Ramayana Tales

This is an authentic retelling of Valmiki' s great epic Ramayana that chronicles Lord Rama' s heroism, and Sita' s grit and devotion. Flying chariots, magical weapons and a raging battlefield are brought to life in this timeless retelling by Shubha Vilas that will take young readers on an enchanting adventure, and also impart important values. Filled with vibrant illustrations by award-winning illustrator Ishan, this book is a lucid narration of the triumph of good over evil.

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The magical story of how Ganesh, the son of Shiva and Parvati, was brought back to life with the head of an elephant • The story of one of the most beloved characters in Indian lore, made accessible for Western children • Illustrated throughout with paintings from the classic Indian tradition Any Indian child can tell you how the beloved god Ganesh got his elephant’s head--now American children can know as well. For centuries Indian children have grown up hearing Ganesh’s story--how his mother, Parvati (an incarnation of the great mother goddess), created a small boy from sandalwood soap and commanded that he guard the palace against all intruders while she took her bath. How her husband, Shiva (the fearsome god of destruction), didn’t take kindly to being barred from his own home. How Shiva beheaded the boy during the cosmic war that followed, but then, when he realized that the balance of the entire universe was at stake, brought the boy back to life by grafting an elephant’s head onto his body and made him the people’s intercessor against the powers of destruction. Ganesh’s timeless story teaches children about the steadfast power of dedication to duty, the awe-inspiring power of a mother’s love for her child, and the gentle power of compassion, which holds the world together. Accompanied by rich, color illustrations prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon, How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom.

Fresh perspectives on the classic Indiana epic.

Ramayana, meaning Rama's travels is one of the greatest epics of all times. Packed with action and romance, this 4,000 year old story of

The Book Consists Of Papers Presented At The International Seminar On ýVariations In Ramayana In Asia: Their Cultural, Social And Anthropological Significance: New Delhi 1981.

Ramayana is one of the most popular epics in the world, having been translated into various languages. It is a tale of Ram, the prince of Ayodhya, who was banished to the forest for 14 years. To honour his father's word, he agreed to be exiled without any murmur or rancour. In the forest, Ram, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshman met saints, new friends and strange foes. Each day brought new adventures. But their spartan, yet happy life was spoilt when Ravan of Lanka, the king of demons, abducted Sita. To rescue her, Ram enlisted the help of the vanar sena (monkey army) of Hanuman. In that battle many heroes died and new ones had come alive. The book Ramayana Tales for Children is a compilation of 40 one-page stories for children. Language used is plain and simple. Each story unfolds the way original epic proceeds. Long details have been dispensed with while retaining the essence that children can easily grasp. The stories come with realistic caricature based illustrations to retain interest of young readers. In this vividly told vibrant version for children, the ancient epic unfolds many unpredictable twists and turns. The traditional ingredients are all there - adventure and excitement, love and war and an infinite number of stories within stories, as are the traditional characters - monkeys, who cross a sea to lay floating bridge and also carry on their finger life-giving herbs found only on a mountain, besides shape-changing demons and monsters of many varieties. The epic has been rendered traditional and contemporary by the freshness and vitality of the author J.M.Mehta and exuberant illustrations that retain the interest of children till the last.