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Gods Demons and Others
treasure-house of myths and legends handed down through the ages. Drawing his stories from The Ramayana , The Mahabharata and other great Indian epics, Narayan tells the tales as they might be recounted by the wise village storyteller. In the legends, where all things are possible, one thousand years seem only a second, and good ultimately triumphs over evil. The Devi, who is the personification of the highest beauty and energy, vanquishes the demon Manisha who has invaded the Manmata, the god of love, is burned up physically when he enrages the austere god Shiva. Yama, the god of death, is persuaded for the first time to relinquish a soul when the mourning but determined Savitri pleads for the return of her husband. The spectacle of battle, the fascinating mystery of the supernatural, the passion, devotion and laughter of love, the quest of the spirit for eternity - such are the ingredients of legends. And Narayan\'s retelling evokes them all with superb skill to provide the reader a treasury of enchanting myths which have for centuries painted the landscape of Indian life and mind.
241 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
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696 people want to read
About the author
R.K. Narayan
151 books1,922 followersR. K. Narayan is among the best known and most widely read Indian novelists who wrote in English.
R.K. Narayan was born in Madras, South India, in 1906, and educated there and at Maharaja's College in Mysore. His first novel, Swami and Friends and its successor, The Bachelor of Arts, are both set in the enchanting fictional territory of Malgudi and are only two out of the twelve novels he based there. In 1958 Narayan's work The Guide won him the National Prize of the Indian Literary Academy, his country's highest literary honor.
In addition to his novels, Narayan has authored five collections of short stories, including A Horse and Two Goats, Malguidi Days, and Under the Banyan Tree, two travel books, two volumes of essays, a volume of memoirs, and the re-told legends Gods, Demons and Others, The Ramayana, and the Mahabharata. In 1980 he was awarded the A.C. Benson Medal by the Royal Society of Literature and in 1982 he was made an Honorary Member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.
Most of Narayan's work, starting with his first novel Swami and Friends (1935), captures many Indian traits while retaining a unique identity of its own. He was sometimes compared to the American writer William Faulkner, whose novels were also grounded in a compassionate humanism and celebrated the humour and energy of ordinary life.
Narayan who lived till age of ninety-four, died in 2001. He wrote for more than fifty years, and published until he was eighty seven. He wrote fourteen novels, five volumes of short stories, a number of travelogues and collections of non-fiction, condensed versions of Indian epics in English, and the memoir My Days.
-Wikipedia & Amazon.co.uk
R.K. Narayan was born in Madras, South India, in 1906, and educated there and at Maharaja's College in Mysore. His first novel, Swami and Friends and its successor, The Bachelor of Arts, are both set in the enchanting fictional territory of Malgudi and are only two out of the twelve novels he based there. In 1958 Narayan's work The Guide won him the National Prize of the Indian Literary Academy, his country's highest literary honor.
In addition to his novels, Narayan has authored five collections of short stories, including A Horse and Two Goats, Malguidi Days, and Under the Banyan Tree, two travel books, two volumes of essays, a volume of memoirs, and the re-told legends Gods, Demons and Others, The Ramayana, and the Mahabharata. In 1980 he was awarded the A.C. Benson Medal by the Royal Society of Literature and in 1982 he was made an Honorary Member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.
Most of Narayan's work, starting with his first novel Swami and Friends (1935), captures many Indian traits while retaining a unique identity of its own. He was sometimes compared to the American writer William Faulkner, whose novels were also grounded in a compassionate humanism and celebrated the humour and energy of ordinary life.
Narayan who lived till age of ninety-four, died in 2001. He wrote for more than fifty years, and published until he was eighty seven. He wrote fourteen novels, five volumes of short stories, a number of travelogues and collections of non-fiction, condensed versions of Indian epics in English, and the memoir My Days.
-Wikipedia & Amazon.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 25, 2016
The experience was like listening to these mythological stories first hand by grandparents! Nostalgic. And yet there were many characters heard for the first time (Lavana, Chudala, Manmata, Nala....). Not the kind of book you read as a whole, but the one you ought to keep revisiting time and again for different set of stories every time.
Add to it illustrations by RK Laxman at the beginning of each story. What more you could ask for?
Add to it illustrations by RK Laxman at the beginning of each story. What more you could ask for?
January 29, 2009
Narayan sticks to what he set out to do in this book, and succeeds admirably. This is a collection of some of the more interesting tales from Hindu mythology, with the focus on the spiritual rather than the physical. There are of course great tales of heroic feats but the recurring theme is men and women of priestly and warrior classes who go through extreme physical hardships to attain spiritual awakening and a higher plane of existence.
