The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore

The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 200
Release: 2014-01-09
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 131776630X

A god transforms into a nymph and enchants another god. A king becomes pregnant. A prince discovers on his wedding night that he is not a man. Another king has children who call him both father and mother. A hero turns into a eunuch and wears female apparel. A princess has to turn into a man before she can avenge her humiliation. Widows of a king make love to conceive his child. Friends of the same sex end up marrying each other after one of them metamorphoses into a woman. These are some of the tales from Hindu lore that this unique book examines. The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore is a compilation of traditional Hindu stories with a common thread: sexual transformation and gender metamorphosis. In addition to the thought-provoking stories in The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore, you'll also find: an examination of the universality of queer narratives with examples from Greek lore and Irish folklore a comparison of the Hindu paradigm to the biblical paradigm a look at how Hindu society and Hindu scripture responds to queer sexuality a discussion of the Hijras, popularly believed to be the “third gender” in India--their probable origin, and how they fit into Hindu society With the telling of each of these tales, you will also learn how the author came upon each of them and how they relate to the context of dominant Hindu attitudes toward sex, gender, pleasure, fertility, and celibacy.

Shikhandi

Shikhandi
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Publisher: Penguin UK
Total Pages: 170
Release: 2014-07-20
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9351187373

Patriarchy asserts men are superior to women Feminism clarifies women and men are equal Queerness questions what constitutes male and female Queerness isn’t only modern, Western or sexual, says mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik. Take a close look at the vast written and oral traditions in Hinduism, some over two thousand years old, and you will find tales of: Shikhandi, who became a man to satisfy her wife Mahadeva, who became a woman to deliver a devotee’s child Chudala, who became a man to enlighten her husband Samavan, who became the wife of his male friend and many more . . . Playful and touching—and sometimes disturbing—these stories when compared with tales of the Mesopotamian Gilgamesh, the Greek Ganymede, the biblical Sodom or the Chinese ‘cut sleeve’ Emperor reveal the unique Indian way of making sense of queerness. Devdutt Pattanaik’s new book builds on profound ideas that our ancestors shared but which we have rarely inherited. This book has content for mature audiences. Discretion advised.

The Pregnant King

The Pregnant King
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Publisher: Penguin Books India
Total Pages: 364
Release: 2008
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9780143063476

Among the many characters who inhabit the Mahabharata, the world's greatest epic and the oldest, sometimes other stories unravelled from it, such as Shilavati, who cannot be king because she is a woman.

Myth = Mithya

Myth = Mithya
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Publisher: Penguin UK
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2014-07-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 8184750218

A decoding of Hindu mythology Hindus have one God. They also have 330 million gods: male gods; female gods; personal gods; family gods; household gods; village gods; gods of space and time; gods for specific castes and particular professions; gods who reside in trees; in animals; in minerals; in geometrical patterns and in man-made objects. Then there are a whole host of demons. But no Devil. In this groundbreaking book Dr Devdutt Pattanaik; one of India’s most popular mythologists; seeks an answer to these apparent paradoxes and unravels an inherited truth about life and death; nature and culture; perfection and possibility. He retells sacred Hindu stories and decodes Hindu symbols and rituals; using a unique style of commentary; illustrations and diagrams. We discover why the villainous Kauravas went to heaven and the virtuous Pandavas (all except Yudhishtira) were sent to hell; why Rama despite abandoning the innocent Sita remains the model king; why the blood-drinking Kali is another form of the milk-giving Gauri; and why Shiva wrenched off the fifth head of Brahma. Constructed over generations; Hindu myths serve as windows to the soul; and provide an understanding of the world around us. The aim is not to outgrow myth; but to be enriched and empowered by its ancient; potent and still relevant language.

