Author: deepesh

By Srinidhi Murthy

Shivaji Bhonsale I, famously known as Chhatrapati Shivaji, was responsible for the strong foundation of the Maratha Empire in the 17th century. During his lifetime, he encountered some courageous men and women, who made a huge impact on him with their bravery and conviction and earned his respect and admiration. Here are the stories of two such women. 

Hira, the milkmaid

The unexpected discovery

Hira was a milkmaid living in a village situated at the foothill of Raigadh, the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji, with her son and her mother-in-law. Every day, she would go to Raigadh in the morning and the evening to sell milk to the people in the fort. After completing her work, she would return to her home by sunset to spend time with her child. One day, Hira stopped to watch the celebrations of the Kojagiri festival after her daily rounds. However, she got so immersed in the merry-making that she lost count of the hours. Soon, the main doors of the fort were closed after six in the evening and Hira realised this too late. Unfortunately, she was also stopped by the guards when she tried to leave the fort. Hira didn’t want to spend the night away from her son and so, she started looking for a way out. When she reached the eastern side of the fort, she saw a short, unguarded wall. She clambered up to the wall and slithered down the other side. When she started climbing down the hill, she realized that the path was very steep. She managed to steady herself and reached the base, which led to her village. The following morning the guards were shocked to see Hira entering the fort. Hira then told them about the unguarded eastern side. 

The formation of Hira-Burz

When the guards told Shivaji about this incident, he asked Hira to show him the wall. Then, Shivaji asked her to climb down using the same route as she did last night. Though Hira clambered up to the wall, she was terrified looking at the steep slope of the hill. Surprised, Shivaji asked Hira how she performed the feat the previous night if she was so afraid. She explained to Shivaji that her mind was only occupied with the thought of her son and so, she did not mind the tough climb down. Shivaji was impressed with her bravery and determination. He asked his guards to increase the height of the wall and also built the watch tower Hira-Burz, named after Hira. 

The Rani of Belavadi 

The desire for freedom

In 1677,  Isha Prabhu, the Desai of Belavadi, received a message from Dadaji Raghunath Nedkar, one of Shivaji’s able commanders. Dadaji, in his message to Desai, asked him to swear allegiance to Shivaji, in exchange for his protection. Isha Prabhu politely declined the offer insisting that he would like to remain free irrespective of his respect for Shivaji. Soon, Dadaji laid siege to Belavadi but the brave soldiers of Belavadi foiled every attempt made by Dadaji, to scale the fort, for one month. Finally, a new strategy was put in place. A Maratha soldier steadily scaled the wall of the fort and set fire to the place where the hay for the horses was stacked. When the guards were distracted by the fire, the Maratha opened the gate for his soldiers to enter. Though shocked by the sudden events, Isha Prabhu and his soldiers fought so fiercely with the Maratha soldiers that they were compelled to retreat. The Marathas were driven out of the fort but Isha Prabhu died, succumbing to the injuries caused during the fight. 

The unconquered sovereign

Following the sudden demise of her husband, Savitribai, the Rani of Belavadi, also known as Mallamma, decided to break the siege to get access to supplies. Inspired by her courage, the men of Belavadi accompanied her in the fight. The Rani of Belavadi fought vigorously and inspired the soldiers to do the same. Unfortunately, she was struck from behind and her sword flew off. Though she was disarmed and surrounded by the Marathas, she extracted a promise from Dadaji that he would cause no harm to the people of Belavadi. When Shivaji was informed about the fall of Belavadi, he ordered Dadaji to bring the queen before him. When she entered the camp, Shivaji humbly stood up to receive her. He bowed in reverence and said that he cannot give her her freedom back as she had never lost it and assured her that Belavadi would remain free. In the end, Shivaji requested her to forgive him for the death of her husband. Her bitterness towards him dispelled by his kind words made the Rani of Belavadi forgive Shivaji and she blessed him wholeheartedly.

Readmore such stories here.

