Devdutt Pattanaik

Devdutt Pattanaik
Devdutt Pattanaik
Native name ଦେବଦତ୍ତ ପଟ୍ଟନାୟକ
Born 11 December 1970 (1970-12-11) (age 47)
Mumbai, India
Nationality India
Education MBBS (Mumbai University)
Postgraduate Diploma Comparative Mythology (Mumbai University)
Occupation Mythologist, writer, columnist, illustrator
Known for Works on Indian mythology
Parent(s) Prafulla Kumar Pattanaik (father)
Sabitri Pattanaik (Das) (mother)
Website www.Devdutt.com
Signature

Devdutt Pattanaik (Odia:ଦେବଦତ୍ତ ପଟ୍ଟନାୟକ) is an Indian author known for fictional work and interpretations of ancient Indian scriptures.[1][2][3]

He has incorporated myth into human resource management.[4] His books include Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology[5]; Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata[6]; Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana[7]; Business Sutra: An Indian Approach to Management[8]; Shikhandi: And Other Tales they Don't Tell You[9];[10] Shiva to Shankara : Giving Form to the Formless[11], in which he explores the layers of meanings embedded in Shiva’s linga, we discover why and how the Goddess transforms Shiva, the hermit, into Shankara, the householder; Leader : 50 Insights from Mythology[12] uses myths and legends to arrive at wisdom that is both time-worn and refreshingly new, on what makes a good leader; and Culture : 50 Insights from Mythology[13] a groundbreaking work that contextualizes mythology and proposes that myths are alive, dynamic, shaped by perception and the times one lives in.

He was the former Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, one of India's largest retailers. He writes columns for Mid-Day[14], Times of India[15], Swarajya[16], CN Traveller[17], Daily O[18] and Scroll.in.[19]

Early life and education

Pattanaik is an Odia, born and brought up in Mumbai, he spent his childhood and student life in Chembur, Mumbai.[20] He studied in OLPS[21] (Our Lady of Perpetual Succour) High School in Chembur where he first got acquainted with stories of the Ramayana in school plays[22]. Devdutt Pattanaik graduated in medicine (M.B.B.S.) from Grant Medical College, Mumbai and subsequently did a course in Comparative Mythology from Mumbai University.[23]

Career

Devdutt Pattanaik

He worked in the pharma and healthcare industry (Sanofi Aventis and Apollo Group of Hospitals,[24] respectively) for 14 years and spent his spare time writing articles[25] and books on mythology,[26][27] which eventually became his full-time passion. He has also worked as a consultant at Ernst and Young. His first book Shiva: An Introduction was published in 1997.[28] Devdutt illustrates most of his own books.[29]

He was a speaker at the first TED conference in India held in November 2009.[30][31]

He is also a story consultant to Indian television network Star TV,[32] where Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev is based on his work[33][34][35] and Epic channel, where he presents Devlok with Devdutt Pattanaik.[36][37] He also serves at the Culture Consultant to Reliance Industries Ltd.[36]

Devdutt has consulted Star TV network on mythological tele-serials like ''Mahabharata and Siya ke Ram; these serials have challenged conventional views of the narratives and opened up new avenues of interpretation.[38][39][40][38]

Views

Devdutt Pattanaik, mythologist and author, with his own 20 books

Myth and Mythology

He opines that “no society can exist without myth as it creates notions of right and wrong, good and bad, heaven and hell, rights and duties”.[41] To him, mythology "tells a people how they should see the world... Different people will have their own mythology, reframing old ones or creating new ones."[42]

Business

Devdutt believes that leadership is about paying attention to the other, and enabling people not to mimic or pretend, but to be genuine/authentic about their fears. If a leader cannot sense fear in people around him, if a leader feels good when people around him are frightened into pretending, there is a problem. Power flows towards the leader or, rather, boss rather than towards the organization.[43]

In his book, Business Sutra: An Indian Approach to Management[44], “the central theme … is that when individual beliefs come into conflict with corporate beliefs, problems surface in organisations. Conversely, when institutional beliefs and individual beliefs are congruent, harmony is the resultant corporate climate. It is when people are seen as mere resources meant to be managed [read manipulated] through compensation and so-called motivation; it is when they are treated like switches in a circuit board; it is then that disharmony descends causing disruption.”[45]

