Classic Tales from India

Seven beautifully illustrated traditional stories that immerse the reader in the ancient culture of India as well as impart important life lessons.

Classic Tales from India shares classic tales from India, including stories drawn from the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Puranas, translated by the authors. The book is illustrated throughout with glowing full-colour paintings in traditional Indian style, prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon.

With this full-colour illustrated collection of classic tales from India, you will learn about the playful, loyal, strong, loving, and wise gods, goddesses, and heroes of India. You will discover how the deity Ganesh, the remover of obstacles, got his elephant head, how the goddess Parvati won the heart of the great god Shiva, and how the goddess Ganga came to Earth from Heaven in the form of the holy Ganges River.

You will discover how Krishna’s childhood as a superhero and mischievous boy prepared him to fulfil his destiny as an avatar of the god Vishnu. In two tales drawn from the Ramayana, you will learn about prince Ram and his victory over the ten-headed demon king Ravana, and how the monkey-god Hanuman moved a medicine mountain to save Ram’s brother.

In two stories from the famous epic Mahabharata, you will discover how Karna became the greatest archer in the world to help good triumph over evil and how Arjuna compassionately fought his own cousins to bring peace to the kingdom of Hastinapur.

The glowing illustrations, executed in transparent watercolours and tempera paints, are done in a centuries-old method traditional to India. Richly detailed, they bring to life the colourful cast of characters—humans, gods, and demons alike—and allow the reader to become immersed in the mystical world of ancient India.