Image: iStock
A long time ago, long before today, Tenali Rama or Tenali Raman (some even called him Tenali Ramalinga, while some Tenali Ramakrishna) lived in a village near Tenali and away from the capital, Vijayanagara. Now, he always wanted to be part of King Krishna-deva-raya's court!
There once lived a poet whose intelligence and sense of humor made him dearest to the king. The tales of his wit and wisdom, known as Tenali tales, are popular among children even today. He is Garlapati Ramakrishnayya, popularly known as Tenali Rama. He is also called Tenali Raman by some (1).
Tenali Rama used to solve issues with his wit and so was given a special advisory role in the court of the great king Sri Krishnadevarya.
- Tenali Ramakrishna's Short Stories for Children. Tenali Raman's elephant story is a story of wit and intelligence and is just one of the good stories. Listed below are 10 such fun and interesting stories which throw light on Tenali Raman's wisdom, brilliance, and acumen.
- Tenali Ramakrishna's Short Stories for Children Tenali Raman's elephant story is a story of wit and intelligence and is just one of the good stories. Listed below are 10 such fun and interesting stories which throw light on Tenali Raman's wisdom, brilliance, and acumen.
Tenali tales are the folktales of his wisdom and have become famous bedtime stories for children. These stories also help children to understand the history and culture of South India.
In this post, MomJunction gives you some of the famous stories of Tenali Ramakrishna.
About Tenali Rama Stories
These are short tales from the day-to-day life of the great poet and scholar Tenali Ramakrishna. He mixes humor and wit to solve puzzles. We have included some of the popular stories such as ‘The Golden Mangoes, ‘A handful of grain' and more.
1. Kaali Maa's Gift To Tenali Rama
Tenali Ramakrishna was born in Thumuluru in the southern part of India. Legend has it that although he did not receive any formal education, he became a great poet because of Ma (goddess) Kali's blessings. Here is the interesting story behind it ….read more
2. Tenali Rama And The Great Pundit
One day, a great scholar came to Vijayanagara and requested an audience in the court of Sri Krishnadevaraya. The scholar bragged that he has mastered all subjects and also defeated many scholars in a battle of wits across India…read more
3. The King's Dream
One night, king Sri Krishnadevaraya had a strange dream. He dreamt of a magical palace that floated in the air. It was made of gold and dazzling stones and had all comforts and amenities. The king woke up and couldn't stop thinking about his dream.read more
4. Tenali Rama And A Gang Of Thieves
A gang of thieves was ransacking every house in the Vijayanagara kingdom. The city chief was troubled as his guards were unable to catch the thieves. He sought Tenali Rama's help to put the gang of thieves behind bars. Rama agreed to help… read more
5. The Arab Horse Trader
Sri Krishnadevaraya was said to be fond of horses. He used to have a fine collection of them in his stables and would always look to add rare breeds from across the world to his collection….read more
6. Tenali Rama And Around The Campfire
One day, on his return journey to Vijayanagara, Tenali Rama spotted a group of people sitting around a campfire and talking. He wanted to rest for the night, and so, sat comfortably near the fire….read more
7. Tenali Rama Salutes The Donkey
Tathacharya, the chief priest and guru (teacher) in the royal court of Sri Krishnadevaraya, had a personal hatred towards a particular sect of people.
He would cover his head and face with his cloak every day to avoid looking at them. Everyone in the royal court was annoyed with his behavior, but no one dared to tell him. They feared that the king might get angry at them for complaining against the royal guru….read more
8. Outwits The Guards
Although Tenali Rama was dear to king Sri Krishnadevaraya, at times, when he disagreed with him, the king would get enraged and punish him for disobedience. Here is a story that tells us how Rama escaped the king's rage, using his intelligence….read more
9. Reward And Punishment
The news that the guards in the king's palace were resorting to bribery troubled Tenali Ramakrishna. He wanted to bring it to the king's notice but could not tell him directly as the king trusted his guards. Arial narrow autocad font. So, he kept waiting for a golden opportunity to expose the guards…read more
10. Demon Chanting Hymns
One day, Tenali Ramakrishna came to the realization that the royal teacher Tathacharya had been envying his achievements and plotting against him. Rama has been wanting to teach him a lesson, but couldn't as he thought that it was not wise to go head-on with a senior in the court….read more
11. Tenali Rama And The Cat
One day, when king Sri Krishnadevaraya was sitting in his court, he heard a commotion outside the palace gates. He commanded the guards to find out what it was.
