The Mahabharata is India's greatest epic. In its nearly 100,000 verses, we can learn about the battles of the rival Aryan tribes to gain control of the Ganges region. It tells the story of 5 royal brothers, the Pandavas, who lose their kingdom to their cousins. The Pandavas regain their kingdom after a great battle that lasts 18 days. The verses in the Mahabharata tell of warafare and religion.

The Ramayana is much shorter than the Mahabharata, but just as memorable. It tells the story of a hero named Rama who bravely rescues his bride, Sita. The demon-king Ravana kidnaps Sita in the beginning of the story. The rest of the story tells how Rama rescues Sita with the help of monkey general Hanuman.

Mahabharata and Ramayana