Vol. No : 10016

Contents
Raman the Matchless Wit 
Gopal the Jester 
Raman of Tenali 

Description
The triumph of the little man over the mighty is a recurring theme in literature. Sometimes he does it with a sling and stone, but more often, like Tenali Raman, with nimble wit. He was a Telugu poet and the court jester of Vijayanagara. Tenali Raman was the Birbal of the South and many stories which have passed into folklore, are attributed to him. Some of these are obviously invented to show his ready wit. 

Gopal Bhand, the clever barber, could be described as the Birbal of Bengal. His native shrewdness enabled him to turn every situation to his advantage. Little wonder that he was favoured by Raja Krishna Chandra of Krishna Nagar who owed allegiance to the Nawab of Murshidabad. Whenever the eccentric Nawab gave Raja Krishna Chandra an impossible assignment, it was Gopal who came to the Raja’s rescue. Stories about him are extremely popular, particularly in Bengal and Bihar.