A guard came with a man who identified himself as the village head. The king asked him what the matter was. The man replied, 'Your majesty, our village is infested by rats. The rats are destroying our food grains and creating chaos in the village. Please save us.' … read more
12. Handful Of Grain And One Thousand Gold Coins
There once lived a beautiful lady called Vidyullatha in the city of Vijayanagara. She was known for her intelligence and knowledge in poetry and prose. She was also well-versed in dance and music. Despite her beauty and artistic talents, she was not regarded highly. This was primarily due to her pride and arrogance…read more
13. The Cursed Man
There was a rumor in the city of Vijayanagara that Ramayya, an old man who lived in the outskirts of the city, had been cursed and that if anyone looked at his face, they would lose their appetite. This rumor reached king Sri Krishnadevaraya, and he decided to find out if it was true…read more
14. Tenali Rama And The Racing Horse
X-carve. One day, an Arabian horse trader came with a shipload of the finest Persian horses to Vijayanagara. The king, who was an avid horse lover, bought many horses from the trader. All the courtiers too bought one horse each….read more
15. The Brinjal Curry
King Sri Krishnadevaraya had a special garden where he grew a variety of rare brinjals. These brinjals were known to be quite tasty and found only in the royal garden. Therefore, the garden was guarded round the clock….read more
16. Secrets Of Happiness
Tenali Rama was well-known for his humor and wit. He was also well-respected by the citizens and the king of Vijayanagara for his intelligence. Here is a collection of short stories, which are instances from his life. Each story teaches us a valuable life lesson……read more
17. The Key To Heaven
Tenali Ramakrishna is known to have helped the king and saved the citizens of Vijayanagara with his intelligence on several occasions. Here is one such story.
Tenali Rama Story In English
Image: iStock
A long time ago, long before today, Tenali Rama or Tenali Raman (some even called him Tenali Ramalinga, while some Tenali Ramakrishna) lived in a village near Tenali and away from the capital, Vijayanagara. Now, he always wanted to be part of King Krishna-deva-raya's court!
There once lived a poet whose intelligence and sense of humor made him dearest to the king. The tales of his wit and wisdom, known as Tenali tales, are popular among children even today. He is Garlapati Ramakrishnayya, popularly known as Tenali Rama. He is also called Tenali Raman by some (1).
Tenali Rama used to solve issues with his wit and so was given a special advisory role in the court of the great king Sri Krishnadevarya.
- Tenali Ramakrishna's Short Stories for Children. Tenali Raman's elephant story is a story of wit and intelligence and is just one of the good stories. Listed below are 10 such fun and interesting stories which throw light on Tenali Raman's wisdom, brilliance, and acumen.
- Tenali Ramakrishna's Short Stories for Children Tenali Raman's elephant story is a story of wit and intelligence and is just one of the good stories. Listed below are 10 such fun and interesting stories which throw light on Tenali Raman's wisdom, brilliance, and acumen.
Tenali tales are the folktales of his wisdom and have become famous bedtime stories for children. These stories also help children to understand the history and culture of South India.
In this post, MomJunction gives you some of the famous stories of Tenali Ramakrishna.
About Tenali Rama Stories
These are short tales from the day-to-day life of the great poet and scholar Tenali Ramakrishna. He mixes humor and wit to solve puzzles. We have included some of the popular stories such as ‘The Golden Mangoes, ‘A handful of grain' and more.
