Source: Hindustan Times

The fascinating stories of the Indian epic Mahabharata – including the rivalry between cousins Pandavas and Kauravas, Lord Krishna and his mischievous exploits as a lad, and the Kurukshetra battle – have been re-told for children in a new book with lots of colourful illustrations.

The Puffin Mahabharata authored by Namita Gokhale published by Penguin-Books India, has simplified the epic into 176 small anecdotes with colourful illustrations by artist and animation filmmaker Suddhasattwa Basu.

The book is based on the lores narrated by Suta, a traveller and story-teller, who had heard the tales of valour and sacrifice as a young boy from a sage Vaisampayana, a disciple of Vyasa, the seer who originally wrote the epic with the help of the lord Ganesha.

The book begins with an introductory tale on the genesis of Suta’s Mahabharata and goes on to narrate the lores of princess Ganga and king Santanu of Hastinapura, the tale of Satyawati, Amba, the birth of Kauravas and Pandavas, Karna, the arrival of Lord Krishna and the battle of Kurukshetra in small 500-word anecdotes.

Gokhale had in mind a target audience of young adults – “from 12 upwards who would understand the nuances.”

According to her, almost all children in India are familiar with Mahabharata.

“Everybody has heard of the story from their grandparents and television has played an important role in bringing the epic to Indian homes,” said the writer, who is currently working on an anthology of essays, In Search of Sita. Gokhale’s forte is historical novels.