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The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore
A god transforms into a nymph and enchants another god.A king becomes pregnant.A prince discovers on his wedding night that he is not a man. Another king has children who call him both father and mother. A hero turns into a eunuch and wears female apparel. A princess has to turn into a man before she can avenge her humiliation. Widows of a king make love to conceive his child. Friends of the same sex end up marrying each other after one of them metamorphoses into a woman. These are some of the tales from Hindu lore that this unique book examines. The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore is a compilation of traditional Hindu stories with a common sexual transformation and gender metamorphosis. In addition to the thought-provoking stories in The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore, you'll also With the telling of each of these tales, you will also learn how the author came upon each of them and how they relate to the context of dominant Hindu attitudes toward sex, gender, pleasure, fertility, and celibacy.
196 pages, Paperback
First published December 5, 2001
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555 people want to read
About the author
Devdutt Pattanaik
287 books3,331 followersDr. Devdutt Pattanaik (born December 11, 1970) is an Indian physician turned leadership consultant, mythologist and author whose works focus largely on the areas of myth, mythology, and also management. He has written a number of books related to Hindu mythology, including Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, a novel, The Pregnant King, and Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (2010).
He is the Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, one of India’s largest retailers, bringing the wisdom of Indian mythology into Indian business, especifically in human resource management. He also writes a column for the newspaper MID DAY.
He has also written a novel based on a tale from the Mahabharata titled 'The Pregnant King' published by Penguin Books India
He is the Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, one of India’s largest retailers, bringing the wisdom of Indian mythology into Indian business, especifically in human resource management. He also writes a column for the newspaper MID DAY.
He has also written a novel based on a tale from the Mahabharata titled 'The Pregnant King' published by Penguin Books India
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 10, 2009
Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik is the author of a number of popular books on Hindu deities and mythology. The Man Who Was a Woman and other Queer Tales of Hindu Lore is a gentle, yet enthralling critical exploration of themes of gender transgression and queer readings of Hindu narratives, ranging from episodes from well-known epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata to Puranic tales and little-known regional folklore. Thus in The Man Who Was a Woman we encounter women who become men, men who become women, pregnant kings, gender-liminal tricksters, tales of self-castration and strange creatures who are neither "this nor that."
The Man Who Was a Woman is much more than a collection of queered retellings though. For the English reader, Dr. Pattanaik provides some valuable insights into the fluidity and sometimes dizzying range of perspectives encompassed within the Hindu worldviews:
Unlike most biblical narratives, every Hindu tale has several versions, innumerable interpretations, and no specific place in the religious canon. Symbols and metaphors mingle and merge with characters and plots. Idea and imagination thrive on the roller coaster of transmigration and the fluidity of identities. Locked within the tales of gods, kings, and sages are the blazing philosophies of ancient spiritual masters ... the tales have, over the centuries, become integral parts of the Hindu spiritual landscape. ... As one internalises the tales, one comes to accept a universe that is boundlessly various, where everything occurs simultaneously, where all possibilities exist without excluding one another.
But Dr. Pattanaik is quick to point out that there is a disjunction between the lore that seems to accept queer liminality and the reality of a social culture which is, to a large extent, deeply uncomfortable with "queer" identities. He notes that whilst many Hindus enjoy hearing the gender-liminal exploits of a particular god or hero, that highlighting the "queer" aspects of the tale often draws reactions such as the tale is merely entertainment, comedy; or that it is an allegory not meant to be taken literally - or that the ways of gods are not those of humans - or, that such interpretations are down to "perverted" Western influences (See my review of the outcry prompted by Paul Courtright's psychoanalytic appraisal of Ganesa as an example of the latter). He recounts an infamous incident where an orthodox Hindu narrated the tale of Mohini & Shiva to a French audience, who immediately siezed upon its "gay" subtext, much to the disquiet of the narrator. He also discusses (briefly) the influence of British Colonialism in shaping contemporary Indian attitudes to sexuality.
