Six unforgettable stories of love and bravery, treachery and injustice, from ancient Indian literature Classical Sanskrit and Tamil writing teem with a myriad characters, and here we meet some truly memorable ones. This collection of six plays, poems and epics retold for children includes ‘Shakuntala’, a heartrending story of the love between the beautiful Shakuntala and King Dushyanta; ‘The Little Clay Cart’, where the evil designs of the king and his family are foiled by the righteous Charudatta and Vasantasena; ‘The Story of an Anklet’, about Kannagi, who wreaks a terrible revenge for the wrong done to her; ‘Manimekalai’, the extraordinary account of a woman’s search for her true calling; ‘The Last Trial of Sita’, in which the playwright gives a whole new ending to the Ramayana, and ‘The Broken Thigh’, about the final, desperate combat between Duryodhana and Bheema on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Accompanied by descriptions of the authors’ lives and the time when the stories were written, these lively retellings are an ideal introduction to some of the best-known stories from the Indian classics.

Shakuntala was the daughter of a nymph and a sage who abandoned her in the woods. Sage Kanva brought her up. King Dushyanta on a visit to the hermitage was struck with Shakuntala's beauty and they got married in a non-traditional ceremony. The king eventually returned back, leaving with Shakuntala a ring that carried his seal. After a when she came to live with the king, he did not remember anything about her and asked for proof of their being together. Shakuntala had lost the ring and could not produce any proof. So rejected by the king, she was carried away by her mother. The ring was one day found by a fisherman and produced before the king, this brought back his memory of Shakuntala and he longed to meet her. One day, on the way back from a great battle victory Dushyanta visited the sage Maricha's hermitage where Shakuntala and her son Bharata were living. Many were the signs by which the king recognized Bharata as his son. He asked Shakuntala for forgiveness and took both of them with him. Later, Bharata became an illustrious king and it is said that India's name "Bhaarata" is formed to mean 'the land of Bharata'. This story from Mahabharata provided the plot for a renowned play by the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa of the 5th century. The play was translated into English by William Jones at the end of the 18th century. It won praise from the German poet Goethe then and has been widely translated and read worldwide.

For all of India’s myths, stories and moral epics, Indian history remains a curiously unpeopled place. In Incarnations, Sunil Khilnani fills that space, recapturing the human dimension of how the world’s largest democracy came to be. His trenchant portraits of emperors, warriors, philosophers, film stars and corporate titans—some famous, some unjustly forgotten—bring feeling, wry humour and uncommon insight to dilemmas that extend from ancient times to our own.

In The Ring of Truth, Wendy Doniger expertly unfolds the cultural and historical significance of rings and other kinds of circular jewelry through timeless stories taken from mythology, religious traditions, and literature. Each chapter, like a separate charm on a charm bracelet, considers a different constellation of stories, linked by a common cluster of meanings: the mutual imitation of real and fake, legal and illegal, marital and extra-marital jewelry; the circular form of rings and bracelets, miming the circle of eternity, which persists in the face of human ephemera

Translations of Shakuntala and Other Works by Kalidasa: Translations of Shakuntala and Other Works introduces readers to the captivating world of classical Sanskrit literature through the works of Kalidasa, one of the greatest poets and playwrights of ancient India. The book presents English translations of Kalidasa's renowned works, offering a glimpse into the rich cultural and literary heritage of India. Key aspects of Translations of Shakuntala and Other Works: Literary Masterpieces: The book features translations of Kalidasa's most celebrated works, including the timeless play Shakuntala. Readers are immersed in the enchanting narratives, poetic language, and vivid imagery that characterize Kalidasa's writings. Cultural Significance: Kalidasa's works are not only literary treasures but also provide insights into the social, cultural, and philosophical aspects of ancient Indian society. The book offers readers a window into the traditions, beliefs, and values that shaped Indian civilization. Artistic Beauty: Kalidasa's poetic verses are known for their lyrical beauty and evocative descriptions. The translations capture the essence of his writings, allowing readers to appreciate the elegance and artistry of Kalidasa's words. Kalidasa: Kalidasa, an ancient Indian poet and playwright, is hailed as one of the greatest literary figures in Sanskrit literature. While little is known about his life, his works have had a profound influence on Indian literature and culture. Kalidasa's plays, such as Shakuntala and Meghaduta, showcased his mastery of poetic language, vivid imagery, and deep understanding of human emotions. His works continue to be celebrated for their artistic beauty, philosophical insights, and their portrayal of the complexities of love and the human experience. Kalidasa's contributions to classical Indian literature have earned him a revered status among poets and scholars alike.

This book chronicles the story of love which is considered an Indian creation. The first love story of the world was found in the Rig Veda and the first comprehensive work on love was written in India with Kamasutra becoming one of its offshoots. Love techniques were perfected over centuries and sculpted on the walls of temples of Khajuraho and Konarak. Since ancient times, rishis in India have believed that it was love which came first and then followed the world. The origin and evolution of love in India is traced by the author in an elaborate manner, providing invaluable insights which make this book a rare treasury in itself. The book draws from concrete sources including cave paintings, ancient archaeological findings and a mass of literature belonging to the Vedic and Buddhist eras to give a complete portrayal of love. Through love lyrics, humorous plays and erotic descriptions, Love in Ancient India takes you through a timeless saga of royalty and grandeur, beauty and infidelity, all of which are interspersed with the concept of the world’s most bewitching expression - love.

The figure of Sakuntala appears in many forms throughout South Asian literature, most famously in the Mahabharata and in Kalidisa's fourth-century Sanskrit play, Sakuntala and the Ring of Recollection. In these two texts, Sakuntala undergoes a critical transformation, relinquishing her assertiveness and autonomy to become the quintessentially submissive woman, revealing much about the performance of Hindu femininity that would come to dominate South Asian culture. Through a careful analysis of sections from Sakuntala and their various iterations in different contexts, Romila Thapar explores the interactions between literature and history, culture and gender, that frame the development of this canonical figure, as well as a distinct conception of female identity.

A well-known Sanskrit drama presented here in a bilingual translation.

Selected short stories works of Vaidēhi, Kannada author; translations into English.