A majority of us who grew in tri-generational family got their healthy dosage of mythology, not only the stories left us starry eyed but the characters inspired through their words and actions, the depth of our culture, rich history, ancient wisdom that we possessed which to-date remain relevant instilled a lot of pride. The epic work of Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas used to be regular household reads (No disrespect to other religions, they are equally rich, just that I know very little of those!)
In came the 90s, Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana was probably the first TV magnum opus that India witnessed. Sunday 9 AM, was then the prime time, streets wore deserted look – tantamount to an imposed curfew! Mythology was still working like charm. Action packed Mahabharata followed soon after and that too was a mega hit.
Post these, mythology as a TV value prop kept getting thinner, the audiences grew up, an entire internet generation had grown up expecting much better raconteuring skills and on-screen execution. The internet gen also grew up as a critical generation, much more vociferous, not taking things on face value, questioning the conventional wisdom and carrying and having willingness to hear out alternate views.
The next gen which came in started growing up in ‘nuclear-duo-gen-metro-bourgeoisie’ culture. Mythology as a culture, as a value instilling tool had fast diminished.
By late 2000s, there were multiple TV shows on mythology non attracting passionate eyeballs, in-numerous spiritual gurus telling their distorted version of scriptures either with malafide intent or occluded agenda or lack of knowledge and research thereof. Mythology as a genre was almost gone from millennials and younger generations there after.
The genre had fast lost ground because there was no refreshed and contextual way of weaving in the glorious stories of past. Almost 3 decades had come to a standstill, decadent.
There were still a few harbingers who kept those lores intact, worked tirelessly at making them contextual, worked out alternate opinions and brought their work out which was palatable, thought-provoking, critical, and respectful all at the same time. I am referring to Anand Neelakantan and Amish Tripathi – the two modern Hindu mythology writers who have given a fresh zing to our faith and value system. While I name just 2, but there are many more, spinning and sweating fervently to get the wheels moving again.
I wish this legion to grow larger, and more impactful, for they signify the ‘macrocosm’ of India – an old nation but a young country.
They are not only brilliant story tellers but also bring the best and the worst that we as a society have undergone through ages.
Evils like Caste System, are often focal to their story telling, an evil which grips us till date! While it’s not a matter of great pride that an ancient and evolved civilization like us practiced it since ages, we should take heart in the fact that, this day we still stand tall and have almost rooted the evil out – while total wipe out might not happen overnight but atleast the ‘untouchability’ is nowhere in the mainstream, exists only in extremely isolated deep pockets and complete end to it does look possible in a lifetime.
Debates on tolerance rather the lack of it (intolerance) are fad today, I rarely see people taking the mid-path – we are at extremes in our expression whether it’s the Supreme Court sanctioned cracker ban or public verdict over an attempt to outrage modesty. These guys create a perfect balance, they talk of Lord Shiva as commoner with no special powers, Lord Rama as an individual with flaws, Ravana as an intellect with no parallel, Lord Krishna as shred sharp manipulator with huge PR machinery behind him to anoint him as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu himself. And while they are at it, they do it in fashion that presents an alternate view without culling the original one and is utmost respectful. It’s akin dangerously flirting with the ‘Lakshmana Rekha’ without actually towing it. I see that as a great art – an art we are losing pretty fast. India was always an argumentative, tolerant nation – a land of philosophers and listeners – maybe intolerance is rather new to us. High time that we nip it in the bud.
Spirit of innovation and scientific temperament are our cornerstones, so important they are to us that the Nation’s founding fathers itched it in the preamble of one of the holiest books of modern times – our constitution! These authors have a terrific ability to rationalize with science and logic, the mystiques of our scriptures – the pushpaka vimana no longer remains the divine air pod rather a primitive rotor winged-copter, the magic filled sastras and astras are advanced projectiles and missiles which could release chemical weapons and paralyze or annihilate an army of thousands. These invoke tonnes of national pride and one is forced to marvel at the extent of advancement we had already achieved while the World was still scrambling to get the rudiments in place.
The basic tenets of administration, politics, succession, invoking war, making peace, rules of engagement et’ all had already being documented. Ours was like a Nation which had already started showing dapper in denims and polos while the World was still figuring the next logical cover after ‘diapers’.
While I did call put just two in my note, there several others who are doing phenomenal work in mythology attracting several generations. The spirit of celebrating books had never been lost but it’s only getting better each day and these gentlemen – some already celebrated, some at the cusp of greatness, other still toiling – are the harbingers, true flag bearers of the revolution, of rekindling the intrigues about our Gods, their dispensions, and the best that we can have out of them in the current context and for decades to come after this.
I pray this legion multiplies exponentially, quality work starts flowing, gets celebrated and rewarded. May you build great careers and satisfaction out of this cult writing – for you are no less an entrepreneur – the entrepreneur of knowledge dissemination. May you grow wiser and enlightened each day, may Goddess Saraswati bless you – for you shape a generation now and will be pivotal for generations to come.
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