Stories From India

The #Betaal challenges #Vikram to solve yet another puzzle, featuring deadly snakes, resurrection, and the Ancient Indian version of a reality TV show. Is Vikram finally stumped? Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Previous #VikramBetaal episodes are here: Episode 8 – Vik and the Vampire Redux Episode 32 – The Call of Duty Episode 34 – A Damsel in Distress Episode 56 – T...

A story about the Great Indian Emperor #Ashoka - his life and his times, including the good, the bad, and the ugly! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Ashok #Buddha #Buddhism

A Story from the #Mahabharata about #Pandu's crime and #Gandhari's super-pregnancy. Also featuring a Rishi who could turn into a deer! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Previous Mahabharat Episodes are here: Episode 59 – River of Dreams Episode 60 – Down By The River Episode 68 – Waiting Episode 69 – Father and Son Episode 70 – The Art of the Deal Episode 83 – Mahabhar...

A story from the #JatakaTales about Snakes that can transform into humans and a King who can speak the language of all animals! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Previous JatakaTales episodes: Episode 79 - https://sfipodcast.com/episode-79-jataka-tales-mission-impossible/ Episode 18 - https://sfipodcast.com/18-monkey-business/ Episode 14 - https://sfipodcast.com/episod...

A #Tamil and #Kannada Folk tale about a demon whose favorite pastime is possessing princesses and listening to good music! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #TamilFolkTales #FolkTalesOfIndia #TamilNadu #Karnataka #KannadaFolkTales #Mysore #Coimbatore

A #Mahabharata story about 4 weddings of the #Hastinapur boys. Thanks to some matchmaking by Uncle #Bhishma and Grandma #Satyavati! Also featuring the birth of #Karna Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Previous Mahabharat Episodes are here: Episode 59 – River of Dreams Episode 60 – Down By The River Episode 68 – Waiting Episode 69 – Father and Son Episode 70 – The Art o...

A #Konkani folk tale from #Goa about a beggar girl who married a Prince and who could survive on just one paisa! With a little help from some fish! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Konkan #KonkaniFolkTales #FolkTalesOfIndia #IndianFolkTales

3 stories about the famous #Saptarishi #Agastya who swallowed the entire Ocean up, stopped tectonic plate movements and defeated an evil goat! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #NaradaMuni #Vatapi #Vindhya #Surya #Meru #Indra

A #FolkTale from #Assam about magical trees, people being transformed into animals, and some strange-yet-satisfying meals! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Assamese #FolkTalesOfIndia #FolkTalesOfAssam #AssameseFolkTales

A story from the #Ramayana about an escalating conflicting between the #Ayodhya brothers and the #Lanka brothers, leading to #Sita's abduction Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Previous Ramayana episodes Valmiki’s origin story is in Episode 6 – Fish Highwayman The Ramayana kicks off in Episode 7 – Kingdom by Horse . Episode 15 – Rishi vs Rishi: Un-civil war! and Episod...

A story of #Vishnu about the #Venkateswara temple at #Tirupati. Also featuring the #Saptarishi #Brighu, #Lakshmi, #Shiva, #Brahma, and me! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Lakshmi was previously featured in Episode 80 – Narada – A Beauty Contest . I made an appearance in that one too! The holy trinity - Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva have featured prominently in multiple e...

A #BengaliFolkTale about magical fruits and  plants, 3 sets of twins, and a witch who can change into a deer and who also enjoys board games Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Bengal #WestBengal #Bengali #FolkTalesOfIndia #BengaliFolkTales #IndianFolkTales #IndianFolkTale

A couple of stories from the #Panchatantra about #Tigers in trouble and what happened to farmers who rescued them! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Previous Panchatantra episodes are here: Episode 62 – The Snake That Tipped Well Episode 48 – Castles in the Air Episode 29 – Act Now, Think Later Episode 4 – Hare-y Tales #sfipodcast #VishnuSharma #Tiger

A #MarathiFolkTale about a Jackal who repeatedly proves that he is smarter than humans! But with a little twist! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Maharashtra #IndianFolkTales #FolkTalesOfIndia #Marathi #FolkTalesOfMaharashtra

A story from the #Mahabharat about how the author #Vyas has to step in himself to solve the problem of succession to the throne of #Hastinapur Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Previous Mahabharat Episodes are here: Episode 59 – River of Dreams Episode 60 – Down By The River Episode 68 – Waiting Episode 69 – Father and Son Episode 70 – The Art of the Deal Episode 83 –...

Another #VikramBetaal story about a Scandal in Karnataka, and how a mastermind pits his wits against a Princess. Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Previous Vikram Betaal episodes: Episode 5 – Kingly duties Episode 8 – Vik and the Vampire Redux Episode 32 – The Call of Duty Episode 34 – A Damsel in Distress Episode 56 – The Three Sherlocks Also: Mini-Episode 46.5 – Beta...

An #AkbarBirbal story where #Birbal again comes to the rescue when someone tries to cheat a hardworking farmer out of her gold! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com We’ve covered Akbar and Birbal stories previously in Episodes 9 - A Clever Minister in King Akbar’s Court , Episode 10 - The Great Detective , Episode 22 - Slow Cooker , Episode 38 - A Close Shave , and most r...

A #FolkTale from #Punjab about a wish-fulfilling Bee, a talking Tigress, a princess abduction, and a shape-shifting monster! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #PunjabiFolkTales #FolkTalesOfPunjab #FolkTalesOfIndia #IndianFolkTales

A story from the #Ramayana about #Ram and #Lakshman's elder sister - #Shanta. Also featuring #Dasharath, #Kaushalya, #Ravana, and me, #NaradaMuni! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Previous Ramayan episodes are here #sfipodcast #Ramayan #Narada #Rishyashringa

A story from the #Mahabharat about #Amba. Also featuring a battle between #Parshuram and #Bhishma, and a little cameo by me, #NaradaMuni! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Mahabharata #Bheeshma #Parshurama #Narada

A #FolkTale from #Karnataka about an an odd village where everyone seems to behave illogically, and what happens when outsiders visit Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #FolkTalesOfIndia  #IndianFolkTales #FolkTalesOfKarnataka #KannadaFolkTales #KannadaFolkTale #KarnatakaFolkTales #KarnatakaFolkTale #Kannada

A story from the #Ramayan about #Rama's battle in the #Dandaka forest with #Shoorpanakha's brothers #Khara and #Dushana Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Ramayana #Valmiki #Laxman #Lakshman #Sita #Panchavati #Surpanakha There are 9 previous Ramayana episodes Valmiki's origin story is in Episode 6 – Fish Highwayman The Ramayana kicks off in Episode 7 – King...

A folk tale from #Ladakh about a fairy who cries gems, and a magic box like #Pandora's but with a big difference! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #FolkTalesOfIndia #FolkTalesOfLadakh #LadakhiFolkTales #IndianFolkTales

Celebrate #ShivajiJayanti with a couple of stories of this legendary #Maratha ruler, including one about how he captured his first fort at #Torna! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Shivaji #Maharashtra #Pune #AfzalKhan #Bijapur #Pratapgarh

This is the origin story of #Parshuram, an avatar of #Vishnu, also featuring a magic clay pot and a wish-fulfilling cow! Transcript and show notes Music: https://www.purple-planet.com #sfipodcast #Parshurama #Surabhi #Jamadagni #Richika #Satyavati #Renuka