Fiction

Devdutt distinguishes between mythological fiction and mythology. He notes that mythological fiction is very popular as it is fantasy rooted in familiar traditional tales. Mythology itself is about figuring out world views of cultures, essentially how people think in a particular cultural ethos. “Most writers I know focus on mythological fiction. Study of mythology still remains rather academic,” Pattanaik told IANS in an interview.[46]

Performing Arts

Focusing on Natyashastra, a Sanskrit Hindu text on the performing arts written by Bharata Muni, Devdutt has answered questions on the origins of the text and why it was referred to as the Panchama Veda. “By dancing, Hindu Gods differentiated Hindu faith, they drew attention to time, space, rhythm, vibration and body,” explains Pattanaik.[47]

He notices dance as part of religion. He speaks of how, over the years, the general gaze of looking at dance and dancers has changed. He states, "Calling someone naachnewali or naachnewala has become a way of putting them down. We need to understand that dance is about seduction. For me, the story of Lord Vishnu taking the form of Mohini and dancing to seduce Bhasmasura is one of the most powerful stories. We don’t understand that the story of Natraj also relates to seduction. But somehow, the word seduction has taken a negative connotation now. Through dance, we can understand a lot about Indian culture, history, geography and more. It’s about time we did that." [48]

Political Stance

Devdutt is known to avoid partisan views and points to the strengths and weaknesses of the Left and the Right, the secular as well as religious, the capitalists and the communists, the patriarchs and the feminists, as indicated on his many articles on beef ban, vegetarianism, and Ramayana.[49][50][51] He is wary of the influence of 'white saviours' on liberals as well as religious radicals. He has been rather contemptuous of the hyper-nationalism of a section of American Hindus who are clueless about Indian realities.[52][53] He also frowns on secularists and atheists who deny their own missionary zeal and mythic structure, and see themselves as 'rational'.[54]

Reception

In 2014, Pattanaik was listed in the top category of bestselling Indian authors.[55] His book Devlok, based on the television programme of the same name, was one of the bestselling books of the year 2016.[56]

Fiction author Ashwin Sanghi has said that Pattanaik attempts to "explain mythology in simple words".[57] Psychologist Urmi Chanda-Vaz, who calls Pattanaik "India's most beloved mythology explicator", praised his book 'My Gita'.[58][59] Intellectual Shiv Visvanathan has praised Pattanaik by saying that he has made myth-reading "an open, playful, almost domestic game, like Chinese Checkers or Scrabble".[60]

Investment banker and Sanskrit scholar Nityanand Misra has criticized Pattanaik's 'My Gita' as a "marvel of scholarly ineptitude and a travesty of Hindu philosophy", saying that the book is a sloppy work replete with factual, conceptual, philosophical, and linguistic errors. Saying that Pattanaik lacks even basic knowledge of Sanskrit, Misra has questioned Pattanaik's ability to understand Sanskrit and translate from it.[61]

