Ancient Indian tales

India is a land of age-old traditions and storytelling is very deeply rooted in its popular culture. Till the recent introduction of television throughout the country, storytelling remained a significant means of amusement in which both young and old participated with zeal. Even now some of the most popular television serials are based upon stories and legends of mythical heroes.

The anthology of tales in this volume deals with love and philosophy, adventure as well as morality and religion. They cover the whole spectrum of India’s great spiritual heritage. These stories have the naive purity of folk art and are yet shaped with rare sophistication.

Readers will find selections from the Mahabharata, Ramayana, Puranas, Subandhu’s Vasavadatta, Bana’s Kadambari and Harshacharita, not to mention Dandin’s Tales of Ten Princes (Dasakumaracharita), and finally the work of the eleventh century Kashmiri poet, Soma Deva’s The Ocean of Streams of Story (Katha Sarit Sagar).