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2 months ago | 
newindianexpress.com | Devdutt Pattanaik
Ram’s father had promised his stepmother Kaikeyi two boons. On the eve of Ram’s coronation she asked for these boons. Kaikeyi wanted Ram to be exiled to the forest for 14 years and her son Bharat to be crowned king instead. Ram agreed without resentment to uphold royal reputation. Kaikeyi’s son, Bharat, refused to accept a kingdom obtained through deceit, also to uphold royal reputation.’In this story, neither Ram nor Bharat see kingship as ambition.
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2 months ago | 
timesofindia.indiatimes.com | Devdutt Pattanaik
So, the stampede happened. Each death is a tragedy but there’s also perspective – crores of people were at the Kumbh. VIPs given special access to the holy waters seldom face problems. It’s ordinary people who die. Many will say those who die here, at this time, are destined to go directly to heaven, for the congregation commemorates the churning of the nectar of immortality (amrit) in Satya Yuga. Faith can explain away any tragedy.
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2 months ago | 
timesofindia.indiatimes.com | Devdutt Pattanaik
Faith propels crores to take the holy dip. Faith also grants India’s ordinary people immense patience, it can also explain away any tragedySo, the stampede happened. Each death is a tragedy but there’s also perspective – crores of people were at the Kumbh. VIPs given special access to the holy waters seldom face problems. It’s ordinary people who die.
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Jan 27, 2025 | 
timesofindia.indiatimes.com | Devdutt Pattanaik
Devdutt PattanaikTIMESOFINDIA.COM Jan 27, 2025, 11:59 IST ISTFrom a confluence of celestial bodies, confluence of rivers, confluence of many monastic orders to a confluence of lakhs of people, noted mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik explains how the Kumbh Mela has evolved into somewhat of a political spectacle in recent times1. People have been gathering at the confluence (sangam) of rivers in India for thousands of years. A confluence of rivers is called Prayag.
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Jan 22, 2025 | 
deccanherald.com | Devdutt Pattanaik
The story of the god and goddess quarrelling is found among both worshippers of Shiva and Vishnu
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Jan 18, 2025 | 
newindianexpress.com | Devdutt Pattanaik
Images of Parashuram are appearing across India, depicted always with Shiva-like hair, wearing a Brahmin thread across his chest, and brandishing an axe. It’s a fierce image like that of a folk hero, a vira, found in many rural communities. But these images are gigantic and have appeared in the last two-three decades. Parashuram is being presented as a great hero who drove away the enemy, with suggestions that he expelled cow-killing invaders from the land. But is this really true?
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Jan 17, 2025 | 
indianexpress.com | Devdutt Pattanaik
(The Indian Express has launched a new series of articles for UPSC aspirants written by seasoned writers and scholars on issues and concepts spanning History, Polity, International Relations, Art, Culture and Heritage, Environment, Geography, Science and Technology, and so on. Read and reflect with subject experts and boost your chance of cracking the much-coveted UPSC CSE.
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Jan 17, 2025 | 
thehindu.com | Devdutt Pattanaik
The Tamil poet-saint Andal is identified by the parrot in her hand. The bird is the symbol of Kama, the god of love, lust and sensuality. The same god who in Buddhist works is called Mara, the enemy of Buddha. The same god who is burnt alive by a glance of Shiva’s third eye, earning him the epithet Kamantaka. 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.
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Jan 15, 2025 | 
indianexpress.com | Devdutt Pattanaik
Kumbh Mela reveals a side of Hinduism that is often not talked about. There are no temples, no gods, no devotion, no songs, no saints. It is primarily a ritual, dominated by boisterous masculine energy embodied in naked ascetics (digambara), covered with ash (bhabhut), with matted hair (jata), holding staffs (dandi), belonging to various gymnasiums (akhara), evoking the followers (gana) of the wild form of Shiva (Bhairava).
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Jan 11, 2025 | 
deccanherald.com | Devdutt Pattanaik
Annihilating caste, defending religionYou cannot escape caste in India, by getting better jobs, by rejecting your surname or by enforcing policy decisions. The Indian word for caste is jaat and it is popularly defined as ‘that which never goes away’ (jo jaati nahin).
