We need to look more towards Indian texts: Amish

Kolkata: The country urgently needs to look more towards Indian texts in curriculum and everyday affairs, feels author Amish Tripathi. “We are taught William Shakespeare, but how many Indian authors are spoken about in Indian classrooms. Even our buildings are mostly based on European architecture styles. We should read Western texts, but our foundation must be Indian,” Tripathi said on the sidelines of the Times

LitFest

2018.

At a session titled ‘Devas and Asuras: Nuances of Indian Mythology’, he advised the millennials to read versions of the Mahabharata and Ramayana translated by Indians.

He also advocated the eradication of the caste system. “Indian society was never weak or corrupt. A merit-based hierarchy was replaced with a caste-based system. That’s when we started losing our wars,” the Shiva trilogy author said. He further said the colonial system of administration has crippled our present order.

Echoing him, author Anand Neelakantan said, “Caste system is abhorrence. It’s still prevalent in the country and must be fought against.”

Speaking about the differences in the perceived good and evil in different “versions” Indian mythological and religious texts, Neelakantan said they were twisted for unscrupulous gains. “The original texts are nuanced. In my works I have only humanized Asuras and Devas. Even in my works, one character can be an antihero and a hero. As in the TV series ‘Hanuman’, Bali is the antagonist, but in the book ‘Vanara’ he is a hero,” he said.

Both the authors agreed that devas (gods) and asuras (‘antigods’) were cousins. “Asuras were not the green, horned demons that we have been taught. In fact, Krishna has an asura ancestry,” Tripathi said.

He said, “Our scriptures teach us how to deal with injustice. It has been meted out to both asuras and devas. Those who bear or fight injustice with dharma, are respected.” He went to cite examples of Rama, Sati, Prahlad, Mahabali, et al.

The two authors also discussed faith and religion. “Several Indian schools of philosophy say it is ok to be an atheist. Indian culture accepts all,” Tripathi said. Neelakantan added that faith is a staff that you may keep or discard for your own peace.

Tripathi said his upcoming book on Raavana, will be out by mid-2019. He said he has outlined plans on Mahabharata, Brahma, Parshuram and even foreign mythologies with Indian connect such as those on Asyria and Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten. Neelakantan indicated he may start working on a book on Mahishasura soon.