How much do you know about the sons of Rama? Keep reading for a quick recap.

After returning from exile, Rama, along with his brothers Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna, used to visit their subjects and listen to their problems. Together they solved the problems of the people and made sure they were safe and content. One day, one of Rama’s men reported that he had overheard a launderer kicking his wife out of the house because, unlike Rama, he could not accept a wife when she lived in another house. On hearing this news, Rama started to debate with himself on whether or not to exile his pregnant wife, Sita, from the kingdom. In the end, he concluded that it was his duty towards his people to set the right example as their king, and decided to send Sita away. 

The next morning, Rama sent his brother, Lakshmana, to leave her in the jungle. In a perplexed state of mind, Lakshmana obeyed his brother’s orders, even if he did not wish to leave Sita all alone in such a thick, frightening jungle. Sita was all alone in the jungle when she encountered a snake and called for help. Hearing her cry, Maharshi Valmiki found her and told her that the serpent was from his hermitage that was nearby. He then gave her shelter in his hermitage and that’s where Sita gave birth to twin sons, Luv and Kush.

Luv and Kush grew up in Maharshi Valmiki’s hermitage, with the Maharshi as their guru. He taught them everything – from the use of arms to the morals and values that they should abide by; he even taught them rituals and prayers. He also told them the story of the Ramayana, about how the Ayodhya prince Rama and his wife, Vaidehi, stayed together through thick and thin in the fourteen years of exile and how Vaidehi was kidnapped by Ravana, leading to war between their forces. When Maharshi told them that Rama exiled Vaidehi from the kingdom because of what the launderer had said, the boys were shocked at Rama’s cruelty. They thought about what may have happened to Vaidehi and wondered if they would ever meet her. Little did they know that Vaidehi was actually their mother Sita.

At the same time, in Rama’s kingdom, the Ashwamedha yajna was going to be performed. Rulers from all over the world along with their armies came to witness it. However, this ritual could not be performed by Rama without Sita being by his side. At this point, Rama actually thought about bringing Sita back to the kingdom but he could not disappoint his people. Thus, for this ritual, it was decided a golden statue of Sita would be used. A magnificent white horse with black ears was ready for the ritual. As a part of the ritual, Sage Vishwamitra tied the ceremonial gold leaf on the horse’s forehead, and then it was let loose while the army followed it.

After galloping unopposed through many kingdoms, the horse was spotted by Luv and Kush. Not thinking twice, the brothers stopped the horse and then realised they will now have to defend themselves from the army following it. Unaware that the horse belonged to their father, the boys agreed to fight. In the first attempt, the boys fought with their uncle, Lakshmana. Kush shot an arrow and took down Lakshmana’s crown. Lakshmana retaliated by wounding Kush. Enraged, Luv avenged his brother’s injury by defeating his uncle. Hanuman then took up the task of defeating the boys along with his army of vanaras. However, even his strength was no match to the bravery of the boys. The task of defeating them fell to Rama himself. However, when Rama met them, he was taken aback by their young age and asked them about their parents. They told him that they have never met their father but their mother is Sita. Hearing this, Rama fell unconscious, and in the interim, Luv and Kush defeated his army. They left Rama unconscious, took his crown, and headed home. 

On seeing the crown, Sita immediately recognised it as Rama’s. Luv and Kush took Sage Valmiki and Sita to Rama. They realized that Rama was their father and Vaidehi, the queen of Ayodhya, was none other than their mother Sita. When Valmiki advised Rama to take Sita back, he was still hesitant, worried about what his subjects might think. Sita couldn’t take any more humiliation. She prayed to Mother Earth who had given her birth to take her back in her embrace as a sign of her virtue. Perhaps her mother couldn’t let her be humiliated any further, as the earth split apart, swallowing Sita. It was thus that Luv and Kush were reunited with their father Rama, but at the cost of saying goodbye to their mother forever.

Read the entire story in Amar Chitra Katha’s The Sons of Rama, now available on the ACK Comics app as well as on all major e-tailer platforms.