Bibliography

  1. Shiva: An Introduction. Vakils, Feffer and Simons Ltd., 1997. ISBN 978-81-8462-013-9.
  2. Vishnu: An Introduction. Vakils, Feffer and Simons Ltd., 1999. ISBN 81-87111-12-7.
  3. Devi, The Mother-Goddess: An Introduction. Vakils, Feffer, and Simons Ltd., 2000. ISBN 978-81-87111-91-7.
  4. The Goddess in India: The Five Faces of the Eternal Feminine. Inner Traditions/ Bear & Company, 2000. ISBN 978-0-89281-807-5. Translations: Hindi.
  5. Hanuman: An Introduction. Vakils, Feffer and Simons Ltd., 2001. ISBN 978-81-87111-94-8.
  6. The Man Who Was A Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore. Harrington Park Press, 2002. ISBN 1560231815.
  7. Indian Mythology: Tales, Symbols, and Rituals from the Heart of the Subcontinent. Inner Traditions/ Bear & Company, 2003. ISBN 978-0-89281-870-9.
  8. Lakshmi, The Goddess of Wealth and Fortune: An Introduction. Vakils, Feffer, and Simons Ltd., 2003. ISBN 978-81-8462-019-1.
  9. Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology. Penguin Books India, 2006. ISBN 9780143099703. Translations: Hindi, Marathi, Turkish.
  10. Shiva to Shankara: Decoding the Phallic Symbol. Indus Source, India. 2006. ISBN 81-88569-04-6. Translations: Czech, Hindi.
  11. The Pregnant King. Penguin Books India, 2008. ISBN 9780143063476. Translations: Hindi, Marathi.
  12. The Book of Ram. Penguin Books India, 2009. ISBN 9780143065289.
  13. 7 Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art. Westland Ltd., 2009. ISBN 9788189975678. Translations: Gujarati, Hindi.
  14. Hanuman's Ramayan. Tulika Publishers, 2010. ISBN 9788181467515.
  15. Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata, Penguin Books India, 2010 ISBN 9780143104254. Translations: Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil.
  16. Fun in Devlok: An Identity Card for Krishna. Puffin India, 2011. ISBN 978-0143331674.
  17. Fun in Devlok: Gauri and the Talking Cow. Puffin India, 2011. ISBN 978-0143331704.
  18. Fun in Devlok: Indra Finds Happiness. Puffin India, 2011. ISBN 978-0143331681.
  19. Fun in Devlok: Kama vs Yama. Puffin India, 2011. ISBN 9780143331957.
  20. Fun in Devlok: Saraswati's Secret River. Puffin India, 2011. ISBN 9780143331964.
  21. Fun in Devlok: Shiva Plays Dumb Charades. Puffin India, 2011. ISBN 9780143331698.
  22. 7 Secrets of Shiva. Westland Ltd., 2011. ISBN 9789380658636. Translations: Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Russian, Telugu.
  23. 7 Secrets of Vishnu. Westland Ltd., 2011. ISBN 9789380658681. Translations: Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Russian.
  24. 99 Thoughts on Ganesha: Stories, Symbols and Rituals of India's Beloved Elephant-headed Deity. Jaico Publishing House, 2011. ISBN 978-81-8495-152-3. Translations: Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Telugu.
  25. Business Sutra : A Very Indian Approach to Management. Aleph Book Company, 2013. ISBN 9788192328072. Translations: French, German, Hindi, Italian, Marathi, Tamil.
  26. Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana. Penguin Books India, 2013 ISBN 9780143064329. Translations: Hindi, Marathi, Tamil.
  27. Fun in Devlok Omnibus. Puffin India, 2014. ISBN 9780143333449.
  28. Shikhandi: And Other Tales They Don't Tell You. Zubaan Books & Penguin Books India, 2014. ISBN 9789383074846. Translations: Hindi, Marathi.
  29. Pashu: Animal Tales from Hindi Mythology. Penguin Books India, 2014. ISBN 9780143332473. Translations: Hindi.
  30. 7 Secrets of the Goddess. Westland Ltd., 2014. ISBN 9789384030582. Translations: Hindi, Italian, Marathi, Russian.
  31. My Gita. Rupa Publications India, 2015. ISBN 9788129137708. Translations: Hindi, Marathi.
  32. The Success Sutra: An Indian Approach to Wealth. Aleph Book Company, 2015. ISBN 9789384067410.
  33. Devlok with Devdutt Pattanaik. Penguin Random House India, 2016. ISBN 9780143427421.
  34. Olympus - Indian Retelling of Greek Mythology - Publisher: Penguin Random House India, 2016. ISBN 9780143428299
  35. The Girl Who Chose: A New Way of Narrating the Ramayana. Puffin Books, 2016. ISBN 9780143334637.
  36. The Jaya Colouring Book. Penguin Random House India, 2016. ISBN 9780143426479.
  37. The Leadership Sutra: An Indian Approach to Power. Aleph Book Company, 2016. ISBN 9789384067465.
  38. The Sita Colouring Book. Penguin Random House India, 2016. ISBN 9780143426462.
  39. The Talent Sutra: An Indian Approach to Learning, Aleph Book Company, 2016, ISBN 9789383064274
  40. Culture : 50 Insights from Mythology. HarperCollins India, Indus Source 2017. ISBN 978-9352644971.
  41. Devlok with Devdutt Pattanaik (Book 2) - Publisher: Penguin Random House, 2017 ISBN 978-0143428435 Translations: Hindi ISBN 978-0143440468
  42. Leader : 50 Insights from Mythology. HarperCollins India, Indus Source 2017. ISBN 978-9352644957.
  43. Shiva to Shankara : Giving Form to the Formless. HarperCollins India, Indus Source 2017. ISBN 978-9352641956.
  44. My Hanuman Chalisa. Rupa Publications, 2017. ISBN 9788129147950.
  45. The Boys Who Fought. Puffin, 2017 ISBN 9789386815873.
  46. Devlok with Devdutt Pattanaik (Book 3) - Publisher: Penguin Random House, 2017 ISBN 978-0143442790.
  47. Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata. Penguin, 2018 ISBN 9780670084463.

