Lifestyle

The Hindu Gods Are Much Closer and Friendly: Devdutt Pattanaik


In the current Indian literary scene, the name ‘Devdutt Pattanaik’ has become a prime example for words such as myths, legends, folk tales and fables – a fact no one can deny. . Whether incorporating Mahabharata and Ramayana into human resource management, or explaining the relevance of sacred stories, symbols and rituals in modern times, Pattanaik is a master of it all.

Recently, Pattanaik launched ‘Krishna 360 Degrees’, a story about Lord Krishna on Audible. In the audiobook, Pattanaik tells the story of Vishnu’s avatar on earth, who balances village life as well as city life. By discovering Krishna as a child, a toddler, a teenager, a cowherd, a statesman, a lover, a husband, a father, and a god on earth, as given Expressed in various stories and images about him, the audiobook aims to deepen the understanding of Hindu philosophy.

In an exclusive interview with TOI Books, Pattanaik talked about ‘Krishna 360 degrees’, his fascination with Krishna, etc.

1. For the uninitiated, how would you describe ‘Krishna 360 degrees’?
Krishna 360 degrees on Audible is all about appreciating Krishna from every angle. I wanted to explore his experiences as a child, musician, dancer, wrestler, cowherd, strategist, and soldier. That is a complete appreciation. Hence, Krishna 360 degrees.

2. What about Lord Krishna do you find most attractive?
I think the most fascinating thing for me is that we don’t need to call Krishna Lord Krishna. This term describes the influence of Christianity and Islam, where God is seen as a great and powerful being. In the Hindu way of life, a god is like a friend to us. We can address him as a friend, as an equal. He is the one who shares our burdens. He has to deal with problems every day. He treats people who treat him differently. One must remember that he was not quite a king.

I feel there is a whole movement to try to equate Hindu gods with Christian and Muslim gods. We do this using European words like Lord and Almighty. The Hindu gods are much closer and friendlier. They connect with us on a very human level.

3. What is your intention behind discovering Lord Krishna in different stages of life, i.e. as a child, toddler, teenager, etc.?
No episode becomes strong. The magic of the story happens when you see the whole, not the parts. So at first, you see one part, then the second, and then the third. Then you see the whole picture, then you go back to the first part, and it suddenly looks very different. When you see all the parts together, you get a sense of the whole. Overall appreciation helps you appreciate each part.

4. How did you decide on the stories you mentioned in ‘Krishna 360 degrees’? With so many popular versions already in existence?
The problem with popular versions is that they don’t help people appreciate different versions of the story. The different stories have deep cultural connections with different regions of India such as Karnataka, Bengal, Assam and Manipur. It is a movement from the south of India to the east. This type of geographical spread of ideas and how they differ, depending on the region, is not known. No one pointed out that the image of Radha was basically found in the Ganges delta. Radha does not manifest in the great temples of South India. The Assamese worship of Krishna, too, has nothing to do with Radha, but the Manipuri does.

I believe these little details add value when listening to ‘Krishna 360 degrees’ on Audible. 360 degrees is like doing a Pradkashana ie going around the temples like Hindus. Now we are circling stories across India, across time and geography. This way, people can understand things deeply. This is not found in very common versions.

5. Any particular reason to do this as an audiobook? Also, which medium do you find the most interesting?
I have always believed that Indians prefer voice narration to textual reading. You can reach a larger number of people through word of mouth than through writing. So I’m a real fan of podcasts and audio shows. I am very happy to have the opportunity to do an audio show. To clarify, Krishna 360 degrees is an audio program and not a podcast. A podcast is more like a free conversation while this is an audio program because it is fairly structured.

6. At a time when audiobooks are growing rapidly, do you think books will be able to continue to be relevant?
I think reading is a solitary activity. You need to sit down and enjoy reading – and books have a very different audience. These are people who want to sit down and relax. An important point to note is that in the text, the author can provide more details in a precise and rhetorical manner. For example, images can be included in a book that the audio medium cannot provide – a map or a table or an icon.

The sound is very common among people who ride trains or cars on the same routes every day. It is also used by people on the go, like those walking in the morning. They love audio media. So they can do two things at once. Also, with the medium of sound, one can convey emotions much better than with written words.



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