Vaandumama

It was a dark, moonless night. Occasional flashes of lightning lit up the sombre scene and caused an eerie dance of jerky and frightening shadows in the cremation ground. Occasionally, the spine-chilling howl of a jackal or the blood-curdling laughter of evil spirits cut into the silence that hung, shroud like over the area. Altogether, it was a scene that could strike terror into the bravest of hearts. But nothing could daunt the intrepid King Vikram. Once again, he made his way to the ancient gnarled tree where the corpse was hanging. A bone crunched under his feet and a screeching ghost rose from the dust in shuddering frenzy as he marched ahead. Unperturbed, the king reached the tree and brought down the corpse. Slinging it astride his shoulder, he had just begun his return journey when the vampire that possessed the corpse said, “O King! I fail to understand why you are toiling like this. Is it for your own benefit, or to help someone else? If it is in the name of service that yo...

It was a dark, moonless night. Only occasional flashes of lightning lit up the sombre scene and caused an eerie dance of jerky and frightening shadows in the cremation ground. Occasionally the silence was broken by the unearthly howling of jackals and laughter of evil spirits. But nothing could daunt the intrepid King Vikram. Once again, he made his way to the ancient gnarled tree where the corpse was hanging. A skull crunched under his feet and a screeching ghost rose from the dust in shuddering frenzy. Unperturbed, he climbed the tree and brought down the corpse. Slinging it astride his shoulder, he had just begun his return journey when the vampire that possessed the corpse said, "O King! Braving all the adversities, you’re engrossed in the pursuit of your goal. But have you given a thought to why you are failing repeatedly? I cannot but admire your dogged determination, which persists in the face of so many obstacles. But, at the same time, I pity you for your foolishness! So...

The name of Chanakya, the wise prime minister of Chandragupta Maurya, is only too familiar to students of history. There is an interesting story about how he learned one of the most important lessons in war strategy from an uneducated village woman. Going back to the beginnings, Chanakya was born in a very poor family. His father, Chani, was a wise and learned man although he had no wealth. It is said that baby Chanakya had pearly white teeth. Astrologers told Chani that the boy was fated to be a king. He expected Chani to be delighted to hear this. But Chani was disturbed by the prediction and remarked that the life of a king is by no means a happy one. Most kings crave for more money and more power, and this inevitably led them to fight and often do things that are neither fair nor moral. Chani did not wish such a life for his son. So he broke the teeth of his infant son. But the astrologers merely laughed and said his action was not likely to change his son's destiny. But it wo...

It was hot and arid; the summer season was at its worst. Emperor Akbar was out on stroll with his courtiers. Dreading the heat and its effects, Emperor Akbar said, "It is hot, even at this hour". He worried about the wells and ponds that were drying up at an alarming rate. Leaning over the wall of a well, he saw that the bottom was bone dry. The Emperor sighed. 'It'll remain so till the rains come, Shahenshah (emperor)! This is the best time to drop something into the well and watch it hit the bottom. At other times, the object hits the water and gets lost in the depths of the waters." said Birbal. He picked up a stone and dropped it into the well. The stone hit the bottom with a mild thud. 'One stone deserves another," said the emperor. He then removed his gold ring which was set with a huge diamond and dropped it into the well. Birbal was taken aback. "One stone deserves another, Badshah (emperor)! That's fair enough. But a plain stone do...

Emperor Akbar stood on the balcony of the palace enjoying a cool breeze, laden with the fragrance of flowers. The fragrance lured him to go close to the flowers. He walked down the steps, running down from the balcony to the garden. Touching ground, he slowly moved along the footpath that ran across the bed of flowers. The flowers were in full bloom. Bees buzzed around, flitting from flower to flower. The rays of the sun filtered through the leaves and formed patterns on the green grass. Emperor Akbar lost his heart to the scene. He strolled as if in a trance. He was so lost in the beauty of the flowers and the power of their fragrance that he did not notice a stone protruding on the footpath. The emperor tripped. A shooting pain hit him. At the same time, he lost his balance, stumbled, threw up his hands and made frantic efforts to avoid a fall. He succeeded in the effort. But it left him in a state of shock and anger. He sat on a bench under a canopy of creepers over a bamboo arch, ...

When it comes to wit and wisdom, Birbal , a courtier who served Emperor Akbar, holds pride of place. He was equal to every challenge, never found wanting in a crisis. The Emperor turned to him not only for companionship but also for help and guidance. He became one of his most trusted members along with being a part of Akbar's inner council of nine advisors, known as the navarathna . The tales presented in this series bring out Birbal's wit and wisdom and his ability to find an answer to every problem. Emperor Akbar was kind and just. Men of learning joined his court. So did men of music and arts. Some of them were truly talented. They became the Emperor's favourites. Tansen was one of them and Birbal was another. Born Mahesh Das, he became Birbal after he joined the court of Akbar. Mahesh was born in a remote village close to Akbar's capital, Agra . He was an intelligent boy, sharp and quick-witted. He was naughty and often pulled tricks on his friends, teachers and ...