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You would think it should be easy to find some really good Hindu mythology books, but prepare
There are 4,000 years of scripture and stories with texts so old that no one really knows who
There is no single point of origin; rather, it emerged from the relationship between migrating Indo-Aryan people
My love for Hindu Mythology books is thanks to fellow Book Rioter, Senjuti
Senjuti’s list was built on careful consideration for the tone and historical representation in stories she
Books such as We Come from the Geese by Ruby Hembrom and Boski Jain lift the voices
I fell in love with her list and have spent the last year soaking up everything from
Almost everyone suggested I start at the beginning and read The Rāmāyana, a Sanskrit epic
During Rama’s 14-year exile to the forest, Sita is kidnapped by King Ravana
If you’re looking for a great book to ease you into The Rāmāyana gently,
Sheth has reimagined the original epic through the eyes of the women behind the throne
The complete trilogy was released in a beautiful slipcase set earlier this year (March 2022) and included a
Even though The Rāmāyana is about Rama AND Sita, the focus of the story seems
I much preferred Sita’s Rāmāyana as a more balanced retelling of The Rāmā
This graphic novel uses Patua art, a traditional Bengali style, to capture the influence of the time
This is an insightful consideration of the influences on women, questioning what truly makes a “villain
It is a war-torn story narrating the fight between two groups of cousins during the Mahābhā
Like The Rāmāyana, The Mahābhārata has been a staple for Hindu mythology books
Every element of the Hindu faith and guidelines for a good human life is shared across these
Her poems retell the story through the eyes of soldiers, handmaidens, and princesses
Divakaruni gives us Panchali/Draupadi’s perspective as wife to the legendary Pandavas brothers in the Mahā
Divakaruni stays true to the original epic while exploring the thoughts and feelings of one particular character
It’s a unique perspective from a woman and allows us to see her as more than
Against the backdrop of the Mahābhārata, there is a multitude of stories taking place, each
The title refers to Yuvanashva, a childless King who mistakenly drinks a magic potion intended to make
While Yuvanashva was seen as a good king, the more interesting story is tied up with his
The first book in The Shiva Trilogy follows the plight of Shiva from extraordinary man to god
Over time, the people continue to experience environmental disasters and terrorist attacks from nearby
Ahalya was said to be created by Brahma himself as the idea of perfection
She was accused of adultery and cursed to stone by her husband Gautam, a sage who vowed
But the adultery was a trick by Indra and part of a common insult to women: the
While the blurb says “ancient Indian mythology,” it is important to know that does not mean an
The illustrations are part of a deeper message to connect with the older texts and allow the
It is beautiful and mesmerising, the perfect companion when you are reading other great Hindu mythology books
Hindu mythology books share such an amazing and wide array of stories