2018
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Belief shapes our behaviour
Belief shapes behaviour. When we see behaviour we can decode the underlying belief. However, the opposite is not true.
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Evolution of the Devil
From the 16th century onwards, the Devil appeared as a goat-like creature. Those who opposed God were called Devil-worshippers… The Hindu idea of hell also evolved over time…
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Bridging the many interpretations of the Ramayana across Southeast Asia and India
From the Ramakien in Thailand to the Ramaker in Cambodia, the eclectic interpretations of the story in Asean countries are worth recounting
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How to Conduct a Same-sex Wedding Based on Indian Rituals
The idea of ‘wholeness’ in Hinduism is not necessarily a matter of the union of two bodies in marriage or even two souls in love; rather, wholeness or completeness in Hinduism can be understood as rising to the fullness of…
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A Convo with Devdutt
“Welcome to Episode 31 of TheNiceCast! On this week’s episode, I’m joined by author/mythologist/brilliant thinker Devdutt Pattanaik!
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Epics about Women
In the Tamil epics, we see three kinds of women: the woman who has relationships with many men, the woman who has a relationship with one man, and the woman who has relationships with no man.
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Who is a Hindu? Hinduism’s DIY kit
It is time to reclaim the diversity offered by the four-spice model of purush-artha.
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Hinduism thrives on diversity, Hindutva on monotheism of Abrahamic faiths
In nature, there is diversity. There is also equality in the sense that no creature is nature’s favourite. Every living organism has to fight for its survival using its strengths and overcoming its weaknesses to find opportunities and fend off…
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Using Puranas for politics
Politics may change but there is always a political enemy, and so the Puranas lend themselves to serve as communication and even propaganda tools to whip up popular sentiment.
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Who is a Hindu? Can politics be spiritual?
Spirituality is kept out of all rational conversations because we still cling to 19th century definitions of it.
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Watch: Off Centre With Devdutt Pattanaik
India’s biggest festival, Diwali is being celebrated across the country. For some it’s about colour and gaiety, family and holidays, and for others it’s about worshipping the Goddess Lakshmi and the prospect of prosperity. On Off Centre today, mythologist Devdutt…
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Were Hindus always casteist?
Note: the word caste is a European word for clan that is used for the Indian system of jati. The word jati, in turn, is confused with the Vedic system of varna.
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Listening to the Buddha’s hands
In the early days of Buddhism, Buddha was represented by a symbol: a footprint or a wheel or a pot or a tree.