During my reading of The Man Who Was a Woman I was particularly struck by Dr. Pattanaik's ability to present a complex and sophisticated perspective on gender & sexuality in Hindu lore in any easy, engaging and above all, accessible manner - without descending into academic jargon or painting an overly 'pink-tinted' view of an entirely queer-friendly ancient romanticised past, as some western authors have tended to do. Dr. Pattanaik is critical of authors who all too quickly make interpretions of convenience that do not take into account the complexities of the Hindu worldview. And - sensitive to the awareness of queer interpretations, Dr. Pattanaik emphasises that he is not presenting reproductions or translations of literal texts - these are his retellings of narratives - some from Classical Hindu sources, and others from popular Indian folklore. What he also does, very ably, is provide a commentary both on the tales themselves and the wider cultural contexts within which they are embedded.
Not only is this book unique as an exploration of queer subtexts in Hindu lore, it provides some useful insights into the roles that myths may serve in cultures. Dr. Pattanaik writes in his introduction:
Myths, legends and lore capture the collective unconscious of a people. They are revered inheritances, a complex weave of ancient attitudes and ambitions. Deemed sacred, they generate a worldview for a people, explain the inexplicable, and give life meaning, direction, and certainty. To understand the unexpressed worlds of a people, to decipher coping skills of a culture, an unravelling of myth, a decoding of lore is essential.
A problem I find with much occult writing regarding myth is that there is a tendency to seek 'sameness' rather than embrace, acknowledge, and yes, celebrate, difference. I become increasingly irritated, the older I get, with superficial attempts to draw parallels between, for example, deities from different cultures, purely on the basis that they share some similar function or feature. As an aside, it's useful to bear in mind that the 'science' of comparative religion grew out of the work of orientalists such as William Jones and Max Müller. Works such as The Man Who Was a Woman highlight the poverty of this rather reductionist approach.
The Man Who Was a Woman is a thoroughly engaging and insightful work which I feel sure that anyone with an abiding interest in the often complex relationship between a culture and its myths will find engrossing and delightful. You don't have to be queer to enjoy this book, but if you are, then then this is definitely not to be missed!
The Man Who Was a Woman is much more than a collection of queered retellings though. For the English reader, Dr. Pattanaik provides some valuable insights into the fluidity and sometimes dizzying range of perspectives encompassed within the Hindu worldviews:
Unlike most biblical narratives, every Hindu tale has several versions, innumerable interpretations, and no specific place in the religious canon. Symbols and metaphors mingle and merge with characters and plots. Idea and imagination thrive on the roller coaster of transmigration and the fluidity of identities. Locked within the tales of gods, kings, and sages are the blazing philosophies of ancient spiritual masters ... the tales have, over the centuries, become integral parts of the Hindu spiritual landscape. ... As one internalises the tales, one comes to accept a universe that is boundlessly various, where everything occurs simultaneously, where all possibilities exist without excluding one another.
But Dr. Pattanaik is quick to point out that there is a disjunction between the lore that seems to accept queer liminality and the reality of a social culture which is, to a large extent, deeply uncomfortable with "queer" identities. He notes that whilst many Hindus enjoy hearing the gender-liminal exploits of a particular god or hero, that highlighting the "queer" aspects of the tale often draws reactions such as the tale is merely entertainment, comedy; or that it is an allegory not meant to be taken literally - or that the ways of gods are not those of humans - or, that such interpretations are down to "perverted" Western influences (See my review of the outcry prompted by Paul Courtright's psychoanalytic appraisal of Ganesa as an example of the latter). He recounts an infamous incident where an orthodox Hindu narrated the tale of Mohini & Shiva to a French audience, who immediately siezed upon its "gay" subtext, much to the disquiet of the narrator. He also discusses (briefly) the influence of British Colonialism in shaping contemporary Indian attitudes to sexuality.
During my reading of The Man Who Was a Woman I was particularly struck by Dr. Pattanaik's ability to present a complex and sophisticated perspective on gender & sexuality in Hindu lore in any easy, engaging and above all, accessible manner - without descending into academic jargon or painting an overly 'pink-tinted' view of an entirely queer-friendly ancient romanticised past, as some western authors have tended to do. Dr. Pattanaik is critical of authors who all too quickly make interpretions of convenience that do not take into account the complexities of the Hindu worldview. And - sensitive to the awareness of queer interpretations, Dr. Pattanaik emphasises that he is not presenting reproductions or translations of literal texts - these are his retellings of narratives - some from Classical Hindu sources, and others from popular Indian folklore. What he also does, very ably, is provide a commentary both on the tales themselves and the wider cultural contexts within which they are embedded.
