The Indian Literary Canon

The Vedas are a collection of hymns and religious texts that are considered to be the oldest surviving texts in Indian literature. They were composed in Sanskrit and are believed to have been written between 1500 and 1000 BCE.

The Mahabharata is an epic poem that tells the story of the Kurukshetra War between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It is the longest epic poem in the world, and it is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian literature.

Laila Majnu is a tragic love story that tells the story of two lovers who are separated by their families. It is considered to be one of the greatest love stories in Indian literature.

Abhijnanashakuntalam is a play that tells the story of Shakuntala, a young woman who is abandoned by her lover, King Dushyanta. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian drama.

The Arthashastra is a treatise on statecraft and economics that was written by Kautilya in the 4th century BCE. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian non-fiction.

Gitanjali is a collection of poems that was written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1910. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian poetry.

Godan is a novel that was written by Premchand in 1936. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian fiction.

Malgudi Days is a collection of short stories that was written by R.K. Narayan in 1943. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian children's literature.