Title: Shikhandi And Other Tales
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Publisher: Penguin Books
Genre: Mythology
Source: Kindle Edition
Pages: 164
Rating: 4/5
When I was in fourth standard, Firstly I met this word Mahabharata... I found a book of same title when mumma brought the school syllabus. After reading loads of fables I think that book really astonished me. That’s why, When I was reading this book “Shikhandi by Devdutt Pattanaik “ i could connect with it because Most of the names seemed known. I heard a lot about Devdutt’s mythological work but first time got the opportunity to read him. He seemed such a knowledgeable person when it comes to ancient India thing. As Business standard review states “This book does a great job putting across a collection of stories that capture the essence of ancient Indian society’s approach to sexual behavior. And apart of all these else, it establishes that Indian society was not coy about sexual attitudes.”
As
Devdutt explains ‘’ Shikhandi was a man trapped in women’s body. While storytellers
mentioned him as eunuch. This is not an academic book seeking to prove, or
disprove, anything. This is a celebration of stories narrated by our ancestors
that are rarely retold publicly as they seem to challenge popular notions of
normality. I have no control over political propaganda. I have no control over
a reader’s perception. Dirt is ultimately an invention of culture. Besides:
Within
infinite myths lies an eternal truth
Who
knows it all?
Varuna
has but a thousand eyes
Indra,
a hundred
You
and I, only two.
·
Discoveries and inventions of humanity are
shared over generations through stories, symbols and rituals. These connect
with the conscious mind as well as the subconscious mind. Mythology is the
study of these stories, symbols and rituals. When these stories, symbols and
rituals become rigid, enforced by a body that claims access to a supernatural
authority, they constitute a religion.
·
Hindu mythology subscribes neither to the
biblical framework where law is the solution to humanity’s woes nor to the
Greek framework of oppressor and oppressed. Life is not a problem to be solved.
It is a sight to be seen, and contemplated upon, so that we see ourselves truly
and eventually open ourselves to joy without seeking change in the world.
Hence, the great value given in India to darshan, the act of seeing.
Devdutt
explored beautifully, How Shikhandi became a man to satisfy her wife, Aravan whose wife was a complete man, Aruna who became a woman when the sun paused
and many more short stories of platonic friendships.
Besides
this Devdutt mentioned that ” In Chola
bronze art, Shiva is shown wearing earrings meant for men on the right ear and
earrings meant for women in the left ear. Thus he displays his comfort with
male and female, or rather, with mind and nature.
At
last when you’re on last page of this book, you left blank and a question
hovering around your mind “How accepting
or tolerant was ancient Indian society of the LGBT Community?”