The Mahabharata, over 3500 years old and the longest poem in the world, would fill eighteen volumes if printed in full. It, along with The Ramayana, captures the essence of Indian cultural and religious heritage, reflecting the moral and social values of an ancient civilisation. R K Narayan?s new prose adaption brings this epic to life against the backdrop of royal capitals, lush forests, and mountains. It chronicles the dynastic struggle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, culminating in the legendary eighteen-day battle of Kurushetra. The Mahabharata is rich with Hindu religious and cultural elements, fromThe Bhagavad Gita to numerous mythic tales. Its most striking feature is its vivid, enduring characters. "It is a great tale with well-defined characters who talk and act with robustness and zest- heroes and villains, saints and kings, women of beauty- all displaying great human qualities, superhuman endurance, depths of sinister qualities as well as power, satanic hates and intrigues: all presented against an impressive background of ancient royal capitals, forests, and mountains? -R K Narayan