"Tenali Raman was called a vikata kavi. He was one of the Ashtadiggajas of the Vijayanagara court. He was the favourite of King Krishna Devaraya. The 20 stories are packed with fun"--Provided by publisher.

Everyone agreed that Raman of Tenali was very clever. As a boy, he exasperated people with his mischief as much as he impressed them with his intelligence. As jester in the court of King Krishna Devaraya, Tenali continued to etertain and annoy the king and courtiers in equal measure. But underlying the buffoonery and audacious exploits was a keen concern for truth and a desire to bring to light the follies of men and society. This collection of eighteen stories contains all the wit and wisdom that make the stories of Tenali Raman so widely read and well loved.

The magical story of how Ganesh, the son of Shiva and Parvati, was brought back to life with the head of an elephant • The story of one of the most beloved characters in Indian lore, made accessible for Western children • Illustrated throughout with paintings from the classic Indian tradition Any Indian child can tell you how the beloved god Ganesh got his elephant’s head--now American children can know as well. For centuries Indian children have grown up hearing Ganesh’s story--how his mother, Parvati (an incarnation of the great mother goddess), created a small boy from sandalwood soap and commanded that he guard the palace against all intruders while she took her bath. How her husband, Shiva (the fearsome god of destruction), didn’t take kindly to being barred from his own home. How Shiva beheaded the boy during the cosmic war that followed, but then, when he realized that the balance of the entire universe was at stake, brought the boy back to life by grafting an elephant’s head onto his body and made him the people’s intercessor against the powers of destruction. Ganesh’s timeless story teaches children about the steadfast power of dedication to duty, the awe-inspiring power of a mother’s love for her child, and the gentle power of compassion, which holds the world together. Accompanied by rich, color illustrations prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon, How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom.

A collection of short tales on Tenali Raman and his wisdom.

Description Basava and Sivakka are two ordinary children growing up in the village of Hampi in Karnataka. One day, Basava finds a set of sculpting hammer and chisel, and as he starts carving with them, the magical instruments take them right back in time to the Hampi of the sixteenth century, when it was ruled by the great Krishnadeva Raya! Here they make friends and are plunged into a world of scheming dancers, talented artists, powerful emperors who live in fabulous palaces and more. And when Basava becomes an apprentice sculptor, he is commissioned by the legendary Tenali Rama himself to create something in stone that will make him laugh! Subhadra Sen Gupta can make history come alive like no one else. This pageturning adventure story is not only exciting, but is also filled with the wonder that was once the magnificent Vijayanagar Kingdom.

Each tale in this volume reveals some or all facets of Tenali Ram's character.