The Hindu mythology has such wonderful stories to tell us. Some tales have religious significance, some philosophical, some scientific while some are historical events that over centuries have assumed the proportion of a mythological. Indian children have the distinct advantage that they not only grow up hearing to stories that percolate their culture and everyday life but also tales from the west. During my childhood years, I also read Aesop fables, the Arabian nights, Anderson's fairy tales along with Panchatantra and Jataka tales etc. Common human motions, beliefs and values form the core of these tales that have their origin in different lands, cultures and times. 

One of my favourite stories is that of Nala Damayanti. It has all the ingredients of a good love story and it could any one's story even today. The story line has 'falling in love', 'marriage', 'exile ', 'separation', 'coming together 'theme; something similar to a Shakespearean drama. Mahabharata again is again one of the most gripping epics. The epic minus some paraphernalia could hold relevance for today's generation. I recently read an article drawing similarities between Arjuna the warrior Pandava prince and Shakespeare's Hamlet (both princes drawn into warfare against their kith and kin).

From the pining Shakuntala, to Savitri who followed Yama 'the god of death 'to win her husband back to life, to Sita ,Draupadi, Rukmini, Damayanti ,Meneka to Ganga - women played pivotal roles in these epics. If Sita had not been abducted by Ravana, there would have been no Ramayana. Mahabharata without Draupadi simply cannot be imagined. Some of these stories also give insight into society of that era. Shakuntala gave birth to a child out of wedlock while Draupadi married five husbands indicating that the society of that era held a different approach towards morality and values unlike the parochial attitude of today.

A few stories show similarities to stories from other religious texts and some to the present day scientific theories. Story of Manu and the great deluge is also seen in the Bible as that of 'Noah and his ark'. One often wonders about the '10 avatars of Vishnu'. The God Vishnu 'the protector of the universe' is supposed have 10 avatars (forms in which he presents himself at different times on earth). His first avatar was that of fish, while second was that of a tortoise, the third a boar, fourth he was half man and half lion, fifth a dwarf, sixth a man called 'Parasurama' and so on. Some modernists interpret this as something similar to Darwin's theory of evolution. Another interesting theory is that of beginning and the end of the universe. According to Hindu mythology, the birth of the universe and end of the universe occurs in cycles something similar to the Big Bang theory. Shiva 'the God of destruction' is supposed to destroy the universe so that it may be born again.

During the medieval years, when the west believed the earth to be flat and the centre of the universe, the Indians held a view of the world that was closer to reality through their mythology. A westerner may find it hard to digest the concept of Gods with animal faces or many limbs. He may also find it odd that a 'God of destruction' exists in the first place. For an unfamiliar mind, the views and stories held in Hindu mythology would seem incoherent and incredulous but one needs to interpret these stories through their rich symbolism. A few prominent westerners such as Tesla, Bohr, Emerson and Heisenberg have acknowledged the wisdom behind the philosophy that comes with Hindu mythology. The Hindu mythology carries some timeless truths with philosophical and scientific aspects-some have been distorted over the years into superstition, some reinterpreted with changing times but they all retain the splendour and magnificence of atleast a good tale.

Photo: Film still from Peter Brook's "Mahabharata"