and... and... and...

Wily old women, a clever nanny goat, a helpful snake, a boy who becomes invisible, a sorcerer king ... Peopled with extraordinary beings - both real and magical, human and divine, animal and demon - t

India's gift to the world-Kautilya's Arthashastra addresses almost every aspect of governance from the duties and objectives of the ruler to social welfare, financial management, town planning, law and justice and foreign affairs. Lost for centuries, it was miraculously rediscovered by Rudrapatna Shamasastry, a Sanskrit scholar, in 1905 CE. This version, especially adapted for young readers, aims to acquaint them with a heritage work, while providing insights into the nitty gritty of running a country. Using examples from history as well as current geopolitics, it attempts to illustrate how Kautilya's theories of governance remain as relevant as they were two thousand years ago.

In the last years of the nineteenth century, a caravan of traders sets off from the high hills of Kumaon, India, for Tibet. They traverse dangerous passes and brave blinding snowstorms, in order to ca