By Samyukhtha Sunil

Not too far from the Indo-Gangetic plains somewhere in modern-day Bihar, there lies a forgotten region that witnessed the rise and fall of some of India’s most powerful kingdoms in history. Magadha was not only the heartland of some of the most successful kingdoms in India at the time, but also one of the most prosperous cities in the subcontinent.

One of the strongest empires to have ever ruled over this region was the Nanda Dynasty whose capital was in Pataliputra, where modern-day Patna stands today. Founded by Mahapadma Nanda, this lineage of rulers saw a rapid rise and an equally rapid decline in fortunes. Most of ancient India’s political activity was concentrated in this region and Magadha became the nucleus for several other Indian kingdoms that sprouted in neighbouring regions.

By the time the last ruler of the Nandas, Dhana Nanda, came to power, the kingdom had grown exponentially in its geographical expanse, wealth, and military conquests. Magadha’s army was believed to have over 20,000 cavalry, 200,000 infantry, 2,000 chariots, and 3,000 elephants. This army was so powerful that when Alexander the Great invaded India, his own army feared the might and control of the Nandas to an extent they were forced to cut short their conquest and return to Persia. The Nanda dynasty had successfully established itself as one of the strongest Indian kingdoms of its time.

However, the overall prosperity of the kingdom and the power that came with it was intoxicating enough to turn some of the Nanda rulers, especially Dhana Nanda, against his subjects. Despite being a powerful king, Dhana Nanda was viewed as a cruel king who imposed severe taxes on his population, most of whom could not afford to bear the brunt of this rule. His unpopular method of administration and his poor management of the kingdom’s finances set the fall of the Nandas in motion. Of course, he wasn’t the only figure to have impacted the decline of the Nandas. Here are some other personalities who also played a part in the proceedings.

Sakatala

According to the book ‘Jainism: The World of Conquerors’ by Natubhai Shah, Dhana Nanda had four able ministers – Bandu, Subandu, Kubera and Sakatala. Sakatala became the chief minister of the last Nanda. He was a popular, well-respected and faithful chief minister. However, one day, the king thought that Sakatala was manufacturing weapons so that he could take over the kingdom. Little did the king know that those weapons were actually a gift for him for the royal wedding. Sakatala quickly tried to defuse the situation by asking his son, Sriyaka, to chop off his head in front of the king. However, to save his son from committing such a horrendous sin, he had already taken a poisonous pill.

However, a more popular version of the story tells us that Sakatala had emptied Dhana Nanda’s coffers in a bid to broker peace with foreign invaders. However, he had not done this with the king’s approval. Infuriated by this act, Dhana Nanda punished Sakatala by throwing him into a dungeon with minimum food and water. Years later, when Dhana Nanda sought Sakatala’s advice on foreign invasions, Sakatala cut off all ties, pledging his allegiance to Chanakya, who played a pivotal role in dethroning the Nandas. Just like Sakatala, the wise Chanakya had been a victim of Dhana Nanda’s rude behaviour.

Chanakya

After being insulted for his appearance by the Nanda ruler, Chanakya swore to take revenge and topple the Nanda dynasty altogether. He began to study the flaws and shortcomings of the Nandas in terms of administration and military prowess, realising their vulnerability when it came to foreign invasions. Using his knowledge and expertise to his advantage, Chanakya found a strong ally in the young Chandragupta Maurya and decided to mentor him and conquer Magadha.

Chandragupta Maurya

Faced with the looming threat of a possible foreign invasion, the people of Magadha looked to their king to plan ahead. However, thanks to his selfishness and arrogance, Dhana Nanda belittled those who advised him of these possible threats, choosing to live in denial instead. The stage was set for a young prince who was well trained and equipped in warfare and administration. Chandragupta Maurya trained with his guru Chanakya in Taxila, working out a plan to lay siege to the kingdom of Magadha. Chanakya eventually zeroed in on the right time for the Mauryan army to attack, and Chandragupta set out accordingly to conquer Magadha and its states.

