The stories of Vikram and Vetal are about the legendary King Vikramaditya who lived in the 1st century BC. Originally written in Sanskrit they are also known as the Baital Pachisi (25 stories about Vetal ). The King promises a sorcerer who has been visiting his court disguised as a beggar that he will bring him Vetal (the vampire). The brave and wise King finds Vetal hanging from a tree in a dark dense forest. Vetal accompanies the King and captivates his attention with his enthralling tales and asks the King a question at the end. If the King remains silent, Vetal continues with another tale and when the King answers he flies back to his eerie abode. Legend has it that his happened 24 times and that even King Vikramaditya does not have the answer to the 25th question and finally manages to capture Vetal. The five books in our Vikram Vetal series are a wonderful read and are bound to spark a debate in the child's mind. The illustrations for this series have a sleek modern look while retaining the essence of the ancient.
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