Tenali Raman Tales Of Wit And Wisdom

A breathtaking landscape; the ruins of a prosperous kingdom; and over cups of hot tea; two friends discover stories about the world's smartest jester-Tenali Raman. Sulekha is studying in Class V and has been allowed by her principal to accompany her mother to Hampi; on the condition that she produces a full report about life in the Vijayanagar empire on her return. In Hampi; Sulekha meets the cocky TJ; who claims to be a descendant of one of Vijayanagar's most famous citizens; Tenali Raman; and together they start collecting stories about the jester and his kingdom. Tenali; it turns out; had a solution to every problem that befell the kingdom-from the mundane to the bizarre: How do you carry a pot brimming with holy water; over hundreds of miles; without spilling a single drop? The king wants to build a palace he has seen only in his dreams; how can he be stopped? And a man is to be hanged for having a 'bad-luck' face; can Tenali prevent this? As they exchange anecdotes about Tenali Raman; Sulekha and her friends also learn more about the Vijayanagar empire; King Krishnadevaraya and what life was like in sixteenth-century south India. Wonderfully witty and bubbling over with fun and facts; this book is not just about one of India's sharpest minds; it is a peep into a vibrant period in Indian history.