Thrown off guard by the Mauryan attack on his kingdom, Dhana Nanda prepared his army for a war he had not anticipated. The Mauryan forces besieged the city of Pataliputra using guerrilla tactics. In spite of being outnumbered, Chandragupta Maurya was able to lead his small army to victory against the enormous army of the Nandas, using his wits and military expertise.

After the death of Dhana Nanda, Chandragupta Maurya continued to rule from Pataliputra which became the capital of the Mauryas. He eventually expanded the kingdom to the south along the Deccan plateau and went to establish the most extensive empire India has ever seen in the course of its history.

Read our titles ‘Chandragupta Maurya’ and ‘Chanakya’ on the ACK Comics app and Kindle. It is also available on Amazon, Flipkart, and other major e-tailers. 

As we all celebrate another Independence Day this August 15th, let’s take a look back at some of the relatively unsung heroes of our freedom struggle. Here are ten such Amar Chitra Kathas that trace our nation’s fight for freedom from a different perspective.  

Celebrated for her indomitable courage, Chenamma, the queen of Kittur, was a warrior who valiantly fought against the British East India Company. In the first round of battle against the British, the Rani of Kittur put up such a tough fight that the British faced a tremendous defeat, with many of their soldiers being captured as hostages. In order to get their hostages freed, they agreed to all the terms put forth by Chenamma. However, the British saw their defeat as abject humiliation, especially the fact that their opponent was a woman, that too from a small village. They did all they could to subjugate the Kittur queen, including bribing two of her soldiers, eventually launching a surprise attack to regain their lost power. 

Written by Rajalakshmi Raghavan and illustrated by H.S. Chavan and Dilip Kadam, this Amar Chitra Katha title beautifully weaves through the story of Chenamma

During the reign of Maharaja Balarama Varma, his appointed Diwan was a money-grubbing sort who placed unfair taxes on the people and harassed them. However, his power was such that even the young king could do nothing but watch on helplessly. It was against this setting that the fierce rebel, Velu Thampi, took charge of the situation, overthrowing the corrupt Diwan. Pleased with his action, the king appointed Velu as the new Diwan of Travancore (now a part of Kerala). While the people of the kingdom were duly pleased by this decision, major trouble was yet to come from the British East India Company, who came to rue the day they made Velu an enemy.   

Read the tale of his bravery through the words of Radha M. Nair in the Amar Chitra Katha title ‘Velu Thampi’. The action-packed illustrations by artist M. Mohandas are bound to leave you amazed. 

At the ripe age of 75, with the resolve to liberate his country, Kunwar Singh led an army against the British troops in the First War of Indian Independence. This rebel travelled everywhere including Sasaram, Rewa, Ramgarh, and Atraulia inspiring a nationwide awakening, but the British could never get hold of him. The septuagenarian changed his war tactics after every other battle. The legends around Kunwar Singh were the stuff movies are made of. Once, when his troops were caught by a surprise attack from the British, a shot hit his left wrist. Realising that the bullet was only spreading infection in his body, he chopped his hand off and threw it in the river! 

Illustrated by veteran artist Souren Roy and written by Rajendra Sanjay and Subba Rao, this Amar Chitra Katha title is a must-read for Independence Day. 

Chinnaswami Subramania Bharathi was an activist who fought with the mightiest weapon, the pen. His writings were an inspiration to millions and a fierce message to the British rulers. People from all sections of Tamil Nadu sang his songs during mass gatherings. His vision was one India and his mission was to unite the people to share this vision. Subramania rightly earned the title of Bharathi for his well-revered patriotic compositions. 

Co-authored by Kalvi Gopalakrishnan and Luis Fernandes, this Amar Chitra Katha book retells the courageous life of the iconic writer. The fantastic artwork by Dilip Kadam truly brings the characters to life. 

