Stories From India

We continue the #Ramayana where we find out what happens when neither the rightful King nor the legal one wants the throne! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Previous Ramayan episodes: Episode 6 - Fish Highwayman Episode 7 - Kingdom by Horse Episode 15 - Rishi vs Rishi: Un-Civil War Episode 16 - Six....teen flags Episode 24 - Promises made, hearts broken Episode 25 - U...

The #Timingila is a giant creature that can swallow whales whole! It was mentioned in both the #Ramayan and #Mahabharat. The Rishi #Markandeya saw one up close Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast

This time we’re doing a #FolkTale from #Rajasthan! We’ll meet a little girl who gets into big trouble just because she forgot to lock one door at night, even though there were 6 other locked doors between her and two hungry demons! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast

In this mini-episode, we’ll meet #Jarasandh, a character from the #Mahabharat. He was #Krishna’s uncle #Kansa’s father-in-law. I like to think of him as the Lego King because when he was born, he came with a “some assembly required” label! Ultimately, he was killed by #Bheema who basically just disassembled him. Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Jarasandha...

In this episode, we’ll cover a couple of stories of #Shivaji. We’ll learn how a very old farmer lady can provide great military advice to an extremely competent warrior-king! We’ll also see how your doctor may prescribe sweets as a cure! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Aurangzeb #Mughal #Maratha #Agra

The #Yeti is a #Himalayan legend whose existence is much debated. But its existence in the entertainment industry is indisputable! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #AbominableSnowman #Abominable #YehTeh #Migou #HimManav

We’re back with #Akbar and #Birbal. We’ll see Birbal pull off a trick that even David Copperfield and Houdini would have been proud of! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #AkbarBirbal

In today’s mini-episode we’ll meet #Vamana. He’s an avatar of #Vishnu. He’s also short in stature when he wants to be. And all he wants is just the bit of land that he can cover in 3 steps! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Dashavatar #Bali #IndianMythology

This episode is about an engagement gone awry because of a memory spell! We’ll also see how even if you lose a ring in a river, it might show up on the dinner table! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #mahabharat #shakuntala #vishwamitra #dushyant #bharat #bharath

In this mini-episode, we’ll meet #Shishupal, a cousin of #Krishna from the #Mahabharat who was born with three eyes and four hands! He also had a hundred get-out-of-jail-free cards, and yet he used up all of them. Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #naradamuni #shishupala #sisupala #ShishupalVadh

In this episode, we’ll explore the story behind the #JagannathPuri #RathYatra, which was meant to happen on Tuesday We’ll learn why you should keep your curiosity in check especially if you’ve got an excellent artist working for you. We’ll also learn that it’s possible for a drifting log of wood to float all the way from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal! Transcript and show notes Music: https:...

In this #CharacterOfTheWeek mini-episode, meet #Shiva's ride and his home security system. Who is a bull! Find out how #Nandi got his start and earned his place in #MountKailas Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

This week, we’re doing a folk tale from the state of #Assam. We'll see how cats could give birth to human children, and yet how it is impossible for humans to give birth to kitchen utensils! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #folktalesofassam #assamesefolkstories #piedpiper #India

In this very first #CharacterOfTheWeek mini-episode, meet the God who started as a regular boy made of clay and then had a head transplant. With an Elephant! Find out how #Ganesh got a snake belt and a broken tusk Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

This week, we’re back into the world of #Vikram and #Betaal. We’ll learn how to pool royal resources to rescue a damsel in distress! The character this week is a sibling of #Varun. He rides a #gazelle. Not surprising then that he’s as fast as the Wind. Another reason is that he is the #GodofWind Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Vayu #Meru #VikramBetaal

This week we'll see how I, personally, was involved in the Indian mythology version of Sleeping Beauty! There’s no princess and no evil fire breathing dragon, but there are #Kuber’s sons who loved to party and a toddler who may have swallowed the universe! With a side of butter! The character this week is a role! 7 people have occupied this role, one of whom we encountered in our very first episod...

This week we're back with #Vikram and #Betaal The character this week is the God of the Sea. His ride is a Crocodile-Fish and he has a lasso like Wonder Woman’s, except this one's made of Snakes! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #naradamuni #Vikramaditya #Varuna

Last week I said I would do a Vikram and Betaal story. But since then I’ve had a listener request the #Savitri and #Satyavan story. Since #SavitriPuja is this coming Friday, I thought I would switch things around. Another incentive is that I myself appear in this story. Today we’ll learn how to be a Death-cheater! Some 5-year-olds become an internet star by trying to drive their parents’ car to go...

This week, we'll pick up where we left off in the #Ramayana. We’ll see a Nanny who executes a very House of Cards-style political move. We’ll also see a father conflicted between his love for his wife and his love for his son. The character this week is an Elephant King that manages to survive a Crocodile attack, thanks to some divine intervention. Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purp...

Today is the #Buddha’s Birthday. So this is a special episode, where we’ll learn the connection between a water filtration method and anger management! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast

This week, we'll cover a couple of stories from the #Panchatantra. One is about a little baby boy and his unlikely animal sibling. The other introduces air travel to a Tortoise. The cost of the flight ticket? He just has to keep his mouth closed. The character this week is a colorful creature. It’s a #rainbowfish. I also like to think of it as the #Elsa fish for reasons that’ll soon be clear Trans...

This week, we’ll continue the story of Devayani and Friday. We’ll see why you should be careful when going swimming. If you accidentally put on someone else’s clothes after your swim you might just end up becoming their servant! The character this week is the sister of someone we previously encountered in the Character of the Week segment of Episode 4: Hare-y Tales. She’s a demon. She’s a Buffalo....

This week we’ll explore an old story that may remind you of the most recent Star Wars movie. The character this week is an emperor from 3rd century BC, whose symbols live on to this day, both on the flag, as well as on pretty much all Indian currency. Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #naradamuni #devayani #kacha #shukracharya #sanjeevanimantra

This week, we'll do a #folktale from #Bengal It’s about two sisters who go to great lengths to retrieve a little cotton when it gets blown away by the wind. Including running for miles and flying into the Sky! The character this week is two characters, not one. Because they are twins. These brothers are associated with medicine. And not just for getting getter when sick, but they can also bring pe...

This week, we’re meeting #Hanuman who is a very central figure in the #Ramayan. Hanuman is the equivalent of #Superman. He’s got extraordinary powers with a much more interesting origin story than his Kryptonian comic book equivalent. Amongst other things, we’ll see the first recorded space flight! And why it’s a terrible idea to throw anything at a monkey. The character this week is a person from...