References

  1. ↑ "'The mythology of one god is what we call religion': Devdutt Pattanaik".
  2. ↑ http://qz.com/630164/a-mythology-checklist-are-you-left-or-right/
  3. ↑ "Category:Mythographers". Wikipedia. 2015-11-20.
  4. ↑ "Mythic Past, Resonating in the Present". New York Times. 4 July 2010.
  5. ↑ Devdutt., Pattanaik, (2006). Myth = Mithya : a handbook of Hindu mythology. New Delhi, India: Penguin Books India. ISBN 9780143099703. OCLC 154688788.
  6. ↑ Devdutt,, Pattanaik,. Jaya : an illustrated retelling of the Mahabharata. Gurgaon, Haryana, India. ISBN 9780143104254. OCLC 692288394.
  7. ↑ Devdutt,, Pattanaik,. Sita : an illustrated retelling of the Ramayana. Gurgaon, Haryana. ISBN 9780143064329. OCLC 863077858.
  8. ↑ Devdutt,, Pattanaik,. Business sutra : a very Indian approach to management. New Delhi. ISBN 9788192328072. OCLC 859199033.
  9. ↑ Devdutt,, Pattanaik,. Shikhandi and other tales they don't tell you. New Delhi. ISBN 9789383074846. OCLC 889577945.
  10. ↑ "Epic Venture". Indian Express. 16 October 2010.
  11. ↑ Devdutt,, Pattanaik,. Shiva to Shankara : giving form to the formless. Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. ISBN 9789352641956. OCLC 985916928.
  12. ↑ DEVDUTT., PATTANAIK, (2018). LEADER - 50 INSIGHTS FROM MYTHOLOGY. [S.l.]: HARPERBUSINESS. ISBN 9789352644957. OCLC 988760492.
  13. ↑ DEVDUTT., PATTANAIK, (2018). CULTURE : 50 insights from mythology. [S.l.]: HARPER360. ISBN 9789352644971. OCLC 990971229.
  14. ↑ "Devdutt Pattanaik | Editorial, Columnists - Midday". mid-day. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  15. ↑ "Devdutt Pattanaik Blog - Times of India Blog". Times of India Blog. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  16. ↑ "About Author". swarajyamag.com. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  17. ↑ "Where does history begin?".
  18. ↑ "Devdutt Pattanaik". www.dailyo.in. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  19. ↑ "Devdutt Pattanaik | Scroll.in". scroll.in. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  20. ↑ "The mythologist". Mint. 16 September 2010.
  21. ↑ "Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School". Wikipedia. 2017-08-03.
  22. ↑ "Devdutt Pattanaik: Ramayana in OLPS". mid-day. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  23. ↑ "Teaching Old Heads New Tricks". Financial Express. 25 May 2003.
  24. ↑ http://www.nasscom.in/devdutt-pattanaik-chief-belief-officer-future-group
  25. ↑ "Devdutt Pattanaik on 14 things historians taught him".
  26. ↑ http://www.mid-day.com/articles/5151-years-of-gita/15033045
  27. ↑ http://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/krishna-the-complete-man.html
  28. ↑ https://books.google.com/books/about/Shiva.html?id=LGbXAAAAMAAJ
  29. ↑ "Demystifying mythology: A conversation with Devdutt Pattanaik". The Hindu. 24 April 2009.
  30. ↑ "Great response to first TED meet in India". The Hindu. 1 November 2009.
  31. ↑ speaker at TEDIndia 2009.
  32. ↑ http://devdutt.com/about
  33. ↑ http://www.dailypioneer.com/sunday-edition/sunday-pioneer/special/god-of-small-screen.html
  34. ↑ https://www.businesstoday.in/bt-mindrush/speaker-Devdutt-Pattanaik.jsp
  35. ↑ http://indiaopines.com/devon-ke-dev-mahadev-review/
  36. 1 2 http://www.indiantelevision.com/mam/marketing/an-eclectic-set-of-speakers-announced-for-goafest-2014-140402