A revolutionary leader against the British Raj, Rash Behari Bose gave 40 years of his life to the Indian freedom struggle. Wanted by the British police, his life was one of escapades and adventure. He was a key organizer of the Ghadar Mutiny and the Indian National Army, which grew into a formidable force of 40,000 soldiers. 

Written by eminent writers Professor Satyavrata Ghosh and Luis Fernandes, this Amar Chitra Katha title has been illustrated by the legendary artist, Souren Roy.

The founder and leader of the Swaraj Party in Bengal, Chittaranjan Das gave up his comfortable life for the dream of a free India. A lawyer, writer, and an activist, Das earned the title of Deshbandhu meaning ‘Friend of the Nation’ for the tremendous amount of selfless love and sacrifice he showered upon his country people. Giving up his entire life earnings and himself in the service of his nation, Deshbandhu left an indelible mark in the history of India. 

Written by legendary writer H. Atmaram and illustrated by Souren Roy, this Amar Chitra Katha comic offers a concise take on the great man’s life. 

Lost in the pages of history is the story of a man whose courage was applauded by his enemies, the British Raj. Charles Tegart, the former Intelligence Chief and Police Commissioner of Bengal, once said to his colleagues, “If Jatin were an Englishman, then the English people would have built his statue next to Nelson’s at Trafalgar Square.” Zero tolerance to injustice and a burning desire for a free India, Bagha Jatin’s life was full of incidents that echoed his principles. His very motto “We shall die to awaken the nation” echoed in millions of Indian hearts marching for freedom. 

Co-authored by Shanta Patil and Subba Rao and illustrated by Souren Roy, this Amar Chitra Katha will awaken the patriot in even the most cynical of us. 

A school teacher by profession, Surya Sen or Surjya Sen was fondly called ‘Master Da’ by his friends and students. Together, they attacked British armouries in Chittagong and unfurled the national flag here, willing to give up their very lives. This action effectively cut off this area from British-controlled territory. Unfortunately, his team was eventually routed, vastly outnumbered by British forces, but their efforts spread a patriotic wave across the nation, inspiring millions to march for Indian independence. 

The illustrations by Arijit Dutta Choudhury and script by Shalini Srinivasan takes you back in time, giving you a ringside view of the Chittagong uprising as it happened. 

The mighty warrior king of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, received not just the throne but also a wealth of martial knowledge from his father, Hyder Ali. His determination to expel the British from Indian soil was stronger and fiercer than his father’s. He had a special admiration for tigers which was visible in his striped, tiger-shaped throne, the badges of his troops, and the name he acquired as the Tiger of Mysore. Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was inspired by Tipu Sultan’s war rockets, a rare technology at the time.

This Amar Chitra Katha book will take you through the mighty adventures of this military genius. The vivid illustrations by artist G.R. Naik beautifully complements writer Subba Rao’s script. 

From marching with an army of eighteen thousand men against the British to fooling the enemy by disguising bayonets as stumps, Beni Madho’s role in the freedom struggle is filled with inspiring anecdotes. Similarly, another legend to reckon with was the humble bookseller Pir Ali, who sacrificed his freedom while taking on the British. Ali was sentenced to death with the option to go free if he chose to give away crucial information. His befitting reply and his ultimate sacrifice earned him a spot in the golden pages of Indian history.

Co-authored by Rajnikanth Verma and Meera Ugra, and illustrated by legendary artist Ram Waeerkar, this Amar Chitra Katha title perfectly captures the lives of these two unsung heroes of the freedom movement.

How many have you read? Plug the gap by logging on to the ACK Comics app now.

By Meghana L 

Dollu Kunitha is a folk dance that originated from the Kuruba community in Karnataka. The Kuruba community is traditionally an agrarian and herding community. They live in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Dollu and Kunitha mean drum and dance respectively, and are the best descriptions of the art form. Dollu Kunitha is usually performed by 12-16 performers, with one of the members acting as the leader and conducting the rest of the group. The group dances around the performance area in a semi-circle to the beat of the drums and other instruments. Performances often end with a grand finale of a human chain. There are many variations across Dollu Kunitha performances, such as performances involving use of smaller drums, so there is no definite way to describe a performance.  

