‘Those In The Centre Of The National Debate Must Speak Out'
Outlook|July 29, 2019

Amish, the author who made mythology cool, is a bestselling Indian writer in English whose books have sold five million copies. His new book, Raavan, the third in his Ramachandra series, after Ram and Sita, is the darkest and deals with a complex character. Amish talks about villains in our stories, how India is not proud of its culture and extreme religious positions with Satish Padmanabhan. Excerpts:

‘Those In The Centre Of The National Debate Must Speak Out'

There have been so many retellings of the Ramayana and yet its power remains intact. How were you swept by it? I had heard these wonderful lines—no Indian reads or hears the Ramayana for the first time. We are just born with it. We are a surviving ancient culture and these stories are in our genes, helping us explore them, learn from them, celebrate them. One reason why our culture has remained alive is our tradition of retellings—keeping the soul of the old but adding something new. We have the ideal mix of rigidity and flexibility. I learnt much I write today from my family. My grandfather was a pandit in Kashi; my parents are deeply religious.

Your new book Raavan is one of the darkest you have written. What kind of research goes into it?

I don’t do research for a particular book. Whenever I am not writing, I keep reading. I read five to six books a month, I read non-fiction and my favourite genres are mythology, spirituality, science, politics, economics. I travel a lot and learn something about local ways. For instance, in Kenya I was fascinated by the warrior culture of the Masais.

Raavan is a very dark character. But he is different from your ordinary villain. He’s a scholarly, very complex man, he is not just violent. He is a brilliant musician, poet, good dancer, a good administrator. He is a fascinating, and troubling, character to write about. Even his violence is kind of studied…he will actually behead someone and look closely at the gaping neck, how the blood is spurting out. For him that’s a path to knowledge.

In our popular culture, do you think depictions of Raavan have become monochromatic?

この記事は Outlook の July 29, 2019 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は Outlook の July 29, 2019 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

OUTLOOKのその他の記事すべて表示
Soft Ruins
Outlook

Soft Ruins

'Soft Ruins' is a chapter within the long-term ongoing project \"When Spring Never Comes\", an expansive exploration of memory, identity and displacement in the aftermath of exile within contemporary global politics. It reflects on how the journey as an asylum seeker in Europe mirrors the instability and threats of life under dictatorship, amidst rising right-wing movements and shifting power dynamics, where both certainty and identity are redefined

time-read
1 min  |
January 11, 2025
Building Beyond Homes: Provident Housing's Transformative Approach
Outlook

Building Beyond Homes: Provident Housing's Transformative Approach

Provident Housing leads in crafting thoughtfully designed homes that cater to modern homebuyers' evolving needs. With a focus on timely delivery, sustainability, and innovative, customer-centric solutions, the company sets new benchmarks. In this exclusive interview, Mallanna Sasalu, CEO of Provident Housing, shares insights into the company's strategies, upcoming projects, and vision for India's housing future.

time-read
2 分  |
January 11, 2025
Syria Speaks
Outlook

Syria Speaks

A Syrian graffiti artist-activist's tale of living through bombings, gunshots and displacement

time-read
3 分  |
January 11, 2025
The Burdened
Outlook

The Burdened

Yemen, once a beautiful land identified with the Queen of Sheba, is now one of the worst ongoing humanitarian disasters of modern times

time-read
6 分  |
January 11, 2025
Sculpting In Time
Outlook

Sculpting In Time

Documentaries such as Intercepted and Songs of Slow Burning Earth grapple with the Russian occupation beyond displays of desolation

time-read
4 分  |
January 11, 2025
The Story Won't Die
Outlook

The Story Won't Die

Is Israel's triumphalism over its land grab in Syria realistic? The hard reality is-Israel now has Al-Qaeda as a next-door neighbour

time-read
10+ 分  |
January 11, 2025
Against the Loveless World
Outlook

Against the Loveless World

In times of war, love exists as a profound act of defiance

time-read
6 分  |
January 11, 2025
Soul of My Soul
Outlook

Soul of My Soul

What does it mean to continue to create art during a genocide?

time-read
9 分  |
January 11, 2025
in Dancing the Glory of Monsters
Outlook

in Dancing the Glory of Monsters

By humanising the stories of those affected by war, poverty and displacement, Buuma hopes to foster empathy and inspire action

time-read
2 分  |
January 11, 2025
All the President's Men
Outlook

All the President's Men

Co-author of All The President's Men and one of the two Washington Post journalists (the other was Carl Berntstein) who broke the Watergate scandal that brought down the President Richard Nixon administration in the United States in 1974, Bob Woodward's recent book War was on top of The New York Times Bestseller list, even above John Grisham.

time-read
3 分  |
January 11, 2025