Rethinking India's Myths Legends and Traditions

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ABHIJIT BASU, published author and one-time CSIR research scientist from the Calcutta University, joined the Civil Services in 1975. After a long career in the Government of India, he retired as a higher-level financial administrator in 2010, and thereafter served for five more years as part-time independent director in the corporate sector. An avowed admirer of the ideal of the Renaissance man, Basu, apart from his keen interest in the sciences, has also been a life-long follower of the liberal arts, especially Sanskrit literature and philosophy, English and Bengali literature, Indian and World history.

He has authored three books on Indian Heritage, Culture and Sanskrit literature: (i) Prophets, Poets and Philosopher Kings (2012). Published by M/s Leadstart India, Mumbai. (ii) Marvels and Mysteries of the Mahabharata (2014), also published by M/s Leadstart India, Mumbai.

(iii) Perpetual India: Tale of a Timeless People (2020), published by M/s Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, Delhi.

The books have been received with acclaim by critics and readers. Since 2012 he has also functioned as freelance Consultant Editor of a variety of books published by a reputed Publishing House.

Basu hails from an old Kolkata-based family of civil servants, professionals, and academics. He considers himself blessed in having had loving exemplars as his parents, and now an attached family to provide a sense of belonging.

How strikingly different, yet how inspiringly comparable, are Rama and Krishna! Why is Bhishma called the epitome of epic idealism? How seemingly modest, yet strategically shrewd, are Yudhishthira's demand for only five villages! How is it that the Maka Marata's Manipura is traced to the Odisha Andhra coast? Why docs Dharmaraja Vidhishthira consider prayer as poison? Lover boy, or enigmatic Avatara-how does one decipher the Krishna riddle? How much to take or leave from the hallowed yet controversial Manu Smriti? Are gods and demons all in the human mind? How confounding were the highs and lows of women's lot in Vedic society! How uniquely did Yajnavalkya, tallest of all Vedantic sages, combine philosophic idealism with practical pursuit of happiness!

Such are the types of out-of-the-box contemplation on eclectic topics which motivate and characterise Rethinking India's Myths, Legends, and Traditions. According to Joseph Campbell, modern American mythologist: "Myths come from the mystical region of essential experience." The central purpose of this work is to probe the 'Aristotelian' wonders hidden in the niches of essential Indian experience.

**Contents and Sample Pages**