Mythologist | Author | Speaker | Illustrator
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Articles
The Jealous God of Science
Published on 26th November, 2017, in Bangalore Mirror. Western scholars often state that Indians do not have a sense of history. Rows over films like Padmavati confirm that. Unlike their Chinese, Arabic and Greek counterparts, ancient and medieval Indians show little interest in historical documentation, except maybe land grants on copper plates or stone walls…
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Does Hinduism have anything to say about mind, perception and cognition?
The word “spirituality”, which is about self-discovery leans towards the former, and the word “religion”, which is about social engineering leans towards the latter…
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Is there such a thing as Hindu Halloween?
In Hinduism, there is no exact equivalent of Halloween, but there are many rituals performed that recognises the proximity of ghosts and seeks to keep them away…
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Who is a Hindu? Karma, caste and free will.
Is Hinduism fatalistic? The answer depends on the context…
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Hutatma, the martyr-witness
At the heart of martyrdom is the idea of clinging. And this is why it is not a central theme in mythologies based on karma, where liberation (moksha) follows only when you let go!…
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God’s Marital Status
Is celibacy or singleness a prerequisite to seek an ideal world? It’s another matter that marital pleasures are fine for temple deities with their consorts…
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A Purana for Muslims
If this topic interests you, do read about it in the writings of Vasudha Narayanan who is Distinguished Professor, Department of Religion, University of Florida…
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The fascinating design of the Jewish Bible
This written word of God, written in Hebrew, is read out in the Jewish synagogue regularly…
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Did arrival of Muslim invaders a thousand years ago destroy Hindu culture?
Published on 31st May, 2017, on www.dailyo.in . The arrival of Muslim invaders a thousand years ago dramatically transformed the Hindu culture. Like in any invasion, there was destruction, mayhem and trauma. Hindu Kush in Afghanistan literally means ‘killer of Hindu (slaves)’ during early phase of this invasion and the ruins of Vijayanagara by a…
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What exactly happens after death according to Hinduism?
The simple answer is, we can either be reborn (punar-janma) and experience life once again, or be liberated (moksha) from the cycle of rebirth (samsara). However, the answer is a bit more complex if we see it geographically and historically…
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Articles
Is a Hindu prayer different from a Christian or Muslim prayer?
Prayers exist in a mythic worldview, and depending on the worldview, the nature of the prayer is different…
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What do Manusmriti and Dharmashastra have to say about homosexuality?
Tales, of God prohibiting certain sexual acts but allowing others, are not found in Hindu mythology…
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Use for Rudolf’s nose
This is the story of the person who does not fit in society’s clearly defined roles: the outsider, the queer. How is that misfit included in society, made useful, rendered valid?…
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Is God judge or accountant?
We live in a web of debts. Debt leads to rebirth. No debt leads to liberation…
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Explanation from mythology: Why people voted for Modi, Brexit and Trump — and against Arab Spring
Modern society works on the philosophy of equality. These verdicts are a vote for diversity…
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10 best mythological tales from around the world
Equality is not a rational concept, it is a subjective truth, a belief that comes to us from Abrahamic mythology. Likewise the idea of justice comes from Greek mythology…