Tales of Bharat by Rati Hegde Ji is a collection of stories from the glorious epics, legends, folklore, and history that attempts to bring a treasure of stories that would instill Dharmic values in the readers. The inspiration for the book lies in a lecture that Smt Rati delivered about four years ago where it was brought to her notice the need to introduce children to indigenous Dharmic stories.
Tales have been sourced from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, and folk legends that celebrate the rich culture of this land. These stories provide the future generations with icons they can look up to rather than blindly aping the west. It is pertinent to point out that it was Rajmata Jijau’s narration of Hindu Dharma granthas that instilled the necessary values including bravery and righteousness in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj thereby giving Bharat a Hindu king who freed the citizens from Islamic slavery raising the flag of Hindavi Swaraj.
Earlier, the joint family setup helped the children learn from their grandparents. However, as society evolved and nuclear families replaced joint families, an entire generation was raised without the guidance of experienced elders. As a result, there is a generation of parents that are falling short in introducing their children to the world of Bharatiya Dharmic tales.
Furthermore, parents are unable to satisfactorily answer questions raised by their kids which further alienates the latter. No wonder, children find fairytales such as Cinderella and snow white much more attractive. This book aims to fill in the gaps and also answer the questions with respect to our tales that arise in the minds of the younger generation which parents are unable to satiate.
The book is a collection of 51 tales that explains various episodes in simple and lucid language. The book is as enticing and informative for adults as it is for children. This can be a good starting point for introducing future generations to Bharat’s rich Dharmic heritage.
