkar's strength? He was utterly confident that India would achieve freedom. That conviction gave him hope and courage to overcome depression and keep fighting wherever he was, inside the prison or outside.

Krishnadeva Raya

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.

Sher Shah..

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 against 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.

Harsha..

Starting off as the ruler of tiny Thaneshwar, Harsha (17th century AD) rose to become the powerful monarch of the kingdom of kanauj. He avenged the wicked assassination of his elder brother and the cowardly abduction of his sister. His biographer Bana Bhatta and the chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang were unanimous in their praise of this learned king, whose fame did much to create a glowing image of India in lands far away. If Harsha is remembered till this day as a great ruler, it is not only because he was a brave military leader, but also because he was a man of noble impulse, a great patron of learning and letters and he had great scholars like Banabhatta, Mayura and Divakara in his court. Harsha came to occupy the throne of Thaneshwar at a very critical moment in its history. The neighbouring kingdom, Kannauj, ruled by Harsha's brother-in-law, had been overrun. Harsha not only surmounted these difficulties, but also raised the small kingdom of Thaneshwar into the most powerful kingdom of Northern India. Banabhatta's 'Harshacharita' gives a detailed account of Harsha's life till he rescues Rajyashri. We know more about political and economic conditions of his times from the account of Hiuen Tsang, who visited India during his reign.

Akbar..

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'.

Rani Abbakka..

The Pandava Princes

Wise Yudhishthira, strong Bheema, skilful Arjuna, brave Nakula and Sahadeva - five exceptionally talented brothers whose youthful exuberance made their Kaurava cousins very jealous. Things only got worse when Duryodhana found that everyone wanted Yudhishthira as king. It was their courage and skill that helped the Pandava princes survive several murderous plots and as a bonus, they won themselves wonderful wives!

Tirupati..

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.

Rama..

Rama was happy living in the forest with his wife and brother. Palace intrigue may have forced his exile, but the next fourteen years promised to be quite pleasant. Suddenly, this idyllic life was thrown into turmoil. His beloved wife Sita was kidnapped! With unmatched skill as a warrior, Rama destroyed the ten-headed Ravana and along the way, he won a host of very grateful friends.

Shiva Parvati

A powerful demon threatens the gods in their heaven. They need a savior, who, Lord Brahma decrees, will be the son born to Shiva and Parvati. But Shiva, a badly-dressed, untidy, solitary ascetic, seems to enjoy bachelorhood. Even Parvati's unmatched beauty aided by Kama, the god of love, seems unequal to the task of enchanting the stern lord. This illustrated classic is based on Kumara Sambhava of Kalidasa.

Vaishno Devi..

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.

Hanuman

Krishna

Throwing his aged father into prison, Kamsa occupied the throne of Mathura. Commanding a formidable army he thought he was unstoppable. The threat to his power came from an unexpected quarter, from a cowherd boy who was rumored to be his cousin Devaki's eighth child, Krishna. Moreover, there was a divine prophecy that Kamsa would meet his end at the hands of the eighth child of Devaki.

Krishna And Rukmini..

The beautiful Princess Rukmini, they said, was the goddess of wealth herself. No wonder kings and emperors wanted her as a wife. Her brother Rukma wanted her to marry Shishupala for political expediency. But Rukmini had set her heart on the valiant Krishna, the prince who was Lord Vishnu himself. Now, Krishna had to whisk her away from under the noses of his enemies. Would his prowess be equal to his love and would Rukmini win the happiness for which she had prayed?

Tales of Durga

Goddess Durga is the fierce form of Devi who, as Shakti, is considered the personification of Universal energy. According to the Devi Bhagavata, the universe is but her manifestation. The worship of Durga is believed to be more than 4,000 years old in India.

Dhruva and Ashtavakra

To possess true knowledge, one need not be grey-haired or bald, this ancient adage was proved true by the young Dhruva and Ashtavarka. Dhruva countered the evil intentions of his scheming stepmother with intense devotion. Ashtavarka worked hard and by the age of 12 had absorbed all there was to learn. One was rewarded with a kingdom and a shining place in the celestial world for ever more, the other's brilliance brought his father back to life.

The Mouse Merchant

Dick Whittington, three times the Lord Mayor of London, owed his fortune to a cat. In this endearing Jataka tale, which preceded the popular English folktale by more than a thousand years, the hero owes his fortune to a mouse! Meet the most successful entrepreneur of the Jataka period, the Mouse Merchant.

The Deadly Feast

Even wily parrots risk their lives for the gentle Aushadha Kumar, a shining example of right thinking and right living described in the Buddhist Jataka tales. Scheming rivals, foolish rulers and wicked courtiers leave him undaunted. He can organize king Vaideha's security, a network of spies and a royal wedding with equal flair. So, when a deadly plot is revealed, it is Aushadha who swings into action.

Dhola and Maru

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.

Birbal the Clever

Birbal had proved himself to be the most reliable minister at court, time and again. He dispensed justice, dealt diplomatically with other rulers, led military expeditions and composed poetry. In addition, he also rescued Akbar from the dangers of arrogance and unfettered power. Most importantly, he made the Great Mughal laugh.

The Prince and the Magician

When seven brave warriors go missing and a beautiful princess is transformed into a dog, the twelve-year-old prince, Balaraju, swears to punish the culprit. His weapons, single-minded courage and an unfailing charm, seem puny against the spells of a powerful magician. All the same, the wise young lad's mission is brilliantly successful and he also finds he can cast a few useful spells of his own. An adaptation of a popular folktale from Andhra Pradesh.

Crows and Owls

How The Jackal Ate The Elephant

In Vishnu Sharma's famous Panchatantra tales, animals talk and act like humans. A wily jackal or a deceiving donkey, an impetuous frog-king or an arrogant lion often mirror our everyday world. Through these tales the master storyteller reveals the secret of living life wisely yet happily to generations of readers all over the world.