The Lewins visit Mysore, India, to be part of the centuries-old festival of Dasara and to watch elephant Balarama make his debut carrying the golden howdah in the grand finale parade of Dasara festivities.

One of the main topics of ancient Sanskrit literature and medieval literature from different parts of India are Rama and Krishna oriented themes. From Valmiki Ramayana in Sanskrit to Ramayana in different vernacular languages of Tamil, Telgu, Malayalam, Kannada, Assamese, Gujarati, Bengali, Odishi, Marathi and Hindi, all have proceeded from the rudimentary stage of local language literature to become Mahakavyas in their respective areas and reached every nook and corners of the region, galvanizing the minds and hearts of the populace. Although they have been composed in different periods and the poets and composers have a different style of presentation of their own, they acquired the status of original spokespersons of Ramayana in their respective regions. It is a fact that Indian languages and literature are enriched by the form, content, ideas and ideologies of the epics of yesteryears. After Rama became accepted as an incarnation of Vishnu and after the popularization of devotion of Rama in the fourteenth century, all literature was intertwined in the current of a feeling of love and devotion. This trend has been manifested in the work of Balarama Dasa, one of the doyens of litterateurs of medieval Odisha. He equated Rama with Lord Jagannath and named his version of Ramayana as Jagamohana Ramayana itself. He belonged to a group of litterateurs who were famous in the history of Odisha as Panchasakhas and were known for their sublimity, egalitarianism and intellectualism. It is always important to revisit the works of literature of different periods to find out about the state of mind of those writers and composers who generated their literary marvels to establish their views emphatically with a reformative approach. In Odisha, the Panchasakhas were the champions of liberty, fraternity and equality. Therefore, it is even more important to analyse their works again to escalate the idea of free thought and expression and rescue the gamut of their opinions and ideas from intellectual hibernation.

Balarama was not only Krishna's brother, he was his right-hand man. Together they made quite a team. Balarama's amazing strength and courage made dangerous demons like Dhenukasura and Pralamba look like weaklings. He even tamed the Yamuna river which had meandered away from Vrindavan and brought it bISBN: to the people who needed it.

Read this fascinating myth from India recounted in this fabulously produced book. From wise sages to demonic asuras, beautiful river deities to arrogant kings, wayward gods to brave princes, each e-singles edition brings alive these enchanting and magical stories from Indian mythology, beautifully retold by noted author Anita Nair. With stunning full-colour illustrations, this story recreates the fantastic world of gods and demons like never before.

Elephants have long been a part of India's culture, religion and the natural environment. Elephants are a "mammoth" presence in India's mythology, and folklore. The divinity in elephants is worshipped in the form of the elephant-headed god, Ganesha. However, it is also true that this gentle giant is now an endangered animal. "Balarama's Story" is the biography of an elephant that was uprooted from its natural home in the forest to later attain iconic status as a "royal elephant" in Dasara festival of the once Royal Mysore. Follow the tale of Balarama in this captivating narration, and learn about the private lives of elephants in the forest and why elephants matter to mankind!!!

Explores the significance of levity and humor in South Asian religious traditions.

For Comprehensive Study Of Hindu Iconography Minor Divinities Call For Special Attention. Balarama Is One Of Them. Though Accepted On All Hands As The Elder Brother Of Krsna And Sometimes As An Incarnation Of Visnu He Rarely Commands An Independent And Superior Status In Hindu Pantheon. He Finds Mention In The Epics And The Puranas And Is Very Much Known To The Jaina Works Also. In The Fields Of Numismatics And Plastic Art He Has Been Depicted Right From The Early Centuries Of The Pre-Christian Era. The Present Work Intends To Study The Different Iconographic Aspects Of This Minor But Important Deity.

Going beyond the standard depictions of Krishna in the epics, this book uses regional and vernacular sources to present a wide range of Krishna traditions.