Mythological Stories of India

As the one born in India, I was destined to embed its rich culture and heritage, social values, and tradition. We Indians are fond of telling tales. Every religion or culture has a tale associated with any tradition. Every tree, idol, mountain, river has a tale behind it. Each tale teaches a message. Whether you are a Hindu, a Muslim, a Christian, a Sikh, or a Buddhist, mythological tales go a long way in spreading one's belief and faith. Tales are the reason for the deep-rooted faith in millions of Indians for their values, which were not threatened by countless invasions.

One popular Hindu book is the Mahabharata. It is the longest poem in the world. Narrated by Sage Vyasa, it was written by Lord Ganesh himself. As a child, I once visited Geeta Bhawan in Rishikesh and bought this book. I knew only of the basic facts about the Mahabharata, that it was a story of rivalry between two clans of a family - the Kauravas (evil ones) and the Pandavas (the good ones). The Kauravas invited the Pandavas for a game of dice and won everything including their wife, Draupadi. The victorious, arrogant Kauravas insulted Draupadi's honour in an assembly, which the Pandavas swore to avenge. After their exile of 13 years, the Pandavas returned and fought with Kauravas in an epic battle. With Lord Krishna as their guide and counsellor, the Pandavas won the battle and became the rulers of the land. Draupadi was avenged.

However, this tale of family warfare consists of hundreds of other stories, which are equally interesting and engrossing. This blog is dedicated to these stories. I have translated them into English version and posted a message at the end of each story on what moral values and teaching I take from them. Everyone who reads them is, of course, welcome to comment.