Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist
Understanding Sacred stories, myths, rituals and their relevance in modern timesDr. Devdutt Pattanaik
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Index / 2008
Tears of Gandhari
This article was written in response to the wave of rage and anger and frustration that has swept the city of Mumbai following the terrorist attack on Taj and Oberoi. Must we forgive? Is vendetta the only option? Is righteous indignation going to take us to a REAL solution? I ponder…..
A God Like Us
Published in Corporate Dossier, Economic Times, on 14 Nov 2008
Brahma is the creator god in Hindu mythology. So it surprises most people that he is not worshipped in India. There are one or two tiny insignificant shrines of Brahma, but these are more exceptions than the rule, most likely constructed to harvest pilgrim and tourist [...]
Root of the Matter
Published in Corporate Dossier, Economic Times, Oct 31, 2008
The water from a river that flowed on the eastern edge of the kingdom was not reaching a farm. So the farmer went to the king and the king said, Build a wider canal. This was done, but still the water did not reach the farm. If [...]
Wooing the Right Way
Published in Corporate Dossier, Economic Times, Oct 24, 2008
This was the agenda: to get Shiva married. It was important for unless this happened the world would be destroyed. How does one get an ascetic like Shiva to change his mind?
This question is no different from asking – How do we get a consumer to buy [...]
Uneasy lies the Head
Published in Corporate Dossier, Economic Times, Oct 10, 2008
A few weeks ago Jacob was asked by his boss to fire an incompetent employee who had been with the firm for two years. Jacob knew the decision was justified: despite repeat warnings the gentleman had refused to improve, he kept coming late to office, making excuses, [...]
Different Planets
Published in Corporate Dossier, Economic Times, Oct 3, 2008
When Alpesh took over as the manager of a huge multiplex in a Tier 2 Indian town, he suddenly found himself heading a team of forty people. Some he liked instantly. Some he did not. Some he found positively repulsive. But he did not have the luxury [...]
Under the Banyan Tree
Published in First City Delhi Oct 2008
Trees are sacred in India, and often associated with a god or a goddess. Some scholars believe that it is the tree that was worshipped first, maybe for its medicinal or symbolic purpose, and that the gods and goddesses came later. That may be the case but today trees [...]
The Infidelities of Zeus
If you ever hear an echo remember, you are hearing the voice of Echo. a Dread or a mountain nymph according to Greek mythology, who – the story goes – loved the sound of her own voice that she would engage Hera, queen of the gods, in long interesting conversations. While Hera was distracted so [...]
From Earth, To Earth
Published in First City Delhi August 2008
Sita is the heroine of India’s greatest epic, the Ramayan, and the dutiful and faithful wife of its hero, Ram. By rescuing her from the clutches of the demon-king, Ravan, Ram attains his status as hero and god, with him as the knight-in-shining-armor and her as the damsel-in-distress. But [...]