SINGHASAN BATTISI

Ours is a generation that grew up watching TV serials like Vikram Betaal, Dada Dadi ki Kahaniyan and Singhasan Battisi. But now it seems long ago. I faintly remember that Raja Bhoj was played by Vijay Arora but dont recall who played Vikramaditya (was it Arun Govil).
Recently, during my trip to India, I picked the book from a Indian Railway Bookstall. It was like revisiting the past, not that I recalled the stories, but still it was a soothing sense of associated deja vu. Here in this post I list the names of the Thirty Two fairies that relate the story of King Vikramaditya's righteousness, justice and valour as King Bhoj tries to ascend the mystic throne of mighty King Vikramaditya.

1. RatnaManjari
2. Chitralekha
3. Satyabhama
4. Chandrakala
5. Leelavati
6. kaamkandala
   
7. Kaumudi
8. Pushpawati
   
9. Madhumalati
10. Premawati
11. Padmawati
12. Keertiwati
13. Trilochani
14. Trilochana
15. Anoopwati
16. Sundarwati
17. Satyawati
18. Rooprekha
19. Tara
20. Chandrajyoti
21. Anurodhwati
22. Anuprekha
23. Karunawati
24. Chitrakala
25. Jailakshmi
26. Vidhyawati
27. Jagajyoti
28. Manmohini
29. Vaidehi
30. Roopwati
31. Kaushalya
32. Bhanumati

Having listed these names, I should point out that these are not based on the version that I have read. The version I had was one published by Dheeraj Pocket Books and some of the names were missing from this version. On googling around, I came across another list of names; this particular version was published by Manoj Publications and had names of all 32 fairies. However when I tried to compare the names I found that some of them mismatched in sequence, further some of the names which were quoted in one were not to be found in the other. Finally my curiosity and Google power prevailed and I came across the 1920 version of Brijvallabh Hariprasad in Native Opinion Publication. This and several other great works of Indian literature are available on Digital Library of India. I am sure curious readers and Hindi enthusiasts will find this information useful, perhaps someone will also take up the cause and start a Wikipedia Article :)

Amarjeet Kaypee

There always have been stories of 'have beens' who never got their due. In the world of Indian cricket, few names are always talked about in this context, names like K.P. Bhaskar, Rajinder Goel and that of Amarjeet Kaypee.
One of my childhood activities involved reading meticulously domestic cricket scores in the newspaper. It was this way that I first came across Kaypee's name, a name that will keep on figuring prominently again and again on regular basis. I always thought that one day this guy will play for the Country; he never did. And like Kaypee himself, I could never figure out why. I never saw Kaypee play in real, not even on TV, but I always had high regards for him. He was like those Heroes of Childhood who never fade from your memory no matter what. So if you now come to me and tell me the reasons for his non-inclusion and they might all be valid as well, I wonder that my views about Kaypee will change any how.
You can always find information about Kaypee on sites like Cricinfo and Wikipedia, but this was not supposed to be his biography, this is just a fan's respect to one of his childhood hero, who was, as that article on Cricinfo said, A dedicated cricketer that never got his due.