There are several legends about the origin of the dance form. The most well-known talks of a demon named Dollu, a devotee of Shiva, who performed penance to please him. Shiva was pleased with his penance and offered to grant him a boon. Dollu asked Shiva to grant him immortality. When Shiva told Dollu that granting him immortality was impossible, he gave the god an alternative and asked him to allow Dollu to swallow him. Reluctantly, Shiva allowed the demon to ingest him, but decided to punish Dollu. So when he was inside his stomach, he kept increasing in size, causing great pain to him. Dollu then pleaded with Shiva to stop, and so Shiva tore through Dollu’s body and got out. He then used the dead demon’s skin to make a drum and gave it to his followers, who used it to dance in praise of him. 

The drums used in the performances are made out of neem or palm trees. Artisans use the bark of these trees to create large hollow drums; the left opening of the drum is covered with goat hide and the right is covered with sheep hide. This large drum is tied to the waist of the performers. Performers use a large stick and their hands to beat the drum in alternate motions. Other instruments used are the thala, jagate, and flute. There are no strict rules about the costumes of the performers. The most commonly seen costumes are tiger-patterned drapes from the upper body to the knees paired with a black dhoti. Women who perform Dollu Kunitha typically wear sarees. The performers also wear anklets to create rhythms while performing.   

Although the dance began as part of the religious ceremonies of the Kuruba community, it has evolved to become an important cultural art form that men and women across communities in Karnataka perform.

Learn more about the culture of India with the ACK Comics app!  

 

By Shakthi Bharathi

When we think of The Mahabharata, we think of the Pandavas as its heroes. We follow their journey, from riches to rags to riches again, with bated breath.  

But how well do we know its “villains”, the Kauravas? Their tumultuous lives — filled with what they stood to gain and everything they lost along the way — is a footnote in this great epic.  

The Kauravas were a hundred and counting, in number, but can we name any of them beyond Duryodhana and Dushasana? It’s time to brush the dust off these forgotten lives.  

Here’s an introduction to three lesser-known Kauravas. 

Vikarna

As the third Kaurava brother, Vikarna could have followed in the footsteps of his siblings. But his passion for dharma burnt bright.  

During the game of dice, where his brothers taunted Draupadi while the Kuru elders looked away, it was Vikarna who stood up for his sister-in-law. When she argued that Yudhisthira could not stake her after losing himself and implored the elders to step in, Vikarna echoed her sentiments. His concern was dismissed but it still showed his strength of character.  

Eventually, he was slain in the Battle of Kurukshetra. His death was mourned by the Pandavas and Kauravas alike.
 

Did you know? 

Vikarna’s equivalent in the Ramayana is Kumbhakarna. Both of them were dutiful brothers who played out the roles ordained for them by destiny. 

Yuyutsu

Yuyutsu was also Dhritarashtra’s son but his mother was Sughada, Gandhari’s personal attendant. This made him a lifelong target of his jeering half-brothers — something he shared in common with the Pandavas. They struck up an easy friendship that remained steadfast through the years. He even sent them warnings about Duryodhana’s schemes — one of which saved Bheema’s life.  

It should come as no surprise that Yuyutsu was the only Kaurava to fight for the Pandavas, during the Battle of Kurukshetra.

Did you know? 

Yuyutsu’s equivalent in the Ramayana is Vibhishana. Both of them defected before their respective wars, pledging alliance to the other side. 

Dushala

Dhritarashtra and Gandhari had a hundred sons. But their final child — the 101st — was a daughter named Dushala. 

Growing up, she was doted on by her brothers and treated by the Pandavas as their own sister. But all was not idyllic for Dushala. She was married off to Jayadratha, the haughty king of Sindhu, and their marriage was riddled with unhappiness. Dushala was widowed in the war and lost her son, Suratha, some years later.  

