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– Brahma’s fall from glory

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Brahma’s fall from glory. February 8, 2015. Just back from a trip to Triambakeshwar, one of the holiest sites associated with Shiva’s worship. This glorious, ancient temple lets some of its male devotes enter the sanctum sanctorum to bow to the linga, but not women. Hmm, some surprise there. Haven’t heard of too many temples where the creator (that’s Brahma’s role in the Indian pantheon) is worshipped. I thought Pushkar enjoyed that rare privilege. It seemed like a god-sent opportunity to prove their pow...

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– Of anklets and echoes across continents

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Of anklets and echoes across continents. October 23, 2014. Can stories echo across continents and cultures? The other day I read a story in Ashok Banker’s first book in the Mahabharata series the Forest of Stories. Compare this with the Greek tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. The condition is broken and all that Orpheus has done goes in vain. But why does Orpheus look back? The latter half of the story finds echoes in the tale of an 8. Like Orpheus, Shankaracharya too looks back when the sounds of the anklet...

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– The succession debate – let’s talk about Chitrangada

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The succession debate let’s talk about Chitrangada. March 27, 2015. Who should inherit the throne? This question is at the heart of India’s two main epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. In both the stories, we see zealous parents trying to secure the throne for their sons. We see conspiracies engineered, families torn apartdespite the popularly accepted norm that the eldest son succeeds the father as the king. Or is that always not th. What if the first-born is a daughter and not a son? However, as th...

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– Once a winner…

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February 23, 2015. Nothing lasts forever. Read on to know how an epic hero’s story brings this cliché to life. You might have heard of Arjuna the popular hero from the epic Mahabharata. In the epic saga, Arjuna is the best archer, skilled enough to win a battle on his own. Highlights from Arjuna’s bio would read like this: born into a royal family, the favorite student of a great teacher, the class topper in archery yes, all cues spelling superlative success. And the hero, who defeated the best warriors ...

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– Articles

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Category Archive for Articles. The succession debate let’s talk about Chitrangada. Who should inherit the throne? This question is at the heart of India’s two main epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.…. Achilles, Duryodhana and Harry one idea and its many faces. The clash of cultures. War of civilisations. You must have seen such headlines. You must have read those articles suggesting that the…. A rat for the elephant-faced one. Why does this…. Of anklets and echoes across continents.

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– Stories

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Category Archive for Stories. Nothing lasts forever. Read on to know how an epic hero’s story brings this cliché to life. You might have heard of…. Brahma’s fall from glory. Just back from a trip to Triambakeshwar, one of the holiest sites associated with Shiva’s worship. This glorious, ancient temple lets some…. In search of the Durva grass. If there needs to be a fire in your belly to fuel you towards the stars, think my mythology writing is starting…. The succession debate let’s talk about Chitrangada.

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– A rat for the elephant-faced one

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A rat for the elephant-faced one. November 1, 2014. Think of Ganesha. Round belly. Elephant face. Modaks and sweets. Did you also think of the rat, his mount? Why does this plump god have such a tiny vehicle? It even prompted the moon to laugh. The answer lies in a deeper reading of the symbolism of the rat. Now, who would be fit to gently guide our attention from the material to the spiritual? Naturally, it’s the lord of prosperity. Isn’t it right, then, for the elephant-faced one to ride a rat?

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– About

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At sixteen, I was the mythology queen at home. Amar Chitra Kathas. Televised versions of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Tales of Rama and Sita in books for children. I had devoured them all. And was ready for more. I still am. Though my canvas is now bigger. The curiosity is no longer confined to mythology. Traditions, culture, stories, Sanskrit as a language the list is growing, much like Hanuman’s tail did. This blog is my attempt at making sense of all that I read, and retelling some of my favourite stories.

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– Achilles, Duryodhana and Harry – one idea and its many faces

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Achilles, Duryodhana and Harry one idea and its many faces. January 23, 2015. The clash of cultures. War of civilisations. You must have seen such headlines. You must have read those articles suggesting that the battle lines are drawn and people are fighting to save their ‘culture’ and ‘values’. But save them from? Which makes me wonder: are societies that different? Are people so different from each other? Are there no common threads that bind us all? Harry’s mother’s and Gandhari’s power stems from the...