Mythologist | Author | Speaker | Illustrator
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Articles
No laughing in Ram Rajya
In one story, Ram hears a courtier laugh and is reminded of Ravan’s laughter… Annoyed, he banned laughter in Ayodhya…
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Articles
The flower that killed Indumati
This tale, of sudden tragedy and the death of a man who cannot bear separation from his wife, is rare in Indian mythology…
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Did Shabari actually feed Ram ‘tasted’ berries?
The idea probably came from 15th century Odia poet Balaram Das, who challenged Brahmanical orthodoxy in his writings…
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Misogyny in Buddhist Lore
The world is conditioned to see the Ramayana and Manu-Smriti as anti-women, but not the Buddhist lore…
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Unlimited Choice
The Ramayana is not a text; it is an evolving tradition; the many versions only enrich it further. You can choose the one that appeals to you…
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The complete man
There are two Krishnas… The first is historical (a person), the second mythological (an idea)…
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A lesson from Ravana
People often argue on motives of heroes and villains. They become lawyers and judges. But in doing so they miss the overall architecture of Hindu epics. And their conclusions are usually their own personal beliefs, rooted in their own prejudices…
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Breaking the royal pillar
Stories are not created in vacuum. They respond to a historical context and emerge to communicate a point of view…
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Articles
Your smile, my tail
The idea of finding joy in other people’s joy, supporting others’ causes, even fighting for the rights of others is not unknown…
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Articles
Return to Samadhi
Samadhi commonly refers to the tomb of a holy man, or a place where his relics are stored, or a place where he was cremated…
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Articles
God of Sunday
Why was the first day of the week associated with the Sun, no one knows. It is one of those mysteries of history that remain unresolved…
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Two kinds of teachers
The spiritual and the material, the wider perspective and the immediate focus…
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Bromances from mythology
Our ancient texts are about all kinds of unions. Modern India could do with some catching up…
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Articles
Laughter Is Power
When we laugh at someone, we feel safe, secure, unthreatened, even powerful. However, when someone laughs at us, we feel insulted, humiliated, uncomfortable, even powerless…