Not only is this book unique as an exploration of queer subtexts in Hindu lore, it provides some useful insights into the roles that myths may serve in cultures. Dr. Pattanaik writes in his introduction:
Myths, legends and lore capture the collective unconscious of a people. They are revered inheritances, a complex weave of ancient attitudes and ambitions. Deemed sacred, they generate a worldview for a people, explain the inexplicable, and give life meaning, direction, and certainty. To understand the unexpressed worlds of a people, to decipher coping skills of a culture, an unravelling of myth, a decoding of lore is essential.
A problem I find with much occult writing regarding myth is that there is a tendency to seek 'sameness' rather than embrace, acknowledge, and yes, celebrate, difference. I become increasingly irritated, the older I get, with superficial attempts to draw parallels between, for example, deities from different cultures, purely on the basis that they share some similar function or feature. As an aside, it's useful to bear in mind that the 'science' of comparative religion grew out of the work of orientalists such as William Jones and Max Müller. Works such as The Man Who Was a Woman highlight the poverty of this rather reductionist approach.
The Man Who Was a Woman is a thoroughly engaging and insightful work which I feel sure that anyone with an abiding interest in the often complex relationship between a culture and its myths will find engrossing and delightful. You don't have to be queer to enjoy this book, but if you are, then then this is definitely not to be missed!
January 28, 2019
TL;DR - So this was a really interesting read. Definitely a deep dive so do some light reading on hinduism before, but helpful glossary and bibliography make it a good one.
Book looks at queerness in Hindu lore, how it affects Indian culture (as informed by Hinduism, some Buddhism and Jainism) and the impact of that history. I think it's a solid look at things, even though I remember reading and learning as much as I could about Indian History through hinduism as a child, and STILL not being able to learn enough. My family came from a bramhin lineage but I didn't really learn much about EACH and every line of mythology, though not for a lack of trying.
The analysis and reading of each section was actually fascinating as the queerness of it all is bright and center, though the societal realities of LGBT issues in India seem to be unmet with equally widespread understanding. Though MANY brown people find affirmation in their history and culture, it's also (as stated in the book) hard not to see the effects of misogyny and patriarchy that intermingle with the same bright and vivid colors that paint the hindu and vedic tapestry.
The stories are short and easy to read, though the critical analysis linking the sections together flows impecceably well. It's not really something new. You hear the stories, you read about it, (if you're me) you ask questions about all the weirdness that no one wants to discuss or educate you about, and then you grow up and find a book written with the same kind of questioning.
There is a LOT of queerness in Hindu mythology, brown culture and tradition in general. Now, it's just up to society to let LGBT issues become less taboo and that way the south asian diaspora can begin helping heal the wounds, and celebrating the greatness of our queer family. There is a lot of work being done in that regard and I think it's important that we don't stop and just talk about it, but use works like this to recognize and impliment reform and acceptance that colonial binary conformity is both harmful and erases our wonderfully queer brown history.
Book looks at queerness in Hindu lore, how it affects Indian culture (as informed by Hinduism, some Buddhism and Jainism) and the impact of that history. I think it's a solid look at things, even though I remember reading and learning as much as I could about Indian History through hinduism as a child, and STILL not being able to learn enough. My family came from a bramhin lineage but I didn't really learn much about EACH and every line of mythology, though not for a lack of trying.
The analysis and reading of each section was actually fascinating as the queerness of it all is bright and center, though the societal realities of LGBT issues in India seem to be unmet with equally widespread understanding. Though MANY brown people find affirmation in their history and culture, it's also (as stated in the book) hard not to see the effects of misogyny and patriarchy that intermingle with the same bright and vivid colors that paint the hindu and vedic tapestry.
