Mythologist | Author | Speaker | Illustrator
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Articles
The Unfaithful Wives In Ramayana
The Ramayana, in fact, presents three types of infidelity. Ahalya engages in physical relations with another man. Rishi Jamadagni’s wife, Renuka, momentarily thinks of another man, representing psychological infidelity. And Sita remains utterly faithful to her husband in both body and mind, yet her reputation is tarnished by her abduction by a demon king…
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Articles
Hail the Fire Goddesses
While some have argued that these sati practices were a means by which women protected themselves from being violated by invaders, the fact remains that sati stones began to appear in almost every corner of India, at least five centuries before the rise of the Islamic period of India…
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Articles
Tales of Marriage and Murder
Stories of the folk goddesses of India are often lost in myriad oral versions. Which ones do we consider authentic? A common thread is some form of sexual violation followed by brute violence. We can say these are tales of (almost) marriage and (almost) murder. Are these to be taken literally or metaphorically?…
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Articles
Who Did Draupadi Love?
The story of Draupadi fascinates many because she had five husbands. She did not choose to marry five men—she was instructed to do so. In mythology, no one demands explanations when men have multiple wives. …
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Articles
The Parrot’s Erotic Secret
Andal’s love for her divine lord is expressed in her songs, which are highly erotic. There was no shame in expressing desire so overtly. At least, when Andal lived, 1,200 years ago. This was the time when celibacy was not linked to purity or piety…