1. Kaali Maa's Gift To Tenali Rama
Tenali Ramakrishna was born in Thumuluru in the southern part of India. Legend has it that although he did not receive any formal education, he became a great poet because of Ma (goddess) Kali's blessings. Here is the interesting story behind it ….read more
2. Tenali Rama And The Great Pundit
One day, a great scholar came to Vijayanagara and requested an audience in the court of Sri Krishnadevaraya. The scholar bragged that he has mastered all subjects and also defeated many scholars in a battle of wits across India…read more
3. The King's Dream
One night, king Sri Krishnadevaraya had a strange dream. He dreamt of a magical palace that floated in the air. It was made of gold and dazzling stones and had all comforts and amenities. The king woke up and couldn't stop thinking about his dream.read more
4. Tenali Rama And A Gang Of Thieves
A gang of thieves was ransacking every house in the Vijayanagara kingdom. The city chief was troubled as his guards were unable to catch the thieves. He sought Tenali Rama's help to put the gang of thieves behind bars. Rama agreed to help… read more
5. The Arab Horse Trader
Sri Krishnadevaraya was said to be fond of horses. He used to have a fine collection of them in his stables and would always look to add rare breeds from across the world to his collection….read more
6. Tenali Rama And Around The Campfire
One day, on his return journey to Vijayanagara, Tenali Rama spotted a group of people sitting around a campfire and talking. He wanted to rest for the night, and so, sat comfortably near the fire….read more
7. Tenali Rama Salutes The Donkey
Tathacharya, the chief priest and guru (teacher) in the royal court of Sri Krishnadevaraya, had a personal hatred towards a particular sect of people.
He would cover his head and face with his cloak every day to avoid looking at them. Everyone in the royal court was annoyed with his behavior, but no one dared to tell him. They feared that the king might get angry at them for complaining against the royal guru….read more
8. Outwits The Guards
Although Tenali Rama was dear to king Sri Krishnadevaraya, at times, when he disagreed with him, the king would get enraged and punish him for disobedience. Here is a story that tells us how Rama escaped the king's rage, using his intelligence….read more
9. Reward And Punishment
The news that the guards in the king's palace were resorting to bribery troubled Tenali Ramakrishna. He wanted to bring it to the king's notice but could not tell him directly as the king trusted his guards. Arial narrow autocad font. So, he kept waiting for a golden opportunity to expose the guards…read more
10. Demon Chanting Hymns
One day, Tenali Ramakrishna came to the realization that the royal teacher Tathacharya had been envying his achievements and plotting against him. Rama has been wanting to teach him a lesson, but couldn't as he thought that it was not wise to go head-on with a senior in the court….read more
11. Tenali Rama And The Cat
One day, when king Sri Krishnadevaraya was sitting in his court, he heard a commotion outside the palace gates. He commanded the guards to find out what it was.
A guard came with a man who identified himself as the village head. The king asked him what the matter was. The man replied, 'Your majesty, our village is infested by rats. The rats are destroying our food grains and creating chaos in the village. Please save us.' … read more
12. Handful Of Grain And One Thousand Gold Coins
There once lived a beautiful lady called Vidyullatha in the city of Vijayanagara. She was known for her intelligence and knowledge in poetry and prose. She was also well-versed in dance and music. Despite her beauty and artistic talents, she was not regarded highly. This was primarily due to her pride and arrogance…read more
13. The Cursed Man
There was a rumor in the city of Vijayanagara that Ramayya, an old man who lived in the outskirts of the city, had been cursed and that if anyone looked at his face, they would lose their appetite. This rumor reached king Sri Krishnadevaraya, and he decided to find out if it was true…read more
14. Tenali Rama And The Racing Horse
X-carve. One day, an Arabian horse trader came with a shipload of the finest Persian horses to Vijayanagara. The king, who was an avid horse lover, bought many horses from the trader. All the courtiers too bought one horse each….read more
15. The Brinjal Curry
King Sri Krishnadevaraya had a special garden where he grew a variety of rare brinjals. These brinjals were known to be quite tasty and found only in the royal garden. Therefore, the garden was guarded round the clock….read more
16. Secrets Of Happiness
Tenali Rama was well-known for his humor and wit. He was also well-respected by the citizens and the king of Vijayanagara for his intelligence. Here is a collection of short stories, which are instances from his life. Each story teaches us a valuable life lesson……read more
17. The Key To Heaven
Tenali Ramakrishna is known to have helped the king and saved the citizens of Vijayanagara with his intelligence on several occasions. Here is one such story.