When the Pandavas were conducting a yagna to become the ultimate rulers of the land, Dushala brought her grandson to them. The innocence in the child’s eyes moved Arjuna to crown him the king of Sindhu.

Would you agree? 

Dushala’s tale shows that it may take 105 men to wage a war, but one woman to restore peace. 

Read the epic saga of The Mahabharata on the ACK Comics app or place your order on the ACK website now!

The Ashwattha tree, more commonly known as the Peepul tree, is revered as sacred for many reasons. It is seen as the king of trees. This is because the tree is said to contain the Trimurti within itself. Brahma is said to exist in the roots, Vishnu in its roots and Shiva in the foliage.

The Peepul is also believed to be a wish-fulfilling tree by many communities. Interestingly, it was under this tree that Krishna was lying when Jara, a hunter, shot an arrow into his foot, that led to Krishna’s death in the mortal world.

By Sandeep Mishra

Valmiki is the author of one of the two greatest Indian epics, the Ramayana. Valmiki is also known as Adi Kavi, which means the first poet. He is widely credited for being a pioneer of Sanskrit literature,  defining the shape and form of Sanskrit poetry. 

One day, Devamuni Narada was conversing with sage Valmiki and happened to tell him the story of Maryada Purushottam Rama, describing Rama’s many qualities, including truthfulness, bravery, self-competence, and wisdom.

After Narada left, Valmiki went to the Tamasa river for his mid-day baths, where he spotted two crane birds calling to each other and mating. Valmiki was filled with joy seeing the happy birds. Suddenly, an arrow pierced the body of the male bird, killing him immediately. Filled with sorrow, his mate died of shock. Upon seeing this, the enraged rishi could not control himself and cursed the hunter.

“Maa Nishad Pratishtha Twamgamah Shashwatih Samah,
Yatkraunchamithunadekam Avadhih Kamamohitham”

“You will find no rest for the long years of eternity,
for you killed a pair of birds in love and unsuspecting.”

Although he was grief-stricken and in a lot of pain over the death of the innocent creatures, he couldn’t help but notice that the curse he uttered came out in a musical form that could be recited or sung. He narrated the entire incident to his disciple Bhardwaja, who memorised the couplet uttered by the sage while in grief. This then became the first-ever shloka in Sanskrit literature. 

The sage continued to brood over the incident, until, one day, Brahma appeared before him and asked him to get over his grief. He inspired the guru to compose the story of Rama in the same poetic meter in which he had cursed the hunter.

To do this, Brahma bestowed on him the divine power to see all that happened, even the thoughts of the characters. With these divine powers, he was able to see the entire life of Rama, the past, the present, and the future. Thus, Valmiki composed one of the longest works of literature the world has ever known, the epic that came to be called the Ramayana, comprising 24,000 verses across seven kandas, divided into 500 saragas.

Traditionally, the story of Rama was passed down from generation to generation orally, and was taught to only a selected few, for the fear of being corrupted. Luv and Kush, the sons of Rama, were the first students who ever heard the complete version of the Ramayana. Today, there are over 300 different versions of the epic across the world, which you can read more about here.

Read Amar Chitra Katha’s retelling of Valmiki’s Ramayana, now available on the ACK Comics app

Illustration: Ritoparna Hazrah

The Pandava prince Arjuna, highly revered as the greatest archer of all time, owned the celestial bow called the Gandiva. The bow was so powerful that even the gods feared it. In the legendary battle of Kurukshetra, Arjuna destroyed a number of great warriors and gods with the Gandiva.

The bow was created by Brahma himself, decreeing at the time that this powerful bow would punish the unjust and the wicked. It was such a mighty weapon that it could be used to fight one lakh enemies at the same time!

The bow passed through many hands before making its way to the Pandava prince. Brahma used the bow for a 1000 years, followed by Indra for 3585 years and then by Chandra for 500 years. Varuna then came into its possession and used it for 100 years before giving it to Arjuna!

