Devdutt Pattanaik: Myths, Mythology, Management & Society https://devdutt.com/ Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:29:10 +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 Brahmins In Jain Memory https://devdutt.com/brahmins-in-jain-memory/ Sat, 12 Sep 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=90196 In the Brahminical tradition, the Brahmin stands at the apex of creation, born from the mouth of Prajapati, custodian of the sacred fire by divine right. Jainism offers a different account entirely. It does not deny the Brahmin’s existence; it explains his origins. It explains his origins. And in doing so, it places him firmly below the Tirthankara and the Kshatriya...

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]]> 90196 The Itihasa of Prithviraj Chauhan https://devdutt.com/the-itihasa-of-prithviraj-chauhan/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=90181 Long before the nationalist imagination got to work, two older traditions had already told very different stories about the same king, and neither of them had any use for a hero...

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]]> 90181 Djinns Amongst Us https://devdutt.com/djinns-amongst-us/ Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=90173 The Quran describes jinn as beings created from a "smokeless flame of fire," while humans were created from clay and angels from light. The Arabic word jinn comes from a root meaning "hidden" or "concealed." They inhabit a parallel dimension that humans generally cannot perceive. Unlike angels, they possess free will. They can choose faith or disbelief, obedience or rebellion...

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]]> 90173 Indian Roots of Pythagorean Theorem https://devdutt.com/indian-roots-of-pythagorean-theorem/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=90165 This geometric truth was discovered independently by several ancient civilizations, each arriving at the same insight through their own practical needs. India’s contribution, recorded in a set of ancient texts called the Sulvasutras, is genuine and impressive. But it was not the first...

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]]> 90165 The Shambala Prophecy https://devdutt.com/the-shambala-prophecy/ Fri, 04 Sep 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=90135 In a world that seems to be hurtling from one crisis to another, many people are talking about the Shambala prophecy. This appeared in the early 11th century in a Buddhist Tantric text called the Kalacakratantra. ...

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]]> 90135 The Rise of Marble Temples https://devdutt.com/the-rise-of-marble-temples/ Wed, 02 Sep 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=90132 Marble has never been a traditional material in Hindu sacred architecture. In Tamil Nadu, the great storied temples were built in granite. In Odisha, the material was khondalite. In Karnataka, soapstone. Across North India, red and yellow sandstone. Marble was, in fact, long associated with animal bones and was deliberately shunned by traditional artisans...

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]]> 90132 Who Invented Zero? https://devdutt.com/who-invented-zero/ Mon, 31 Aug 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=90123 Ask any Indian schoolchild who invented zero, and the answer will usually be: India did. This is one of the most common beliefs taught in schools and repeated in public discussions...

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]]> 90123 Is Sanatan Dharma Only 200 Years Old? https://devdutt.com/is-sanatan-dharma-only-200-years-old/ Sat, 29 Aug 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=90085 ‘Sanatan Dharma’ (common noun) as a phrase is very old. It appears in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions as a common noun meaning ‘eternal order’ or ‘timeless law’. However, ‘Sanatan Dharma’ (proper noun) as the name of an organised conservative Hindu movement emerged only in the 19th century under British colonial rule...

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]]> 90085 How Hinduism Transformed in the Vedic land https://devdutt.com/how-hinduism-transformed-in-the-vedic-land/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:30:00 +0000 https://devdutt.com/?p=90080 Punjab, watered by the tributaries of the Indus, was the original Vedic land. Yet today, the Veda is more closely associated with the Yamuna-Ganga doab, while Punjab is better known as the fountainhead of Sikhism. The western part of historic Punjab is now in Pakistan and is overwhelmingly Muslim. The eastern part, in India, is divided between Sikhs and Hindus...

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