When Indra, the Lord of heaven, refused entry to king Trishanku, the sage, known for his determination, created a parallel heaven for the king who had sought his help. He trained Sri Rama and his brother Lakshmana in warfare and taught them the use of celestial weapons to prepare them for the great war they were destined to fight later. An extraordinary sage, Vishwamitra was also a seer whose hymns are part of the sacred Rig Veda.

    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 he wanted his loved ones around him, and for this he was willing to endure the tortures of hell. His life was a series of tests, trials and tribulations but he never failed to rise to the occasion.

    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.

    Would he succeed in killing the noble Rama and Lakshmana? Not while Hanuman was around, for this faithful friend had a trick or two of his own. The Bengali "Krittivasa Ramayana" written by poet Krittivasa in the 15th century describes how Hanuman manages to get around the wily sorcerer's schemes.

    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.

    The Pandava brother, Bheema, was lucky to have him as a son, for he saved his life more than once. And if it were not for this brave young rakshasa, the Kauravas may well have been the victors of the famous battle of Mahabharata.

    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.

    Little Gopal is afraid to walk alone through the forest to school. His mother tells him, “Call out to your cowherd brother. He will come and protect you”. When Gopal calls out, to his delight, a cowherd with dancing eyes appears and escorts him to school…..

    He would travel the world in his magnificent flying chariot, the Pushpaka Vimana, which had been gifted to him by his great-grandfather Brahma. Lanka enjoyed an age of peace and prosperity under Kubera's reign. But all that changed when his fearsome half-brother Dasagriva, the leader of the rakshasas, decided to claim the city as his own. Amar Chitra Katha pieces together from various sources in Indian mythology, the story of the Lord of Wealth.

    Ayyappan's courage is unlimited and his wisdom unmatched. Vicious tigresses fall under his spell just as avenging demons succumb to his divine strength. Only power-crazed human beings are foolish enough to try to destroy this extraordinary lad. But, as he ascends to his rightful place as the god of Shabarimala, the glow of Ayyappan's compassion makes even earthly riches lose their glitter.

    Gossiping neighbours and an unhappy marriage would have ruined many women, but Prafulla was not one to give in easily. With hard work and good sense, she turned her life around. An attractive heroine in Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel, Prafulla rose from poverty to a life of riches and fame.

    Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, emerges from Brahma's mind and enlightens the mighty creator.When the all-consuming fire, Vadavagni, is raging through the world the gods go to Saraswati for help. Saraswati agrees to carry the fire and save everyone from perishing. Shiva aids her in this quest, and she begins her epic course as a river.Later, Saraswati finds herself the victim of a terrible curse when she gets drawn into the rivalry between the sages Vishwamitra and Vasishtha.Amar Chitra Katha follows the story of Saraswati, from her birth to her journey into the ocean.

    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.

    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.