Mythologist | Author | Speaker | Illustrator
-
Articles
Islam’s Agricultural Contribution
Published on 17th April, 2020, in the Economic Times Nabi Bansa is a Bengali epic written over 300 years ago that narrates the tales of Islamic prophets. Here we are told that when Adam was cast out of Eden, he fell to Serendib, the island of Sri Lanka, and then walked across what we now…
-
Articles
Aryans of the Freedom Struggle
Published on 15th March, 2020, in Mumbai Mirror The British had long justified colonisation using different stories. Before the 1857 Uprising, they said British were saving Hinduism from oppression of Muslim rulers. They propagated the lie that they were using Indian soldiers in Afghanistan not for Company interests but to get the doors of the…
-
Articles
The Amazing Rani Rashmoni
Published on 1st March, 2020, in Mid-day In early 19th century, in a society dominated by men, mostly wealthy landed Brahmins, and by the colonial rulers of the land, a woman called Rani Rashmoni rose to be a successful business leader in Kolkata. She built the famous Dakshineshwar Temple where Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa, whose original…
-
Articles
A body with eight bends
Published on 10th November, 2019, in Mid-day Ashtavakra is a famous rishi associated with the Upanishadic period, roughly 2,500 years ago. His conversations with Janaka are very popular, where he draws attention to the connection between the spirit within us and the spirit that is present all around us, i.e. the relationship between Jeevatma and…
-
Articles
Declaration of faith
Published on 7th July, 2019, in Mumbai Mirror Declaration of faith is part of many religions. It means publicly stating one’s belief. In Judaism, which is the oldest Abrahamic faith, it is a reiteration of monotheism, the ‘Shema’. In Christianity, it means making the sign of the cross to show one accepts Jesus, who was…
-
Articles
On Diwali, understanding the nature of wealth through the mythology connected with goddess Lakshmi
Editor’s note: “The living (sajiva, in Sanskrit) seek food, the lifeless (ajiva) and the dead (nirjiva) don’t. This makes food the fundamental target (laksh) of life. From laksh comes Lakshmi. Lakshmi is food (anna) in nature and wealth (dhana) in culture,” writes Devdutt Pattanaik in his book 7 Secrets of the Goddess (published by Westland).…
-
Articles
To Goddess, With Love
A short story by Devdutt Pattanaik Published on http://www.gaybombay.org on 1st June, 2018. 28th May 2018 …श्री… My dear Oindrilla, Just got your wedding card via email. Congratulations! I will not be able to come. I am sure you understand. I don’t want to make things even more awkward for Subhashish. I don’t think…
-
Articles
Ram and the Rooster
In Odisha, there have been many local versions of the Ramayana with subplots that are unique to the region. One of these subplots involves a rooster…
-
Articles
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…
-
Interviews
Goddess with yellow face
You’re all set for Durga Puja, but do you know these myths and legends surrounding the Goddess?…
-
Articles
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…
-
Articles
Epics as Novels
Most people in India are not familiar with the Sanskrit Ramayana or Mahabharata. We read popular versions…
-
Articles
Rasgullas for Lakshmi
As a Non-Resident Odia (NRO), I am often asked if rasgulla, the sweet dish, is of Odia or Bengali origin. So, what do we know?…
-
Articles
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…