According to Veda Vyasa’s Mahabharata, at the end of Dwarapa Yuga when the Pandavas retired, Arjun returned the bow to its previous owner, Varuna.

Read about the lives of more such inspiring figures only on the ACK Comics app!

By Zaara D’Souza

Bhanumati Rajopadhye (now Athaiya), was born in Kolhapur in the year 1929. She was one of the seven children of self-taught artist and photographer, Annasaheb Rajopadhye. As Bhanu watched her father work alongside different directors and filmmakers, it opened her eyes to the world of art and film. Bhanu was a driven young woman, who was lucky to have parents whose beliefs aligned with hers. Her mother, Shantabai, as Bhanu has said, gave her the “freedom to move to a big city in pursuit of my studies at a time when women did not have such opportunities”. Her father, despite his passing away when she was just 10 years old, was her biggest pillar of inspiration, as she called him “her guiding light” throughout her entire life and professional career. 

Around the age of 17, Bhanu moved to Mumbai to study painting at the JJ School of Art, but wound up being a little late for the admissions and was unable to attend that year. But, as fate intended, she decided to enroll at a private school, which led her to working at the magazine Fashion and Beauty as an illustrator, and then at Eve’s Weekly, which shifted her focus to fashion. Still managing to complete her initial goal, Bhanu graduated from the JJ School of Art in 1952, and became a part of  the newly formed Progressive Artists’ Group. In 1953, she contributed three artworks to the PAG show in Mumbai, being the only woman who held this honour. Soon, Bhanu realised her talents aligned more with fashion design, completely changing her line of work. 

Bhanu began designing clothes in a boutique, for a dazzling clientele of movie stars and socialites. In 1953, she began creating designs for films and her career skyrocketed when she was introduced to Indian actor and director, Raj Kapoor. This sparked a long-lasting partnership between the two, leading to memorable films  with iconic costumes, such as Mera Naam Joker (1970), Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978) and more. After the success of her initial projects, Bhanu became a sought-after designer. By the time colour entered the screens of India, she was ready to use her knowledge and take on the challenge of designing the now colour-enhanced costumes. 

Bhanu had a meticulous approach towards her designs. She handpicked every aspect of the costume she was designing, in order to stay true to the setting. For the movie Reshma Aur Shera (1971), Bhanu travelled to the location of the plot — Pochina, Rajasthan — and “collected detailed information on every aspect of life in that village in order to conceive the look of the costumes”. Bhanu always considered herself a “director’s designer”, who did not work for fame, but for the director’s vision and betterment of the film. She knew the difference between costume design and fashion design, when she stated, “Any costume designer needs to remember that they are not creating clothes for the market, but for the character.” 

Her big break arrived with the film Gandhi (1982). Richard Attenborough, the director of this film, said it took him seventeen years to set up the making of  Gandhi, but only fifteen minutes to decide that Bhanu Athaiya would be the right designer for it. After analysing all the available photographs and hunting for every detail possible, Bhanu produced costumes that displayed the struggle and culture of life of the times. Everything was so perfectly depicted, that it won her an Oscar! Her win was not supported by everyone. Some people complained that the actors were dressed in extremely simple costumes, making them look ordinary and sometimes even shabby. But others knew that the film was not meant to be a fashion show, but rather, the reality of the common man living through that dark stage in Indian history — Bhanu had nailed the brief. 

Even though this was the highest achievement of her career, Bhanu did not slow down. She continued to create beautiful costumes for some of India’s most respected films, such as Lagaan (2001), Lekin (1990) and others. In 2012, when she was informed that she had a brain tumour, Bhanu decided to send her Oscar back to Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, for preservation. In 2020, Bhanu Athaiya passed away at the age of 91, leaving the world of cinema and costume forever changed. She is still remembered as the first Indian to win an Oscar, and a woman of incredible artistic vision. 

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