In the tales of some of the more famous characters, such as the Pandavas and Rama and Sita, you get a sense of great and terrible events rushing by, but always the focus is on the characters themselves, and not the plot--although Narayan gives enough detail to make you understand it.
This was a good precursor to Narayan's The Mahabharata and The Ramayana--I'll be tackling those next.
In the tales of some of the more famous characters, such as the Pandavas and Rama and Sita, you get a sense of great and terrible events rushing by, but always the focus is on the characters themselves, and not the plot--although Narayan gives enough detail to make you understand it.
This was a good precursor to Narayan's The Mahabharata and The Ramayana--I'll be tackling those next.
January 30, 2023
Gods, demons, and others - RK Narayan
Rating 4/5.
There are times when I feel the contemporary world is way too fast for me. The advancements though essential and very much helpful to mankind seem to tire me. It is then I tend to deviate from the usual reading theme and look for folk tales, tales from ancient India, tales which our ancestors told or grew up to.
God, demons and others is one such book written by RK Narayan, comprising of tales from the scriptures. I would not call them mythological tales as I wish not to join the group of people who consider our ancient scriptures a myth. For me, the described events happened, a long time ago and I do feel proud about the fact that, we have such books to guide us.
RK Narayan mentions the presence of a story teller in a village, who undertakes the task of enlightening people with tales from the scriptures. Many of the tales though seemingly familiar to me, was in-fact, long forgotten. I am very much indebted to the book for refreshing my memory about many stories which I had heard while growing up as a child or watched on television.
Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad-Gita, provides us with multitude of stories each one with its own moral. This book for me has been a beautiful and pleasant read. I for instance could totally move back in time, not just 100-200 years, but way longer, could take time to appreciate stories of our Sages, our Gods of various kings and queens alongside gain much needed knowledge on our scriptures too.
The stories are fun and teach us morality, humanity and many more traits which could empower us to lead a better life or be better individuals or be better at whatever we are doing.
The common theme across stories could be the penance, hardships endured by ordinary people, rulers or sages, who in the end achieve a rare feat, mastery. These stories can be read again and it would feel as refreshing as ever. But I have to admit, I do tend to be forgetful and this book turns out to be a good contender to exercise my forgetfulness.
Cheers, nonetheless!
Rating 4/5.
There are times when I feel the contemporary world is way too fast for me. The advancements though essential and very much helpful to mankind seem to tire me. It is then I tend to deviate from the usual reading theme and look for folk tales, tales from ancient India, tales which our ancestors told or grew up to.
God, demons and others is one such book written by RK Narayan, comprising of tales from the scriptures. I would not call them mythological tales as I wish not to join the group of people who consider our ancient scriptures a myth. For me, the described events happened, a long time ago and I do feel proud about the fact that, we have such books to guide us.
RK Narayan mentions the presence of a story teller in a village, who undertakes the task of enlightening people with tales from the scriptures. Many of the tales though seemingly familiar to me, was in-fact, long forgotten. I am very much indebted to the book for refreshing my memory about many stories which I had heard while growing up as a child or watched on television.
Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad-Gita, provides us with multitude of stories each one with its own moral. This book for me has been a beautiful and pleasant read. I for instance could totally move back in time, not just 100-200 years, but way longer, could take time to appreciate stories of our Sages, our Gods of various kings and queens alongside gain much needed knowledge on our scriptures too.
The stories are fun and teach us morality, humanity and many more traits which could empower us to lead a better life or be better individuals or be better at whatever we are doing.
The common theme across stories could be the penance, hardships endured by ordinary people, rulers or sages, who in the end achieve a rare feat, mastery. These stories can be read again and it would feel as refreshing as ever. But I have to admit, I do tend to be forgetful and this book turns out to be a good contender to exercise my forgetfulness.
Cheers, nonetheless!
May 24, 2023
maybe the real sotsiaalkriitiline syrrealism is the tuhandete aastate tagune india pärimus, mille valge lääs on avastanud on the way of koloniseerimine..
mai usu, et on kedagi, kellele need lood yLdse meeldida ei võix. hea rytmiga ja kohati taiesti skisoidsed. tyyp, kes need lood kirja pani, toetus india mytoloogiale (ngu ma aru saan ss pohiliselt ramayanale ja mahabharatale), aga lisas veic enda vunki e. siuke india stephen fry energia, aga mõtle nõukaaegsetele multikatele neid lugedes (sen se https://youtu.be/lGLrSH-rc6o).
