Tiny Tales: Ramayana and Mahabharata

As part of my Tiny Tales project (5 books completed so far!), I am working on a Tiny Tales version of both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. I am really excited that I will have both of these books available as free #OER textbooks for the Indian Epics class in Spring 2021. There will be free digital editions in all the usual formats (PDF, epub, mobi, plus a web version), along with a free audiobook (at SoundCloud), and cheap Amazon editions: Kindle (99 cents) and paperback ($5.99).

I have written the Ramayana book, so I am proofreading now (in November), and then recording the audiobook in December; tentative publication date is December 26. Details about the Ramayana here. 

I've also started writing the Mahabharata book, and if all goes well I will publish that in early February (and the Mahabharata reading starts in class on March 1, so that should work out great). Writing the Mahabharata book is my #NaNoWriMo challenge for this year! Details about the Mahabharata here.

Character of the Day: EKALAVYA

(Nanda Lal Bose)

EKALAVYA was a Nishada man of the forest who wanted to study with Drona. Drona rejected him, so Ekalavya trained, honoring a statue of Drona as his guru. When he came to pay the guru-dakshina, Drona saw Ekalavya's great skill as a threat to Arjuna, so he demanded Ekalavya's thumb as payment.

Wikipedia: Ekalavya

Mahabharata: You can read Ekalavya's story in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata.

Devdutt.com: On Insecure Arjuna

Bizzell: Offering: The Story Of Ekalavya And Dronacharya

Videos:

Ekalavya's Story

Eklavya - The Devoted Archer

Story of Ekalavya for Children

Character of the Day: URVASHI

(Urvashi and Pururavas)

URVASHI is one of the most famous of the apsaras, the celestial dancers in Indra's heaven. She became the wife of Pururavas, and famously cursed Arjuna when he rebuffed her.

Wikipedia: Urvashi

Ramayana: Urvashi is connected to the Ramayana by being the mother of Rishyasringa.

Mahabharata: It was Urvashi's curse that led Arjuna to spend a year in disguise as the eunuch Brihannala.

Freebookapalooza: You can find a retelling of Kalidas's play Pururavas and Urvashi in Tales From The Indian Drama by Charles A. Kincaid.

Devdutt.com: Female As Alpha

Bizzell: Urvashi: The Apsara Who Fell In Love With A King

Videos:

Urvashi's Curse

Pururava and Urvashi

Urvashi - The Most Beautiful Apsara's Birth