Literature.

Each language spoken in India has its own literature. Classics in Sanskrit date from about 1500 B.C. They rank among the great achievements of world literature. They include the Rig-Veda, the earliest collection of hymns ever made; and two epic poems, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Others are the Upanishads, a collection of philosophical dialogues; and the Panchatantra, a group of fables. For many years, the Sanskrit classics were the only examples of Indian literature translated into English. However, scholars have now translated a number of stories and poems from several of the regional languages into English as well.