In the heart of a dense jungle, a notorious robber named Valiyo made his living through robbery. He was feared by travellers and revered by his family, who relied on his stolen goods to sustain their lives.
One day, Sage Narada, the ever-mischievous celestial bard known for his devotion to Lord Vishnu...
Oh, It's that time in 5 years. Now is the time... to wake up again for a short duty of ours as citizens.
"Every vote matters." Sounds like cliche, but it's more than important. This poem seeks to awaken people amidst this time of crucial elections in the country, to go out and ink their index finger...
In the heart of ancient India, there lived a young and talented archer. His story is one of skill, sacrifice, and unwavering devotion. Ekalavya, the son of Hiranyadhanus who was the king of Nishada tribe. Though born in a privileged family, Ekalavya lost his father at a very young age due to his tragic death in a war.
Now Ekalavya as the main heir was the only one to be in charge of the forest. But there was another problem. The population of the wolves and jackals was at its peak, which threatened the natives and wildlife.
Ekalavya, who was a humble and curious boy, wanted to learn archery and warfare tactics for the welfare of his subjects. He approached Dronacharya, the guru of Pandavas and the Kauravas, whom he considered his role model.
"Greeting to you Oh Revered Guru! I am Eklavya, the son of late Hiranyadhanus, the king of Nishada Tribe. As the new king of the forest, it is my duty to protect my subjects and the forest wildlife from the wolves and jackals. I am very keen to learn the art of warfare. I am very interested in Archery. With utmost respect, I request you to accept me as your disciple."
Dronacharya was immensely impressed by Eklavya's humbleness. He immediately wanted to accept him as his student. But as the teacher of royal princes, he couldn't accept a forest boy as a student along with Pandavas & Kauravas. Moreover, he promised Arjuna, the 3rd Pandava to make him the greatest archer in the whole world.
With heavy heart, Dronacharya replied, 'Son! I'm impressed by your compassion towards the wildlife and your love towards archery. But since you are a boy belonging to the forest, I cannot accept you as my student. Remember, my blessings are always with you."
Then the disappointed Nishada Prince touched Dronacharya's feet and made his way to the Forest. Thereafter, he made a statue of Guru Dronacharya with clay and began worshipping it and practiced archery in front of it as if it was his real preceptor.
Day-by-day month-by-month he consistently practiced archery and attained mastery in the art. He became so good at archery that he could shoot arrows at an animal just by hearing its sound.
One fine day, Ashwathama and Arjuna were passing in the Nishada Forest, where they saw that a dog's mouth was fully closed by three arrows. Arjuna thought, "Who is this extremely skilled archer in this dense forest, who is so better than me?"
Later he found out that it was Eklavya who shot the arrows at the dog. "Who is your guru? Who taught you archery?" asked Arjuna. "Dronacharya" replied Eklavya.
Arjuna then immediately met Dronacharya and asked him, "Gurudev! You promised me to make me the finest archer this world has ever seen! How can you teach a forest boy and make him a better archer than me?"
Dronacharya was dumbstruck. There were no words on his lips. He wondered who was this boy who closed a dog's mouth with arrows at one shot! At once he decided to meet that boy, (who was Eklavya) and have a look his archery skills.
This news reached Eklavya's ears and he grandly decorated the entire forest with flowers to welcome Guru Dronacharya. Even the people of the forest were asked to wear new clothes for welcoming him with due rites.
Dronacharya was impressed when he saw all the paraphernalia; he was very eager to meet Eklavya.
Dronacharya, Arjuna, and Aswatthama met Eklavya. He was surprised to see his idol and Eklavya practicing in front of it. The moment Eklavya saw Dronacharya, he prostrated himself before him. "Get up, son! Who are you? I observed that you practice archery in front of my idol." "Greetings to you oh revered Guru! I'm Eklavya whom you refused to teach because you are the teacher of the royal princes. But with your blessings, I made your idol and practiced archery in front of it. It is your blessings that helped me achieve mastery in this art."
"You're indeed the best archer in the world," said Arjuna. But inwardly, he was very angry.
Dronacharya was happy but at the same time, he was sad because he had promised Arjuna to make him the best archer ever but Eklavya had the skills that made him surpass Arjuna.
"Guru I want you to see my skills in archery!" said Eklavya and he showed his skills. Dronacharya said, "Hey Eklavya! I'm really impressed by your extraordinary skills in the art of archery. I am proud of your proficiency" Eklavya, "Why Gurudev? I would never go against your wishes! Kindly tell me the matter that bothers you. I am even ready to sacrifice my life for you."
Dronacharya, "I... I want Guru-Dakshina from you... Will you give me whatever I ask for?"
Eklavya, "Oh revered Gurudev! I am ever-ready to give you whatever you ask for. Just ask me and I ready to sacrifice my life."
Dronacharya with a heavy heart said, "Eklavya...! I want your right thumb, as my guru-dakshina!"
Arjuna and Ashwatthama were stunned to hear the words of Dronacharya. Everyone was keen to see the reaction of Eklavya.
