Author: Anant Pai
Publisher: India Book House
Year: 1972/88
Language: English
Pages: 130
ISBN/UPC (if available): N/A
Description
This set of 4 picture books includes following titles:
Vol. 1: Birbal the Genius
Though popularly known as Birbal, his real name was Maheshdas. He was a good administrator, a good soldier, and perhaps what pleased Akbar the most - a good jester. Less known is the fact that he was also a good poet. He wrote under the pen name, Brahma and a collection of his poems is preserved in the Bharatpur Museum.
Vol. 2: Nala and Damayanti
Nala was brave, handsome and skilled in the use of arms and the management of horses. Damayanti, the only daughter of the King of Vidarbha was beautiful and accomplished. When Nala heard of her beauty he began pinning for her. A swan did the delicate job of conveying his love to his beloved remarkably well.
Vol. 3: Buddha
Hinduism, like any other living religion, produced its share of free thinkers. Prince Siddharta who became Gautama the Buddha was the most noteworthy of them all. He refused to subscribe to the caste system, which had ceased to be Dharma and had become a tool of oppression.
He set out alone to seek the ultimate truth. His search led him to the enlightenment that liberated him as he pondered under a Bodhi tree. Today, he has followers all over the world, but the largest number is concentrated in the far-eastern countries.
Vol. 4: Panchatantra: The Dullard and Other Stories
The Panchatantra, written by Vishnu Sharma, is perhaps the best known collection of tales from ancient India. There are several versions of it. One of them, by Vasubhaga Bhatta, is lost. Fortunately the Karnataka Panchatantram, in Kannada, by Durgasimha (12th century) is available. It contains over twenty tales not found in Vishnu Sharma's Panchatantra.
This picture book of Amar Chitra Katha is based on stories from Durgasimha's Panchatantra.