The stories are short and easy to read, though the critical analysis linking the sections together flows impecceably well. It's not really something new. You hear the stories, you read about it, (if you're me) you ask questions about all the weirdness that no one wants to discuss or educate you about, and then you grow up and find a book written with the same kind of questioning.
There is a LOT of queerness in Hindu mythology, brown culture and tradition in general. Now, it's just up to society to let LGBT issues become less taboo and that way the south asian diaspora can begin helping heal the wounds, and celebrating the greatness of our queer family. There is a lot of work being done in that regard and I think it's important that we don't stop and just talk about it, but use works like this to recognize and impliment reform and acceptance that colonial binary conformity is both harmful and erases our wonderfully queer brown history.
August 16, 2013
A very interesting read, though the stuff about the male being the spiritual and the woman being the material got a bit depressing after a while! Interesting points re how translating "asura" as "demon" etc. doesn't quite work, and how dichotomies of good vs. evil don't quite apply because in the Hindu worldview everything partakes of the divine. I'm not sure author's views on gender match mine, or vice versa, but definitely agree with the book's defence of fluidity and queerness.
September 12, 2019
I was a big fan of Devdutt Pattanaik.But after reading this book my views changed a lot,he disappoints me by his writing this time.I belongs to Mathura city,India, and i doesn't agree what he has written about our deity Shri Krishna,his writing is misleading.people all around the world or religion read his books and he is showing our deity in a very wrong way.
DISAPPOINTED!
DISAPPOINTED!
Read
February 4, 2024DNF'd at the 22% mark. I was expecting more stories but it felt more like an essay with pieces of stories sprinkled throughout to prove a point. Some of the insight into the lore and culture was interesting but the arguments being made felt off for what this book was marketed to me as.
December 22, 2022
The book starts off well with some interesting stories from Indian mythology, especially about characters who are born one sex and reborn in another life as opposite sex. These stories are new and I hadnt heard of them
But towards the end, the book meanders into lots of unrelated stuff, and is all over the place
But towards the end, the book meanders into lots of unrelated stuff, and is all over the place
September 29, 2016
This book is much more than a folktale collection. It is an academic study of queer elements in Hindu lore, but one that reads like a novel - I enjoyed the writing style tremendously. There are dozens of fascinating stories in the book, selected from scriptures or oral tradition, and all of them come with extensive commentary on their symbolism, meanings, and connections to Hindu mythology as a whole. In fact, this book clarified a whole lot of things for me about Hindu lore that I got wrong before; the author has vast and detailed knowledge, and he is capable of presenting it in an entertaining and yet educational way.
The book also does not attempt to interpret the traditions of India in contemporary Western terms of queerness. Instead, it explains the stories within the context of Indian traditions, society, and belief. This way, tales that a westerner might have simply read as 'queer' reveal the meanings they have within their own cultural context, adding complexity to the whole discussion. It does not try to make the claim that any specific story would prove that Indian culture is more accepting than others, and neither does it say it is less. Stories are explained within their own cultural context, and through that the reader is educated not only on topics of gender and sexuality, but also Indian literature, spirituality, and society.
Storytellers who work with mythology, and educators who teach Gender or Culture Studies, should definitely read this book.
The book also does not attempt to interpret the traditions of India in contemporary Western terms of queerness. Instead, it explains the stories within the context of Indian traditions, society, and belief. This way, tales that a westerner might have simply read as 'queer' reveal the meanings they have within their own cultural context, adding complexity to the whole discussion. It does not try to make the claim that any specific story would prove that Indian culture is more accepting than others, and neither does it say it is less. Stories are explained within their own cultural context, and through that the reader is educated not only on topics of gender and sexuality, but also Indian literature, spirituality, and society.
Storytellers who work with mythology, and educators who teach Gender or Culture Studies, should definitely read this book.
December 19, 2024
Pattanaik has done exceptionally well in putting an Enlightening slap in face of those who call subcontinent as phobic and repressive place for queers. Whites themselves regulated their anti sodomy law on land, and now they call Indians as close minded, queer phobic after years of forceful conditioning of Ideal sexuality.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews