Seasons of Splendour by Madhur Jaffrey

Seasons of Splendour

Tales, Myths and Legends of India

Madhur Jaffrey

New York Review Books · Print & ebook · October 4, 2022

A vibrant collection of Indian myths and legends illustrated in beautiful watercolors and told by one of India's sparkling personalities, Madhur Jaffrey.

Buy on Amazon

We earn from qualifying purchases.

Who it’s for
Indian myths unfold across a festival year, with family memories and vivid watercolor art.
Themes
Indian myths and legends, Hindu gods and epics, Stories linked to Hindu festivals
Genres
Asian Myths & Legends, Hindu Stories, Country & Ethnic Folktales

Nearest books

Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved. Most of these share its genres: Asian Myths & Legends and Country & Ethnic Folktales.

  1. Indonesian Children's Favorite StoriesJoan Suyenaga60% match
  2. Korean Children's Favorite StoriesKim So-Un56% match
  3. Folk Tales From JapanFlorence Sakade58% match
  4. Burmese Children's Favorite StoriesPascal Khoo Thwe55% match
  5. Filipino Children's Favorite StoriesLiana Romulo60% match
  6. She Speaks: the Women of Norse Myths in Their Own WordsHonor Cargill-Martin54% match
  7. Children's Favorite Arabic StoriesJehanne Moharram54% match
  8. Legends and LoreMichael Scott55% match

For older readers: Indian Myths & Legends, Namaha, Indian Ancient Origins

Start with three books, and this one can be the first.

Members get a new edition every morning: a route out from their books to essays, research and talks, with the reason for each.

Start with this book

About this book

A vibrant collection of Indian myths and legends illustrated in beautiful watercolors and told by one of India's sparkling personalities, Madhur Jaffrey. Seasons of Splendour is a richly illustrated treasury of stories about Indian gods and goddesses, kings and queens, princes and demons.

Continue reading

Here are engaging and beautifully told tales of Krishna, Ram, and Sita, along with stories based on the Hindu epics the Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as others of ancient origin with no known source. When Madhur Jaffrey was a young girl growing up in her grandfather’s house in Delhi, storytelling was an integral part of life. After dinner, she would huddle with her cousins and siblings around a seated aunt, grandmother, or mother and listen. This collection contains those enduring stories, each one introduced by a vivid childhood memory or humorous anecdote and arranged in the sequence in which they were told, in conjunction with religious festivals throughout the Hindu calendar year. From April to April, here is a year’s worth of tales, myths, and legends, a cycle of stories to read aloud, illustrated in full color with Michael Foreman’s sumptuous watercolor paintings. Also included is a “Who Is Who and What Is What” glossary and English pronunciation guide for curious young readers.

Myths in Their Seasons

Indian myths unfold across a festival year, with family memories and vivid watercolor art.

Come here for

  • Meet gods, legendary rulers, and familiar epic tales
  • Hear family memories woven into the storytelling

Expect

  • Full-color watercolors accompany the tales
  • A glossary and pronunciation guide offer useful context

Where it sits

Asian Myths & Legends76%
Hindu Stories50%
Country & Ethnic Folktales32%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Country & Ethnic Folktales
  • Asian Myths & Legends
  • Family Stories
Authors
Madhur Jaffrey
Publisher
New York Review Books
Published
October 4, 2022
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Indian myths and legends · Hindu gods and epics · Stories linked to Hindu festivals
Reading lane
Country & Ethnic Folktales