Ranadhira Kanthirava Narasaraja Wadeyar (1638-1659), king of Mysore, was a popular ruler who introduced many reforms. To this day, many tales are told of his extraordinary strength, keen intellect and generosity. It was during his reign that Mysore became a major power in the South. Before Ranadhira succeeded to the throne, he had to deal with the wicked and ambitious Vikramaraya, the Dalwai, or chief minister, of the kingdom. The material for this Amer Chitra Katha has been drawn fram the account given by Lt. Col.Mark Wilks in his History of Mysore and from Vamshavali, a work in Kannada published by the Mysore Palace. PA Rels he a arc re OUR NEXT TITLE: KAPALA KUNDALA Suggested price in U.K.25p U.S.A. 75 ¢ © India Book House Education Trust, Bombey—400 039 All rights reserved. — June 18, 1979 Published by H.G. Mirchandani, for India Book House Education Trust, Rusi Mansion, 29, Nathale! Parekh Marg, Bombay-400 038 and printed by him at IBH Printers, Marol Nake Mathuradas Vissanji Read, Andheri (East), Bombay-400 O59. Editor: AnantPai Script: Subba Rao = Artworks: Pradeep Sathe= PEST 1S THERE ANYONE [0 /__ | DON’T af is MIGHTIER THAN) J 4 THINK SO. BUT WHY DON'T you FIND OUT 2MY LOIN-CLOTH SHOULD BE HUNG OVER THE GATEWAY OF THE FORT, AS A CHALLENGE. THE ONE WHO PARES MEET ME IN THE RING WILL REMOVE It. ' SHOULD KEEP THIS MIGHTY WRESTLER HAPPY. 'D BETTER HUMOUR HIM. | ACCEPT YOUR SUGGESTION.,THE WRESTLER'S LOIN-CLOTH WAS HLING ON THE GATEWAY MUCH TO THE DISTASTE OF THE POPULACE — IS UTTERLY DISGUSTING! ONE DAY, TWO TRAVELLERS CAME RIDING BY- ims a WHY 1S THAT LOIN-CLOTH HANGING THERE? REMOVE IT! BUT WHAT CAN WE DO ® WE DON'T DARE MEET THAT BRAGGART OF A WRESTLER DON'T LIF YOU DO, YOU WILL HAVE TO FIGHT MAHAMALLA, OUR A MIGHTY WRESTBUT THE YOUNG HOTHEAP PAID NO HEED TO THE WARNING. osMEANWHILE THE PALACE GUARDS HAD CLOSED IN ON THE YOUNG MAN. sf IF THIS IS AN = ATTACK, WE ARE READY TO FIGHTI/ © AH, IN THAT CASE, WE ARE MISTAKEN, STRANGER. HONOURED! / tee WE HAVE BEEN SENT BY OUR CHIEFTAIN TO AT THE CHIEFTAIN’S PALACE— | STRANGER, “OSS SL WHEN YOU ~ ath eee PULLED THE LOIN- a ree] CLOTH OFF THE GATEA LARGE CROWD HAP GATHERED TO WATCH THE MATCH ARRANGED BETWEEN THE VISITOR AND MAHAMALLA. LOOK AT THAT YOUNG OUR HEFTY MAN 1S NO WRESTLER! MATCH FOR, LET'S WAIT AND SEE. mB HE’S CLEVER, THIS YOUNG MAN! BUT | KNOW ONE TRICK THAT WILL FINIGH HIM OFtWE'LL MEET IN AS THE TWO PREPARED TO TAKE VAJRA MUSHTHI™ UP THEIR POSITIONS, ONE OF THE SPECTATORS WHIGPERED A THE & ALL RIGHT, 'M READY. J TAKE CARE! HE'LL USE A SECRET THE TRICKSTER! 