By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist On the outer walls of the Chennakeshava temple in Belur, built by the Hoysala kings in the 12th century, stands a woman holding betel leaves. But the tambula or betel appears nowhere in the Vedic Samhitas, the Ramayana or the Mahabharata. It was not part of…
By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist On television, Arjuna is presented as the true hero of the Mahabharata: masculine, entitled, radiant, unmatched with the bow, chosen to receive the Bhagavad Gita from Krishna himself. He eclipses his elder brother Bhima so completely that few remember it is Bhima, not Arjuna, who kills…
I love three festivals very much: Ramzan, Ganesha Chaturthi and Christmas. No, I’m not attempting an Amar, Akbar, Anthony trick to establish my secular credentials. My affection for these festivals has little to do with religion and a lot more to do with religion’s greatest side effect… food. Ramzan is over; I am now waiting…
By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist To understand why Ganesha is worshipped as the remover of obstacles and invoked before every Hindu ceremony, we must understand — and appreciate — the role elephants have played in Indian history and imagination. Elephants are not merely large animals in India; they have shaped the…
By Dr. R. Balasubramaniam There was a time, not too long ago, when I woke up in the morning and decided for myself what kind of day it was going to be. These days, I wake up and my phone decides for me. It tells me my sleep score was 62 percent, which is apparently…
Dasara’s most beloved feature, the illumination, is going overboard and it comes with its own dark side. Every year, thousands of decorative lights are strung across Mysuru by hammering hooks and nails into roadside trees. When the festival ends, the lights come down but the nails don’t. Worse, more nails are added with every passing…
By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist 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. The pride behind this idea is understandable. Zero is one of the greatest ideas in…
By Dr. R. Balasubramaniam There is a particular kind of faith that gets instilled in Indian school children somewhere between learning the national anthem and being taught not to talk to strangers. It comes wearing white and black stripes and goes by the rather grand name of the pedestrian crossing. Our teachers stood us in…
After the devastating flash floods struck Nepal, many were surprised, even offended, when the Himalayan nation politely declined offers of international rescue assistance. For many, it appeared arrogant, but it wasn’t. It was a wise decision born of experience. Nepal’s decision was shaped by the lessons of the 2015 earthquake. The tragedy triggered an extraordinary…
By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik – Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist The Rig Veda praises the gods. The priest composes beautiful hymns, asks for cattle, sons, victory, rain. The relationship is simple: human below, god above, prayer going upward. The Atharva Veda works differently. The priest does not pray. He acts. The Rig Vedic world is fundamentally…
After inspection, ActionSeptember 24, 2026
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