Devdutt Pattanaik: Myths, Mythology, Management & Society https://devdutt.com/ Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist Sat, 06 Jun 2026 17:18:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/devdutt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/dppsitesig.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Devdutt Pattanaik https://devdutt.com/ 32 32 215836993 A Tamil Reimagining of the Ramayana https://devdutt.com/a-tamil-reimagining-of-the-ramayana/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=89380 Kambaramayanam is one of the most celebrated works of Tamil literature. Composed by the poet Kamban around the ninth century in Tamil Nadu, in the time of Chola kings, it is a lyrical retelling of the Ramayana filled with rich poetry, elaborate metaphors, and deep moral reflection. ...

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]]> 89380 Yama’s Journey from Vedic King to Cosmic Accountant https://devdutt.com/yamas-journey-from-vedic-king-to-cosmic-accountant/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 17:18:39 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=89414 Yama is the Hindu god of death, accountability, and the afterlife. Often ignored, his history is long and complex, reaching back to Vedic, Indo-Iranian, and Indo-European mythological traditions...

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]]> 89414 How India and Persia Shaped Each Other https://devdutt.com/how-india-and-persia-shaped-each-other/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=89376 Connections between India and Persia stretched back to prehistoric movements of people, long before written history. Genetic and archaeological evidence suggests that populations linked to ancient Iranian farmers moved eastward into the subcontinent around 10,000 years ago, interacting with older forager communities. ...

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]]> 89376 How Bravery, Devotion Soften Caste Boundaries In Folk Stories https://devdutt.com/how-bravery-devotion-soften-caste-boundaries-in-folk-stories/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=89372 Not all ballads and epics are written by Brahmins or in Sanskrit. Across India, folk stories about gods, heroes, and ancestors did not only entertain. They carried arguments about rank, dignity, and who belonged where. ...

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]]> 89372 Re-centring the Hindu Goddess https://devdutt.com/re-centring-the-hindu-goddess/ Sat, 30 May 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=89217 Re-centring the goddess is not anti-male. It is pro-ecosystem. It reminds us that festivals are contracts with land, water, animals, and labour — especially women’s labour. When we reduce Diwali to a warrior’s homecoming, we miss Lakshmi’s audit of how we earned, spent, hoarded, and gave. When we make Navaratri a fashion parade, we forget the seed in the pot, the sprout on the windowsill, and the choreography that once honoured soil...

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]]> 89217 Today’s Sanatan Dharma prefers ‘trad’ Bhisma https://devdutt.com/todays-sanatan-dharma-prefers-trad-bhisma/ Thu, 28 May 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=89210 The Trans Bill signed by the President of India aligns with the commander of the Kauravas, not Krishna. The Kauravas were more aligned to Christian Evangelists, not “woke” Krishna...

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]]> 89210 Narada: the Original Provocateur https://devdutt.com/narada-the-original-provocateur/ Tue, 26 May 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=89205 Narada is Hindu mythology’s impish, itinerant sage. His presence in a story spells trouble. As a character, he plays a key role. He spotlights our love for gossip, our fragile ego, our competitive spirit, our yearning to measure ourselves against others, our refusal to be content...

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]]> 89205 The Global Resurrection of Islam https://devdutt.com/the-global-resurrection-of-islam/ Sun, 24 May 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=89201 Earlier, Islam was sustained by rulers. In the modern era, it is sustained by communities. Authority shifted from courts and empires to classrooms, print networks, voluntary organisations, and individual conscience...

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]]> 89201 Why Lord Ram Was Painted Green https://devdutt.com/why-lord-ram-was-painted-green/ Fri, 22 May 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=89198 In Nayaka art, Ram is painted green, the colour of tender leaves that emerge from the earth after rains. Green is not the colour of fear or dominance. It is the colour of renewal, fertility and calm strength. This Ram is not alone. ...

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