'To possess true knowledge one need not be grey-haired or bald' - this ancient adage was proved true by the young Dhruva and Ashtavakra. Dhruv countered the evil intentions of his scheming stepmother with intense devotion. Ashtavakra worked hard and ...........

Bhujyu, the prince of Tugra, was shipwrecked and afloat in a treacherous sea. Sage Atri and his sons were doomed to certain death in a deep pit. Both were staunch devotees of the Ashwins, twin dieties next in importance only to Indra, Agni and Soma. ...........

Aruni was willing to give up his life for his Guru; Uttanka cast aside his dreams for his teacher. Young or old, their devotion and obedience were almost superhuman. Luckily, as described in the Mahabharata, the gods looked kindly on them. After all,...........

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 ...........

Chandrahasa was born a prince but fate had decreed that he became an orphan and live on the streets. However, he had one great strength, his faith in Vishnu. Repeated attempts on his life by the wicked Dushtabuddhi failed and eventually the young pri...........

With Shiva and Vishnu as parents, a child's life is bound to be unusual. Ayyappan's courage is unlimited and his wisdom unmatched. Vicious tigresses fall under his spell just as avenging demons succumb to his divine strength. But, as he ascends to hi...........

Even though Nahusha, the son of king Ayus and Queen Indumati, was spirited away at birth to be killed by the demon, Hunda, he lived on to achieve immortality. Married to Ashokasundari, the beautiful daughter of Shiva and Parvati, he was elected to be...........

The word Upanishad literally means 'sit down near' for the student had to sit close to the teacher to receive instructions. Perhaps, what brought the two still closure were the stories the Guru narrated. These stories demonstrate that in those days k...........

Tanaji Malasure was only a boy when he took an oath to support his friend, Shivaji, in fighting the Mughals. Along with their small band of faithful followers they became a thorn in the side of the Emperor Aurangazeb as they conquered fort after fort...........

Dismissed as short and ugly by Sultan Iltutmish, Balban the slave from Turkistan was determined to make his master sit up and take note of him.And that he did. With his shrewd intelligence Balban took the steps that carried him from the position of w...........

Arul Mozhi Varman was the younger son of the king of Thanjavur. Quiet, firm and dependable he won the heart of every person he met. However, his hot-headed brother who was heir to the throne. But no one could stand in the way what destiny had in stor...........

Dutiful son, doting father, capable general, wise ruler - Bimbisara had earned the right to grow old in peace; but his son had other plans for him. Through his darkest hours Bimbisara was sustained by the gentle teachings of his royal-born friend Gau...........

A power-hungry warrior and a peace-loving wife - could they ever tread together on the path of non-violence? Ashoka waged war after ruthless war, yet by the time his children grew up, he proudly saw them off as Buddhist missionaries. Read about the c...........

Malharrao Holkar of Malwa, in Central India, was so impressed by the religious devotion and regal bearing of eight-year-old Ahilya, that he decided to make her his daughter-in-law. A decision he never regretted. Malharrao trained the young girl in t...........

She ruled over a small kingdom, but dreamt of freedom for the whole country. In the Great Revolt of 1857, Lakshmi bai, the Rani of Jhansi, matched wits and force with the best of British generals. The image of the brave Rani of Jhansi charging her st...........

Balarama Varma, the Maharaja of Tranvancore, 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 lead a rebellion and overthrew t...........

Unconventional clothes and bobbed hair were not the only indications of Kalpana's zest for life - this spirited young girl from Karnal wanted to fly! Her intelligence was multi-faceted, her talents varied and her interests inspiring. The path she cha...........

When a tiger attacked Jatin Mukherji, his friends felt sorry for the tiger! The animal was killed and Jatin spent only a short time in hospital recuperating from his wounds. The young man went on to display grit and determination to combat the worst ...........

India did not win her freedom from the British without courageously fighting for it. This struggle for independence triggered off when the sepoys of the Native Infantry Regiment in Barrackpore protested against the cartridges that were greased with c...........

Lal Bahadur Shastri may have been small in size but he had an immense vision. Determined to build a new India, he took on every challenge with a cheerful smileand a humble heart. Years of hard work took their toll, however. In her moment of Triumph, ...........

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 c...........

Even the gods were charmed by this most honourable 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 Harishchandra would not abandon the righteous path. He revealed the true ...........

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 ...........

'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it' --this clarion call was given by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. He was a towering figure in the Indian Independence movement. A nationalist to the core, he believed strongly that modern education would inculcate pa...........

From a helpful fox to a lazy crow, from an invisible monster to a man who sold his cow to a chameleon, there are many interesting tales in the rich oral traditions of the Siddi, Ahirani and Nahali communities. Like all ancient cultures, stories for...........