2 THE ROUND BEGAN. THE WREST4 LERS WERE LOCKED IN A SUFFOCATING EMBRACE. yg» ADAMANTINE FISTBUT SECONDS LATER THE YOUNG WRESTLER) | iM ANSWER, THE OUING MAN fsa «AND LIGHTLY TAPPED THE WRESTLE! HEAD WITH IT. oe =)OUR WICKED PLAY PRECISELY ‘THE SAME TRICK IN THE CONFLISION THAT FOLLOWED THE WSITOR UIETE WRESTLER USED TO HIM DO IT! Bae Y SLIPPED AWAY. LR THE CHIEFTAIN HAS VERY ANGRY. AFTER A FUTILE SEARCH AN OFFICER CAME TO REPORT. HE HAS VANISHED. BUT HE HAS LEFT A MESSAGE ON THE WALL OF THE FORT- WHERE HAS HE GONE® BRING HIM HERE ATTHE CHIEFTAIN RODE UP TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE FORT. THERE |S ONLY ONE WRESTLER AS SKILFUL AS +»»RANADHIRA NARASARAJA, THE COUSIN OF THE KING OF MYSORE. / =~aS A TO MYSORE. TO FIND a OUT. WE MUST AVENGE THIS INSULT. MEANWHILE THE VICTORIOUS WRESTLER WHO WAS INDEED RANADHIRA NARASA— HIS WAY BACK TO HIS ESTATE AT TERAKANAMB/". arn + RANADHIRA, THANKS TO \ & YOU, THE PEOPLE OF TIRU~ 6) CHIRAPALLI NEED NO. OF MYSORE, HAVE BEEN WAITING @ A PLACE NEAR MYSORE CITYPRINCE, WE REGRET THE MESSENGERS GAVE Him THE~ TO INFORM YOU THAT ++ THE KING OF MYSORE IS DEAD. BuT HOW DiD { MY DEAR COUSIN | DIE@ THE LETTER THEY ARE NOT MENTIONS NOTH- TELLING ME THE ING OF THIS. 47 THE KING DIED ar WHOLE TRUTH... SUDDENLY, AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS.PLEASE CONVEY MY DEEPEST SYMPA- THIES TO THE QUEEN A MOTHER « INFORM be VIKRAMARAYA THAT PLL BE IN MYSORE WITHIN TWO DAYS. PRINCE, BRING A MESSAGE FROM THE. QUEEN MOTHER. SHE BEGS. YOU TO PROCEED TO THE Mm CAPITAL IMMEDIATELY TO /(if Bh, HELP THE fOUNG KING. Rien. < DOESN'T HE KNOW THAT THE KING 15 NO LONGER ALIVE 21 MUST GET TO THE BOTTOM[7---EVER SINCE HE BEGAN TO ASSERT HIMSELF. OUR KING IS NO LONGER THE PLEASURE-LOVING WEAK- WHY AMI NEEDED? IS THE KING IN DANGER ? YES, AND THE MIRACLE. WAS WROUGHT BY THE QUEEN MOTHER.VIKRAMA- my RAYA HAD GRADUALLY TAKEN OVER ,WHILE THE KING WAS A MERE PUPPET IN HIS HANDS. ei. SHE COULD NOT BEAR IT ANY LONGER. RMED INTO THE KING'S APARTMENTS —” As)“THE KING BECAME AWARE OF HIS RESPON- ‘TEN Eee ee SIBILITIES AND BEGAN TO LEAD A NEW YOUR DUTIES TO YOUR PEOPLE LIFE. HE PAID A SURPRISE WSIT TO THE AND THE STATE | YOU HAVE TREASURY? BETRAYED THE TRUST PLACED IN YOU BY YOUR LET ME SEE THE INVEN- FATHER! YOU ARE UNFIT TO RULE! THE BRAHMAN CONTINUED HIS WE ARE INNOCENT, ASK HIM TO Y YOUR MAJESTY SEE ME AT THE QUEEN MOTHER WE HAVE BEEN 1S GLAD THAT THE KING CARRYING OUT % HAS AT LAST ASSERTED VIKRAMARAYA'S ff ? HIS AUTHORITY BUT SHE We yf 1S AFRAID THAT VIKRAMA- RAYA MAY HARM HIM| | Too LATE. THE KING DEAD. BS in re caPrTaL. |= S| You ARE NOW ah a eh p ’ A RANADHIRA WAS NOW CERTAIN YES, TWO a be | i THAT THE KING HAD BEEN A MESSENGERS VICTIM OF FOUL PLAY. FROM VIKRAMA~ RAYA JUST VIKRAMARAYA | IF YOU BROUGHT ME ( HAVE HAD A HAND IN THIS THE NEWS. EVIL DEED, YOU SHALL ie Ac PAY FOR IT WITH YOUR Sen » uFE. | Sesag WN IN eek ayTHE FOLLOWING DAY RANADHIRA LEFT FOR MYSORE. HE WAS RECEIVED BY VIKRAMARAYA ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY » WELCOME , PRINCE -MYSORE, YES! HE BEAT THE RU ate Ang. BUT ONCE VIKRAMARAYA HAP RANADHIRA THERE — : & AHLAT LAST a : 1 HAVE THE TIGER a i SAFE INSIDE THE, 7 \) io GE! Z THAT YOU WILL i : fe BE COMFORTABLE HERE, PRINCE.RANADHIRA WAS VIRTUALLY A PRISONER WA! THE PALACE. r J TELL VIKRAMA- RAYA THAT HE HOLDS HIS OFFICE AT MAY PLEASURE SON, IF YOU f/) ARE NOT CAREFUL, H| YOU WILL MEET THE SAME FATE AS YOUR COUSIN.THE QUEEN RECOUNTED THE SAD “| CALLED IN THE PHYSICIAN, STORY. BOMMARASA * THE KING WILL SOON BECOME BETTER. AFTER HE TAKES THIS» WHY ALL THIS: FUSS © A DAY'S. REST WILL CURE. ME.