Eklavya immediately cut his right thumb with one of his arrows and offered it on a leaf to Dronacharya.
Dronacharya was grief-stricken. There was a sudden hush in the entire forest.
Dronacharya hugged Eklavya and took leave of the forest along with Arjuna and Ashwatthama.
Even though Eklavya lost his crucial right thumb, he didn't sit crying. Instead, he practiced with his left hand and attained proficiency in left-hander archery as well.
Such that even Duryodhana invited Eklavya to join the Kaurava Army in the Kurukshetra war of Mahabharata, which was between Pandavas and the Kauravas. And Eklavya was ready to join the Kaurava side because his father was a member of the Kaurava army.
But before the war began, Sri Krishna killed Eklavya. He later revealed the reason for killing Eklavya to Arjuna. It is mentioned in the Drona Parva of Mahabharata.
Shri Krishna said, "Oh Partha (another name of Arjuna)! Nishada's son was undefeatable even though he was deprived of the right thumb. He is incapable of being vanquished in battle by the gods, the Danavas, the Asuras, and the Devas all together. If he was alive today, Dharma would have died today. 'For thy good he was slain by me on the field of battle!'
Eklavya was eternally blessed by Shri Krishna and he attained the state of Moksha.
- A retelling by Shanmukha
22nd January 2024 - Ram Lala has returned!
There are certain moments in history that feel less like events and more like echoes finally reaching their destination.
Today felt like one of them.
After nearly 1000 years of conflict, waiting, memory, politics, faith, destruction, reconstruction, debate, and devotion, Sri Ram has finally returned to Ayodhya. And strangely, the atmosphere today did not merely feel festive, it felt emotional, almost civilisational.
Not because a structure was built.
But because an idea survived long enough to witness itself reborn.
What makes Lord Ram timeless is perhaps the fact that every generation interprets him differently. To some, he is God. To some, an ideal king. To some, a symbol of discipline, sacrifice, restraint, and dharma in an age where chaos often appears more rewarding than virtue.
And maybe that is why Ramayana never truly disappears from India’s consciousness.
It keeps returning.
In stories.
In homes.
In festivals.
In arguments.
In art.
In memory.
As I watched Ayodhya illuminated today, it did not feel like merely a city celebrating an inauguration. It felt like history, mythology, emotion, and identity collapsing into a single moment in time.
For Curious Herald, this day also feels deeply connected to the Ramayana Series itself.
Because while writing and exploring the Ramayana, one slowly realizes that the epic was never just about a war between Ram and Ravan. It is a study of human choices, duty, ego, loyalty, grief, exile, morality, power, and the consequences of both wisdom and arrogance.
That is perhaps why the story survives thousands of years later while countless empires vanished into dust.
Today’s Pran Pratistha feels like more than a religious milestone. It feels like a reminder that civilizations may slow down, fracture, or lose confidence for periods of time - but some stories are simply too deeply rooted to disappear.
Because Ramayana is not merely mythology to be read once and forgotten.
It is psychology.
It is philosophy.
It is politics.
It is family.
It is war.
It is devotion.
It is humanity itself reflected through narrative.
Most importantly, it is a record of evidence of India's rich history.
And Ayodhya today stands as proof of that.
Jay Sri Ram.
Regards,
Shanmukha | Curious Herald
Check out the Ramayana Series - Click here
Dear Readers,
FUN WITH STORIES! is evolving.
What began as a small creative blogging space built around stories, imagination, and experimentation is now gradually growing into something broader - Curious Herald.
Welcome to THE GRATEFUL MONGOOSE!
The illustrated retelling of the legendary Panchatantra tale.
A Classic Panchatantra Retelling | For ages toddler to 10.
This is the story of a loyal mongoose who protects a family's home and their little baby with all its might. But when a massive misunderstanding happens at the front door, a split-second decision changes everything. It is a fast-paced, deeply emotional story that shows the incredible loyalty of animals and delivers a timeless lesson on why we should never act in anger or haste.
Parents, this book is an excellent gateway to talking with your kids about trust, making careful choices, and thinking before reacting.
The E-Book can be accessed for free via the hyperlink given below:
To view the E-Book click here.
The Loyalty Value: The mongoose risked everything to protect the baby in the cradle. Why do you think animals can be so incredibly loyal to the humans who take care of them? Do you have an animal friend who makes you feel safe?
The Danger of Haste: The owner of the house made a massive mistake because she reacted the exact second she saw blood, without checking inside first. Can you think of a time when you reacted too fast out of anger or fear and realized later that you were mistaken?
Pausing to Think: If the mother had taken just three deep breaths before reacting at the door, how would the story have ended differently? What can we do in our everyday life to help ourselves pause when we feel suddenly angry or scared?
The Snake Encounter: The mongoose had to face a dangerous snake completely on its own to save its friend. What does true bravery mean to you, and does being brave mean you aren't allowed to feel scared?
The Final Lesson: This story has a very serious ending compared to other fables. Why do you think traditional stories use sad or serious twists to teach us important lessons instead of always having a happy ending?