  37. ↑ "Devlok With Devdutt Pattanaik Favourite". The Times of India. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  38. 1 2 "Devdutt Patnaik roped for Mahabharat - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  39. ↑ "Best of Radio Mirchi : Devdutt Pattanaik speaks about Siya Ke Ram saath Jeeturaaj". www.radiomirchi.com. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  40. ↑ "Exclusive | Mahabharat will stir lot of curiosity: Devdutt Pattanaik". Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  41. ↑ http://www.hindustantimes.com/books/no-society-can-exist-without-myth-says-devdutt-pattanaik/story-PG1v4iB17j07dV5Vyv86QN.html
  42. ↑ http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/devdutt-pattanaik-mythology-importance-interview/1/996560.html
  43. ↑ http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/aT7rhh2W2zluIuWr5xJjdK/Devdutt-Pattanaiks-business-lessons-from-mythology.html
  44. ↑ Devdutt,, Pattanaik,. Business sutra : a very Indian approach to management. New Delhi. ISBN 9788192328072. OCLC 859199033.
  45. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/an-indian-view-of-management/article4689764.ece
  46. ↑ http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/mythological-fiction-and-mythology-are-different-devdutt-pattanaik-4791044/
  47. ↑ https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/unwind/a-spin-on-mythology/articleshow/63871991.cms
  48. ↑ https://m.timesofindia.com/entertainment/events/pune/dance-is-about-seduction-devdutt-pattanaik/amp_articleshow/63953021.cms
  49. ↑ http://devdutt.com/articles/applied-mythology/society/hiss-of-the-pio-bharat-tyagi.html
  50. ↑ http://devdutt.com/articles/applied-mythology/society/symbols-for-the-secular-tribe.html
  51. ↑ http://www.mid-day.com/articles/devdutt-pattanaik-symbols-for-the-secular-tribe/17142156
  52. ↑ https://scroll.in/article/824732/from-macaulay-to-frawley-from-doniger-to-elst-why-do-many-indians-need-white-saviours
  53. ↑ http://www.mid-day.com/articles/devdutt-pattanaik-brahmins-who-rejected-ram/18585174
  54. ↑ http://www.mid-day.com/articles/devdutt-pattanaik-atheist-and-secular-mythologies/18483158
  55. ↑ "Bang for the book - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  56. ↑ "Bestseller books of 2016: Indian authors beat international writers". The Economic Times. 2016-12-11. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  57. ↑ Rao, Namrata (5 February 2017). "'Writing is an art, crime writing is a craft': Ashwin Sanghi". Financial Express. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  58. ↑ Chanda-Vaz, Urmi (5 February 2017). "Indian mythology is a new medium of choice for feminist narratives (and it's working)". Scroll.in. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  59. ↑ Chanda-Vaz, Urmi (22 November 2015). "Why reading Devdutt Pattanaik's 'My Gita' makes sense but does not mean you're reading the Gita". Scroll.in. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  60. ↑ Visvanathan, Shiv (16 December 2016). "Shiv Visvanathan on the importance of being (and thinking like) Devdutt Pattanaik". Scroll.in.
  61. ↑ Misra, Nityanand (8 February 2017). "Not Just His Gita, It's Pattanaik's Own Fantasy World". Swarajya. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
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