Grand Stories, Retold

Four master storytellers, who have been giving intriguing new spins to Indian mythology, dimystify its charm and tell us why its feminist.

- Nidhi Raj Singh

AMISH

His betselling The Immortals of Meluha and its sequels opened floodgates for mythology-based narratives. Amish believes a classic is what conquers time, or kaaljeyi as he describes it. This former banker has authored the Shiva Trilogy, the Ram Chandra Series and a non-fiction, Immortal India.

What is so attractive about Indian mythology: its characters, plots or the fact that it can interpreted in so many ways?

Everything. And why just Indian mythology? Every ancient culture from across the world, Greek, Egyptian or Chinese have so much depth in them. What makes Indian mythology so special is the fact that it is the only surviving ancient culture. What also adds to the charm is that we still believe in it, unlike other cultures, which is what takes it forward.

Is Indian mythology being overdone? Will the intrigue factor die a slow death?

Never! Because it’s so much worth for. We, as a civilisation, are survivors. We have survived some of the most gruseome massacre and devastating attacks, right from Turks to Mongols and Mughals. And the gravest disaster we suffered was the destruction of the Nalanda University by Bakhtiyar Khilji. He burnt the Nalanda library and it is said that it burnt for a month. There is no way of knowing that how much knowledge did we loose? We survived this too. Indian mythology will survive too.

Do you think Indian mythology has a strong feminist narrative?