“1 COMPELLED HIM TO Dikinik iF." DON'T REFUSE, SON. PLEASE TAKE THE MEDICINE. ALL RIGHT, MOTHER. TO R\ PLEASE YOU, “SOOM ATER TAKING THE MEDICINE HE CRIED OUT —" MOTHER, 1 FEEL AS IF ’M ON FIRE! OH, ) CAN'T STAND IT! THE TIGER IS LATER VIKRAMARAYA SENT FOR Vi R7 GO TO RANADHIRA’S THE WRESTLERS. h S / CHAMBER TONIGHT [pe AND KILL HIM. |"LL \ ALSO BE THERE my TO SEE HIMYOU KNOW WHOM TO KILL TONIGHT 2 YOu CAN COUNT ON. BUT RANGA AND CHANNA HAD OTHER PLANS. THAT NIGHT, RANADHIRA, TOO, HAD MADE HIS OWN ENT THE WINDOW BARS AA; a RANABHIRA THEM SET GUT FOR THE RESIDENCE OF VIKRAMARATA VIRRAMARAYA HAS A SURPRISE IN STORE FOR HIM.MEANWHILE RANGA AND CHANNA WERE WAITING AT VIKRAMARAYA’S RESIDENCE. LOOK, VIKRAMARAYA. HAS COME 7 CHANNA, you|--- HE OVERPOWERED VIKRAMARAYA.— HERE 1S THE MAN WHO MURDERED YOUR KING. <= RANADHIRA HAD ARRIVED JUST IN TIME. WITH ONE BLOW OF HIS IRON FIST. VIKRAMARAYA, \- YOU SHALL BE HANGED FOR THE FOLLOWING MORNING , WHEN THE PEOPLE OF MYSORE CAME TO HEAR OF VIKRAMARATA'S [ood UL DESIaS.THEY accLAImee ey) VTE a é VICTORY TO VY THE YOUNG PRINCE . OF MYSORE. ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, RANACHIRA NARASARAUA WADEYAR WAS CROWNED KING|THE NEW KING IS. INEXPERIENCED. ISN'T IS THE RIGHTBUT RANADHIRA MADE A BRAVE, FRONTAL ATTACK ON THE ENEMY... | — 1 iy ag AN ar} THE WRESTLER WHO INSULTED US HAS NOW BECOME THE KING OF MYSORE. SEND OUR MEN TO MYSORE IN. PISGUISE AND..--“FIVE WRESTLERS LEFT FOR MYSORE ON A MISSION. FO KILL RANADHIRA. ASHADOW! "a VERY STRANGE!WY) | zHe rover auarvs oursipe| * 1E = F > = 2 it ie gh. EAN wy kz nie o g 3 : J ® oO s 8 ‘ = & BUT HE DIA NOT FLINCH | >WHEN THE GUARDS BROKE INTO THE ROOM,THEY FOUND THEIR KING STANDING LIKE ROCK AMIDST THE VANQUISHED MEN. SEND THEIR BODIES TO THE CHIEFTAIN OF TIRUCHIRAPALLI WITH MY COMPLIMENTS. ea WHEN THE ATTACK MA BECAME KNOWN — / IMAGINE,ONE \A, MAN TAKING ONE TWENTY-FIVE! 1S MOT AN ORDINARY MAN. HE IS BLESSED BY LORD NARASIMHA* LEGENDS ABOUT THE SUPERHUMAN MIGHT OF RANADHIRA GREW AND CHILLEL THE HEARTS OF RIVAL KINGS.HE EXPANDED HIS EMPIRE AND MADE MYSORE STRONG. * AN AVATAR OF VISHNUINDIA BODK HOUSE, SECUNDERABAD-3, FOR'Y.P.P. puLSeALCND? ‘Choose your story from the EGHO treasure-house of folk and animal lore, mythology, historical tales and modern Indian stories of mystery and adventure, puzzies, games and animal tales Amply illustrated and well writte: ECHO will bring your child hours of reading pleasure. Over 2 100 titles in print Story-time books for children From INDIA BOOK HOUSE ORDERS ONLY, OR FOR FREE CATALOGUE. the house of good reading for childre