Mango trees are court witnesses Magical sticks identify thieves Birbal must take a trip to heaven The friendship between Emperor Akbar and his minister Birbal created history—and some delightful stories! The tales of Akbar and Birbal have been passed on from generation to generation, enthralling young and old listeners alike. This book brings together a selection of these stories, along with fascinating historical details about the Mughal court, the emperor and his witty courtier. With well-researched introductions to each aspect of Mughal life, Amita Sarin recreates Akbar’s court in all its grandeur and vitality. The stories in this collection are both amusing and thought-provoking, both historical and timeless.

Stories based on Akbar, Emperor of Hindustan, 1542-1605 and his courtsman Birbal, d. 1586.

Adaptation of Vālmīki's Rāmāyaṇa; for children.

Birbal, a real person with the name 'Maheshdas', was one of the 'nine gems' of court advisers of Akbar the Great. He also composed poetry by the pen name 'Brahma'. Birbal's fame had spread far and wide. As Akbar's favourite minister, he had an answer to every question and a solution to every problem. In fair tribute to his shrewdness, even the mighty Shah of Persia addressed Birbal as the "Ocean of Intelligence". Combining tact and common sense with a fair pinch of humour, he won his master's heart.

AKBAR BIRBAL STORIES (PB)

Akbar was one of the last rulers in India who ruled well over a large portion of India. It is said that he had 9 living gems in his court. Out of these 9 gems, two are the most well-known.Tansen, who is said to be one of the greatest singers ever to have lived, was one of these 9 living gems of Akbar's court.And the other one was the great Birbal. It is said that Birbal was among the smartest men in the kingdom of Akbar. He was wise and knew how to reply to any kind of question or to handle any difficult question. Soon, stories began to spread about the wisdom of Birbal. Many of these stories are often attributed to other wise legends like the great Tenali Raman or to Gonu Jha. How many of these stories are true and actually happened with Birbal or with Tenali or Gonu Jha? We don't know. Did any of these stories actually happen at all? We cannot be sure.But there is one thing that we can be sure of. These stories are interesting and entertain us. So, let's dive into these stories. Hope you enjoy them.

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.

Only Birbal could outwit Akbar and get away with it. A witty and wise diplomat, he ensured that both the emperor and the empire retained their greatness. This collection of tales highlighting Birbal's presence of mind, his kindness and his shrewdness guarantees a good laugh. At the same time, it divulges some useful tricks for overcoming sticky situations.