Skip to main content

Book Review: 7 Secrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik

Introduction

  • ISBN: 978-93-84030-58-2
  • Genre: Mythology
  • Publishers: Westland books
  • Price: Rs. 395/- ( I got this book from Blog Adda for review)
Lakshmi massages Vishnu's feet. Is this male domination?  Kali stands on Shiva's chest. Is this female domination?  Shiva is half a woman. Is this gender quality? Why then is Shakti never half a man? Taken literally, stories, symbols and rituals of Hindu mythology have much to say about gender relationships. Taken symbolically, they reveal many more things about humanity and nature. Which is the correct reading?The fourth title in the bestselling '7 Secrets' series focuses on the Goddess, and respected mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik tries to unravel the secrets locked within her stories, symbols and rituals.

Behind The book

Source: Google Images


About the author

Devdutt Pattanaik is a doctor who worked in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry for many years. Throughout his life, he has also been deeply interested in Hindu mythology, the epics, Puranas and the many legends and divine tales. after almost fifteen years in the healthcare industry, he switched his career and started writing about Hindu mythology and using the Hindu scriptures to teach lessons in business management. His books include Myth=Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, The Pregnant King, The 7 Secret Series, Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata, An Identity Card for Krishna,Business Sutra: A Very Indian Approach to Management, Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana and Shikhandi: And Other Tales They Don’t Tell You.

Me thinks

For me Devdutt Pattanaik’s books are reminder of my childhood days. Those never ending summer holidays spent at my Dadi’s place where every evening after dinner all of us cousins would gather around her bed to listen to stories of Gods and demons, of victories and failures, of triumph and defeat, of the need to be a good human being more than anything else for that is what you are born here for.

His books have always spoken to me in more than one ways. At times it feels as if my Dadi comes alive in those pages, I can almost hear her voice and see her large expressive eyes trying to explain the largeness of the situation to me. This book was no different. It is an absolute pleasure to read him always for he is one story teller who recreates mythology and makes it mystical. 

In the beginning of the book you read Author’s representation on reality and representation where he talks about male and female domination. Those few lines set the tone for the whole book. When I had read the blurb I thought this would like his other books where he would be talking about the Goddess and her spiritual aura. But I was wrong. This book is very different from his other books.

In this book he has tried to bring in mythology to convey a very important message. With the recent surge in rape cases, comments being made about women’s dressing, their attitude and the way they carry themselves this book is a MUST READ for all. It is an eye opener in more than ways.

If you are wondering how, let me give you an example – Did you know that women who are ready to bear a child were called virgin in olden days? And a whore wasn’t a disrespectful woman; rather she was one who was free to go to any man. Over a period of time the meanings have changed and now today whore is an insult and virgin praise.

This is a just a glimpse into what can easily be called an eye opener. This book carries answers to all the questions that have been haunting us from time immemorial but we couldn’t manage to get the answers.

Read it to know the answers. Read it to learn why you should do what you should do. Read it to challenge those age old beliefs that are redundant since ages but nobody has the courage to be the change we want to see in the world. Read this book to understand all that is, that was and that will not be if you decide.

Foodie Verdict

This book is like Coconut Barfi - Sweet, melts in the mouth, crispy and classic!

Source: Google Images

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Movie Review: If by Tathagata Ghosh – A Tender Portrait of Love, Loss, and Possibility

If , a 26-minute short film by acclaimed Bengali filmmaker Tathagata Ghosh, is a sensitive, evocative piece of storytelling that lingers long after the credits roll. Set against the everyday rhythm of life in Kolkata, the film delicately unpacks the story of a lesbian couple torn apart by the weight of societal expectations and dares to imagine a different future, one where a mother's love might just change everything.  What struck me first was the film’s raw, grounded realism. The characters feel like people we know, middle-class families navigating a complex world with quiet resilience. The world of If is filled with silences, glances, and stills, rather than heavy dialogue. Ghosh masterfully uses these moments to speak volumes, allowing viewers to sit with discomfort, interpret the unspoken, and feel deeply.
Continue Reading »

Book Review: The Story of Eve: Selected Poems by Zehra Nigah

Few voices in Urdu poetry have carried the weight of history, resistance, and deep personal introspection quite like Zehra Nigah. One of the first women to break into the traditionally male-dominated world of Urdu poetry, Nigah’s work stands as a testament to the power of words to illuminate, question, and challenge. The Story of Eve: Selected Poems, translated by Rakshanda Jalil, brings together some of her most powerful nazms and ghazals, showcasing both her literary elegance and her unflinching gaze at the human condition, particularly through the lens of gender, social injustice, and political turmoil.
Continue Reading »

The Urban Gaze : Reimagining the Village in Contemporary Indian Cinema

Indian cinema has long been fascinated with the village. From the earthy, socialist realism of Do Bigha Zamin (1953) to the melodramatic lament of Mother India (1957), the village once stood as both heartland and hinterland — a space of moral clarity, rustic struggle, and often unyielding fate. But as the urban middle class began to dominate cinematic production and consumption, the depiction of the village increasingly came to reflect an urban gaze, that is, a perspective shaped by distance, nostalgia, condescension, or even outright fantasy.  In recent years, this urban gaze has taken on new shades, evident in the way mainstream and indie filmmakers alike have re-engaged with rural India. While some have tried to explore the village as a site of resistance, authenticity, or even horror, others continue to reproduce sanitized or exaggerated versions of village life that serve urban sensibilities more than rural realities. 
Continue Reading »