How important is a guest who visits one's home? What could be more important than achieving knowledge through meditation? These tales taken from the Mahabharata tell of age old values that emphasize the divine status of a guest and the importance of dharma or duty above all else and teaching these lessons are simple creatures like a mongoose, a crane and a pigeon.

    He was required to bring the plot of Amrit or Nectar of Immortality, to save his mother from slavery.

    He is taken aback when the bird speaks to him, asking him to release it. He lets it go. As it flies away, the parrot tells him to wait for the next bird to land in his net,a bird so lovely that even a king would be proud to own it. The parrot's gift sets Timma off on a series of adventures, each more incredible than the previous and behind it all, is the parrot's own secret. This exciting folk tale is a re-telling of Dr. Chandrashekhar Kambar's Kannada tale, Matanaduva Gili Mattu Bedara Huduga.

    It was said to be the beginning of kali Yuga. This Amar Chitra Katha tells the story of the curse which dooms Pareekshit to die at the hands of the Serpent King, Takshaka, and how his son, Janamejaya, avenges his death.

    Bullies and misers, dreamers and the narrow-minded, all got a taste of his wit, much to the delight of readers.

    Sheltered by a potter the boy grew up with the prophecy of a wandering sage ringing in his ears that he would one day become king. The Sanskrit classic, Kathasaritasagar and Vikrama Charita, from which most of this story is taken, traces the path that makes Shalivahana so powerful that an entire era, the Shalivahana Shaka, was named after him.

    But sometime, the sun's glare got uncomfortably fierce, and Sanjna could not bear it. She devised the perfect cover for herself - Chhaya, her mirror image! Away from the blazing Surya, the lonely Sanjna pined for her beloved. Eventually, a way had to be found to ensure everyone's happiness.

    Scheming rivals, foolish rulers and wicked courtiers leave him undaunted. He can organise king Vaideha's security, a network of spies and a royal wedding with equal flair. so, when a deadly plot is revealed, it is Aushadha who swings into action.

    The best way to ward off Bikal the Terrible is to avoid taking his name. The word Bikal inspires such fear and awe that even a tiger gets scared of Bikal and tamely allows himself to be fooled by two daredevils. This is a delightful folktale from Madhya Pradesh.

    Thus CHACHA CHAUDHARY was born in 1971.Tall and robust SABU, who is an inhabitant of planet Jupiter, gave Chaudhary an ideal company. A combination of wisdom and strength was formed to tackle any difficult task. It is said that " Chacha Chaudhary's brain works faster than a computer". Though both fight the criminals and tricksters, each episode ends with a touch of humour. The duo perform in lighter vein. The CHAUDHARY family consists of his wife Bini, a fat sharp tongue woman, Sabu, Rocket - the dog and Dag- Dag, an old truck who is half human- half machine. Chacha Chaudhary is the most popular Indian comics. More than 10 million readers enjoy this series regularly in newspapers and comic books in ten languages. A T.V. serial based on the comics has crossed 500 episodes and still continue to be telecast on premier channel "Sahara ONE".

    Her patience snaps, eventually. Pure in her love, this gentle woman is transformed into an avenging angel, raining death and doom on all her foes, until the gods are forced to intervene. Ilango Adigal's Tamil classic, Shilappadikaram presents life with all its flaws but also with hope.

    His quest was for the image of the blue-colored Krishna or Nilamadhav. The king came very close to achieving his goal but his pride and arrogance snatched it away from him leaving him groping once more in the dark. Contained in this Amar Chitra Katha is the legend behind the temple of Jagannathapuri in Orissa and the images enshrined in it.

    To top it he had speech difficulties and was vague and inattentive. Albert hated the kind of rote learning he was obliged to do in school, memorizing dates and texts. But as he grew older, it became clear that Albert was no ordinary person. 1905 is often termed his 'miracle year', the year he published not one but four entirely new papers, on four completely different topics.

    Chandragupta Vikramaditya has a special place in history because he proved that the love of power is not all that is needed to create an empire. Also needed are the love of a wise w

    Kalidasa, the greatest of Sanskrit poets, wove a tale that caters to every reader's taste. Warring cousins, wily courtiers, jealous wives, disguised princesses, all play their part in his play, which continues to thrill centuries after it was first written.