Tenali Rama Story In English
There was a buzz in the city of Vijayanagara that a great sage had come to the city. It was also rumored that the sage had magical powers and could grant any wish. Every day, the citizens would gather near the temple where the sage sat meditating and offer him various delicacies….read more
18. Tenali Rama And Weight Lifter
One day, when Tenali Rama and his wife were traveling to Hampi, they stopped by a village at the foot of a hill. As they were entering the village, they noticed that all the villagers were rushing towards the temple….read more
19. Face Saving of Tenali Rama
Tenali Ramakrishna was held in high regard by king Sri Krishnadevaraya and his courtiers. This made the chief priest envious, and he wanted to tarnish Rama's reputation in front of the king.
One day, he went crying to the king and made false accusations against Tenali Ramakrishna. He also told the king that Rama had been slandering the king's name……read more
20. The Golden Mangoes
Tenali Rama was a poet and a special advisor for king Sri Krishnadevaraya who ruled the mighty kingdom of Vijayanagara. This is a story where Tenali Rama used his wit and humor to hint the king about his wrong decision subtly….read more
Tenali Rama stories are not just bedtime stories, they teach children morals and life lessons. Children can learn quick thinking, confidence to solve problems, honesty and many more. Make these a part of your children's routine to help them grow into responsible and matured adults.
Recommended Stories
By Subhadra Sen Gupta
It was a cool, sunny morning in the city of Vijayanagar when the tall, dark man in spotless white cotton clothes strolled out of his house. Enjoying the beautiful day, he walked slowly towards the palace of King Krishna Deva Raya.
Past the orchards of a nobleman's mansion, he was walking under a stone gateway when he heard young voices raised in argument. The man stopped to listen.
‘It's my turn to be Deva Raya … you promised!'
‘Then can I be Minister Saluva Timma instead?'
Getting even more curious, the man peered past the gateway and first saw a plump boy with large bright eyes. As he flicked back his long hair, he said, ‘Play any role you want as long as I am the royal court's wittiest and cleverest man … ahem …' He cleared his throat importantly. ‘… Tenali Rama, of course!'
With a silent laugh the man looked around, found a large boulder to sit on, and settled down. He was the only observer of the street show unfolding before him.
Half a dozen boys were acting out a day in the royal court of Vijayanagar. A sort of throne had been created using an old broken bed, covered with a tattered piece of matting. And now the boy playing Deva Raya strutted up importantly to his makeshift throne and sat down.
‘Ah, Deva Raya!' sighed the observer with an inward grin as he noticed the boy's scuffed knees and bare feet. ‘I wish you could see yourself now.'
The boys playing Tenali and Minister Timma stood on either side of the throne and the others playing courtiers stood before them.
With a royal wave of a thin arm, the street side king yelled, ‘Bring in the first case!'
Tenali Ramakrishna Stories In Telugu
A stocky boy came forward and said doubtfully, ‘This is a real problem. Can you solve it?'
‘Go on, Kesava.'
‘I'm here about the cow, Your Highness,' said Kesava.
‘Cow? What cow?' asked the puzzled prime minister Timma.