She of the Mountains

She of the Mountains
Author: Vivek Shraya
Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press
Total Pages: 153
Release: 2014-09-22
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1551525615

Finalist, Lambda Literary Award In the beginning, there is no he. There is no she. Two cells make up one cell. This is the mathematics behind creation. One plus one makes one. Life begets life. We are the period to a sentence, the effect to a cause, always belonging to someone. We are never our own. This is why we are so lonely. She of the Mountains is a beautifully rendered illustrated novel by Vivek Shraya, the author of the Lambda Literary Award finalist God Loves Hair. Shraya weaves a passionate, contemporary love story between a man and his body, with a re-imagining of Hindu mythology. Both narratives explore the complexities of embodiment and the damaging effects that policing gender and sexuality can have on the human heart. Illustrations are by Raymond Biesinger, whose work has appeared in such publications as The New Yorker and the New York Times. Vivek Shraya is a multimedia artist, working in the mediums of music, performance, literature, and film. His most recent film, What I LOVE about Being QUEER, has been expanded to include an online project and book with contributions from around the world. He is also author of God Loves Hair. This publication meets the EPUB Accessibility requirements and it also meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG-AA). It is screen-reader friendly and is accessible to persons with disabilities. A Simple book with few images, which is defined with accessible structural markup. This book contains various accessibility features such as alternative text for images, table of contents, page-list, landmark, reading order and semantic structure.

The Book of Ram

The Book of Ram
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Publisher: Penguin Books India
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2015
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780143065289

He Is Eka-Vachani, A King Who Always Keeps His Word; Eka-Bani, An Archer Who Strikes His Target With The First Arrow; And Eka-Patni, A Husband Who Is Eternally And Absolutely Devoted To A Single Wife. He Is Maryada Purushottam Ram, The Supreme Upholder Of Social Values, The Scion Of The Raghu Clan, Jewel Of The Solar Dynasty, The Seventh Avatar Of Vishnu, God Who Establishes Order In Worldly Life. Hindus Believe That In Stressful And Tumultuous Times Chanting Ram&Rsquo;S Name And Hearing His Tale, The Ramayan, Brings Stability, Hope, Peace And Prosperity. Reviled By Feminists, Appropriated By Politicians, Ram Remains Serene In His Majesty, The Only Hindu Deity To Be Worshipped As A King.

Ganesh

Ganesh
Author: Robert L. Brown
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Total Pages: 374
Release: 1991-08-06
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0791497755

This book examines the complete Ganesh for the first time. Here is the God in his multiple forms from the different geographical areas in Asia. Particularly important are chapters that deal with his Buddhist and Tantric forms. The controversial question of his origins is also thoroughly discussed.

The World of Homosexuals

The World of Homosexuals
Author: Shakuntala Devi
Publisher: New Delhi : Vikas Publishing House
Total Pages: 182
Release: 1977
Genre: Social Science
ISBN:

A sympathetic investigation of the world of the gay, containing personal interviews with homosexuals in India and abroad.

Same-Sex Love in India

Same-Sex Love in India
Author: R. Vanita
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 390
Release: 2016-08-02
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1137054808

Same-Sex Love in India presents a stunning array of writings on same-sex love from over 2000 years of Indian literature. Translated from more than a dozen languages and drawn from Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, and modern fictional traditions, these writings testify to the presence of same-sex love in various forms since ancient times, without overt persecution. This collection defies both stereotypes of Indian culture and Foucault's definition of homosexuality as a nineteenth-century invention, uncovering instead complex discourses of Indian homosexuality, rich metaphorical traditions to represent it, and the use of names and terms as early as medieval times to distinguish same-sex from cross-sex love. An eminent group of scholars have translated these writings for the first time or have re-translated well-known texts to correctly make evident previously underplayed homoerotic content. Selections range from religious books, legal and erotic treatises, story cycles, medieval histories and biographies, modern novels, short stories, letters, memoirs, plays and poems. From the Rigveda to Vikram Seth, this anthology will become a staple in courses on gender and queer studies, Asian studies, and world literature.

The Bridge Home

The Bridge Home
Author: Padma Venkatraman
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 210
Release: 2020-04-14
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1524738131

"Readers will be captivated by this beautifully written novel about young people who must use their instincts and grit to survive. Padma infuses her story with hope and bravery that will inspire readers."--Aisha Saeed, author of the New York Times Bestseller Amal Unbound Four determined homeless children make a life for themselves in Padma Venkatraman's stirring middle-grade debut. Life is harsh on the teeming streets of Chennai, India, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter--and friendship--on an abandoned bridge that's also the hideout of Muthi and Arul, two homeless boys, and the four of them soon form a family of sorts. And while making their living scavenging the city's trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to take pride in, too. After all, they are now the bosses of themselves and no longer dependent on untrustworthy adults. But when illness strikes, Viji must decide whether to risk seeking help from strangers or to keep holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.