Hello everyone,
FUN WITH STORIES! has now officially stepped into Pinterest as well.
Since stories, ideas, artwork, animations, and creative concepts deserve a place beyond just videos and posts, we decided to expand a little further into the visual side of creativity too.
You can now explore our Pinterest page for updates, creative posts, visuals, story-related content, and more as the journey of FUN WITH STORIES! continues to grow gradually across different platforms.
And to save your precious scrolling energy, here’s the page directly:
Thank you once again for supporting this growing creative journey from the very beginning.
More stories, ideas, and animated adventures ahead.
Regards,
Shanmukha | FUN WITH STORIES!
Click the following to view them:
Greetings, readers.
One of the greatest stories ever told has finally arrived on the FUN WITH STORIES! YouTube channel.
The Ramayana is not merely an ancient tale locked inside history books or mythology discussions. It is a story that has travelled across generations for thousands of years — through voices, scriptures, art, theatre, devotion, and memory itself. And even today, its characters, conflicts, emotions, and philosophies continue to remain relevant in ways that are honestly fascinating.
With that thought, I am excited to begin Ramayana: The Epic Series - an animated storytelling journey exploring this timeless epic in a visual and engaging format.
This series is not intended to be just a simple narration of events. The aim is to gradually explore the world of Ramayana beyond surface-level storytelling - the characters, the decisions they make, the moral dilemmas they face, the emotions behind their actions, and the larger ideas hidden beneath the narrative itself.
Because Ramayana is far more than a battle between Ram and Ravan.
It is about dharma.
About sacrifice.
About exile.
About loyalty.
About ego.
About leadership.
About choices and consequences.
And perhaps that is why the epic still survives while countless kingdoms vanished into history.
Through animation, storytelling, visuals, narration, and discussion, this series attempts to bring the epic closer to modern audiences while still preserving the depth and cultural richness that make Ramayana extraordinary.
This is only the beginning of the journey.
Many important characters, events, kingdoms, emotions, and turning points still lie ahead. From Ayodhya to Lanka, from devotion to war, from wisdom to destruction, the story unfolds gradually, chapter by chapter.
If you enjoy mythology, storytelling, philosophy, history, or simply powerful narratives, I hope this series becomes a meaningful experience for you.
Feel free to share your thoughts, interpretations, and perspectives along the journey. After all, epics survive because generations continue discussing them.
And now, the journey begins.
Happy watching.
Shanmukha
FUN WITH STORIES!
ANNOUNCING OUR NEW BLOGS!
We are officially expanding the "FUN WITH STORIES!" network! If you have been following our main journey over on this blog, I want to say a big 'Thank you' to you for staying with us.
To make it even easier to track specific sagas, we have launched dedicated spaces for individual epics alongside our visual media. Here is the complete roadmap of where you can find our content right now:
📜 Dedicated Epic Blogs
The Epic Mahabharata:
Srimad Bhagavatam:
The Epic Ramayana:
YouTube Channel (Animated Stories!)
Head over to our video channel to experience our stories in full visual picture mode:
Experimental Sandbox Website
We are also testing out a new layout experiment here for those interested in checking it out:storyvista.mydurable.com
Our main home base continues to run strong, and these new branches will let us dive even deeper into these massive epics. Head over to the links, give us some views, and we'll keep writing and creating more content!
© 2021 FUN WITH STORIES!
PicBook@FWS
Welcome to THE CLEVER FOX!
Think you know the classic story of the clever fox? Think again! This time, an old favorite is brought to life in a brand-new, completely interactive E-book filled with vibrant pictures. Instead of just reading along, you get to be part of the adventure.
An Interactive Fable authored by Shanmukha | For ages toddler to 10.
Follow the journey of the craftiest animal in the woods as they use quick wit and clever thinking to outsmart the competition. It’s a fast, fun, and visually engaging story that proves why intelligence and sharp thinking are always better than brute strength.
Parents, this interactive version is a fantastic way to read together, letting your little ones make choices and see where the story takes them!
The E-Book can be accessed absolutely free of cost via the hyperlink given below:
Click here to view the e-book.
Use these fun questions to chat about the story together:
The Wit Test: Foxes are famous in stories for being incredibly clever. If you were an animal in the forest trying to outsmart a bigger, stronger animal, what would your superpower be?
Brain vs. Brawn: This story shows that being smart is often much more useful than just being strong. Can you think of a time when using your brain helped you solve a problem that physical strength couldn't fix?
Picture Clues: Look closely at the pictures throughout the book. Before reading the words on the page, what clues do the characters' expressions give you about what they are planning next?
The Interactive Choice: Since this book lets you interact with the story, did you try out a choice that led to a bad outcome first just to see what would happen? What did that choice teach you about the fox's real strategy?
The Final Moral: What do you think is the ultimate lesson the other animals learned after interacting with the clever fox today?
Cover page of the book launched on Amazon :) What happens when a generation raised on infinite scroll tries to find finite meaning? Loopy Ch...