‘His cow, my garden. What else?' Kesava looked impatient. The observer swallowed hard to stop himself from laughing out aloud.
‘What cow? What garden?' Timma was beginning to sound a bit like a parrot.
‘Explain yourself!' Deva Raya frowned regally.
‘I mean my neighbour's cow getting into my garden,' Kesava was finally getting his words into some kind of order. Then the problem became clear.
The cow was always getting into poor Kesava's kitchen garden, chewing up the banana plants, devastating the pumpkin patch. And now trampling over the bamboo fence they had built, it had eaten his mother's precious marigolds. ‘What can I do about it?'
Deva Raya frowned. ‘Ask the neighbour to pay for the damages his cow has caused,' the twelve-year-old ended solemnly.
Kesava looked as solemn as Deva Raya as he said, ‘I can't. My neighbour is a wrestler.'
‘Oh!' the deflated faces proved the real problem was now finally being understood by the pavement king and his rag tag court. Deva Raya looked around helplessly at his ring of bedraggled courtiers and asked, ‘What should Kesava do?'
The observer, forgetting about his errands of the morning, sat absorbed in the high drama. ‘I have to ask the king,' he thought. ‘What would he do to handle the wrestler and his heavyweight cow?'
The courtiers were coming up with solutions. ‘Build a stone wall around the garden,' one suggested.
‘Bah!' Kesava gave a dismissing shake of his head. ‘You think my poor potter father has money for stone walls? He's still worried about the cost of the bamboo fence.'
‘Then stop growing pumpkins,' said a thin boy with no front teeth.
‘And what will my mother put in the sambaar?' asked Kesava. ‘Grass?'
(Source: History Mystery Dal Biryani, published by Scholastic India)Tenali Raman
The observer, no longer able to stop himself, laughed out loud. Six pairs of astonished eyes looked at him.
‘Forgive me, boys,' the man muttered. ‘I hope you don't mind my listening to your problem. It's so interesting.'
‘You're welcome, sir!' the half size Tenali Rama spoke for the first time, waving a pudgy hand. ‘Maybe you have a solution?'
‘Well …' the man scratched his chin thoughtfully. Download mac os 10.8.0. ‘Kesava could send his goats to wreck the neighbour's garden.'
Kesava rolled his eyes in pure disgust. ‘Devayya, dear Lord! You think my puny little goats have the courage to enter a garden guarded by a wrestler and his huge cow?'
‘Then …' the man suggested apologetically, ‘maybe you could refuse to let the cow go back?'
The chubby Tenali shook a tousled head. ‘You're again forgetting the wrestler.' Then he gave a patient sigh. ‘It looks like only I, Tenali, can solve this problem.'
‘You can?'
‘It's pretty simple really,' he sighed importantly.
‘What do you like more, Kesava, pumpkin or payasam?' he asked suddenly.
‘Payasam,' said Kesava promptly.
‘Then the next time the cow is chewing the pumpkin vine, get a pot and quickly milk her. And give the milk to your mother to make payasam, or sell it to buy some pumpkin. Just see that the wrestler doesn't catch you stealing the milk,' Tenali shrugged disdainfully. ‘Quite simple, don't you think?'
‘Aah!' a satisfied sigh floated across the court.
The problem had finally been solved.
The observer got up, walked up to Tenali and bowed low. ‘Yes, you are truly as clever as the other Tenali and I feel you deserve this for solving a vexing problem.' And he gave the grinning boy a silver coin.
Leaving behind an excited bunch of boys planning what to buy with their sudden earnings, the real Tenali Rama walked away. Turning at the corner, he stopped and laughed in sheer delight. ‘Well, Tenali,' he said to himself, ‘you thought you were very clever. But a ten-year-old boy has beaten you.'
Then he hurried towards the palace. King Krishna Deva Raya would love this story!
(Excerpted with permission from History Mystery Dal Biryani by Subhadra Sen Gupta, published by Scholastic India.)
