Suryavamshi: The Sun Kings of Rajasthan

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Then, with a deep rumbling that shook the skies, bathing the world in glorious light, as if melting the stone walls and the iron gates of the temple, Suryadev, the Sun God - brighter than a billion blazing fires - appeared before Subhaga on a chariot drawn by seven emerald horses. Subhaga covered her face with her hands and said: 'O Lord, save me, forgive me, the whole world burns!'

'Do not fear, girl, said the god. 'Ask for your boon.

For over a century, Abanindranath Tagore's Raj Kahini has been among the most beloved works of Bangla literature. Mixing history and mythology with an extraordinary visual imagination, it tells the tales of the Suryavamsha - the Sun Dynasty that ruled Mewar.

Here we meet Shiladitya, child of the Sun God; Bappaditya, who builds an empire that stretches up to Persia; Hambir, the cheeky teenager who reclaims the throne of Mewar. We meet Padmini, the princess from Sri Lanka who becomes a goddess; Mirabai, who renounces her kingdom to be with her child-god, Nandalala.

On every page, we are exposed to emotions that define the human condition - love, sacrifice, jealousy, courage, greed and treachery. Honour and loyalty clash with villainy and evil, and the better side does not always win. Epic in their sweep, universal in their essence, these stories are timeless.

Suryavamshi is a translation and adaptation of Abanindranath Tagore's classic for twenty-first-century India.

Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951) was one of India's most important artists and led the influential Bengal School of Art. A member of the Tagore family, he was also a well-regarded writer, especially known for his children's books which includes the classic Raj Kahini.

Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951), affectionately called Aban Thakur by Bengalis, was an extraordinary talent, though he was obviously much overshadowed by his uncle, Rabindranath Tagore. In the early twentieth century, he and his elder brother, Gaganendranath, created the first modern Indian art movement. The Bengal School of Art broke away from Western traditions and sought beauty, freedom and inspiration in India's own artistic heritage.

Abanindranath also wrote several books, principally for children and teenagers, but they are classic works that anyone of any age can enjoy and mull over too. His tales brim over with the visual imagination of a master painter. In fact, in his children's novel Buro Angla, he describes himself as a man who 'writes pictures'.