vahepeal yritasin sellele sygissemestri mk enne 20ndat sajandit kursa india kirjandusele moelda, et mis seal raagiti, ja tuli meelde ainult see, kuidas laanemets pidi yhte pooleteisttunnisesse loengusse grindima ls kõikide vahegi mõjukamate maailmausundite pyhakirjad(?) ja ss järgmine loeng oli luuletraditsioonid idas, aga ta raakis ls 80 min hiinast ja 10 min oli ylejaanud aasiale. ja ylejaanud kursus oli keskaegne euroopa. niiet india kirjandus veic hallala, ei oska kommenteerida. aga seda kyll, et mida rohkem end usundite-pärimuste maailmadesse sisse lugeda, seda teravamalt selgineb kuidas newage spirituaalsus mingi imelik mashup erinevate idast pärinevate usundite tõlgitud kokkuvotetest ja internaliseeritud kristlikest kombestikest. ((aga ig selline kollažikultuur on ka see kuhu kõik enamvahem liigub ja (n-a spirituaalsus) rohkem yks tuhandetest näidetest kui et mingi uus radikaalne nähtus. (ja mai motle et se halb, pigem ls kurb kui ei tunta (aja)lugu seal taga).)))
ma arvan se kirjanduslikus mottes tglt suht lamp raamat, ls lobus lugemine oli ja ma prokrastineerin:-) aga soovitaks (loeks) neid muinasjuttude asemel ykskoik kellele misiganes vanuses (ette).
mai usu, et on kedagi, kellele need lood yLdse meeldida ei võix. hea rytmiga ja kohati taiesti skisoidsed. tyyp, kes need lood kirja pani, toetus india mytoloogiale (ngu ma aru saan ss pohiliselt ramayanale ja mahabharatale), aga lisas veic enda vunki e. siuke india stephen fry energia, aga mõtle nõukaaegsetele multikatele neid lugedes (sen se https://youtu.be/lGLrSH-rc6o).
vahepeal yritasin sellele sygissemestri mk enne 20ndat sajandit kursa india kirjandusele moelda, et mis seal raagiti, ja tuli meelde ainult see, kuidas laanemets pidi yhte pooleteisttunnisesse loengusse grindima ls kõikide vahegi mõjukamate maailmausundite pyhakirjad(?) ja ss järgmine loeng oli luuletraditsioonid idas, aga ta raakis ls 80 min hiinast ja 10 min oli ylejaanud aasiale. ja ylejaanud kursus oli keskaegne euroopa. niiet india kirjandus veic hallala, ei oska kommenteerida. aga seda kyll, et mida rohkem end usundite-pärimuste maailmadesse sisse lugeda, seda teravamalt selgineb kuidas newage spirituaalsus mingi imelik mashup erinevate idast pärinevate usundite tõlgitud kokkuvotetest ja internaliseeritud kristlikest kombestikest. ((aga ig selline kollažikultuur on ka see kuhu kõik enamvahem liigub ja (n-a spirituaalsus) rohkem yks tuhandetest näidetest kui et mingi uus radikaalne nähtus. (ja mai motle et se halb, pigem ls kurb kui ei tunta (aja)lugu seal taga).)))
ma arvan se kirjanduslikus mottes tglt suht lamp raamat, ls lobus lugemine oli ja ma prokrastineerin:-) aga soovitaks (loeks) neid muinasjuttude asemel ykskoik kellele misiganes vanuses (ette).
March 22, 2020
Each character has a chapter of their own. Could connect to few of them, but going forward, started feeling lost in the content.
March 13, 2018
Masterful story-telling, as if sitting at a storyteller's feet. To be read and re-read many times over the years. One of my favourite classics.
November 30, 2023
Wspaniały bajarz <3
November 9, 2018
I liked the idea of sitting at the storyteller’s feet and listening to the myths and tales of an Indian village. Unfortunately, the names, places and practices that make up the stories are so foreign to my Western mind, that I had trouble following a lot of the tales! I enjoyed the exposure to new Gods, Demons and Others, but am apparently too simple-minded to unravel many of the mysteries the tales are teaching. I did glean a few obvious nuggets of wisdom however: “The King (Sikhi-Dhvaja) burst out, ‘Man’s truest guru is his wife!’” Nice to know women were validated on some level in this ancient culture! Also great wisdom in: “You must understand that my strength comes from my inner being. Within every one of us there is a spark of godhood. When you are able to rouse it and employ it, you will acquire matchless strength.”
October 5, 2023
Book: "Gods, Demons, and Others"
Author: R.K. Narayan
Reviewed By: Neel Preet
R.K. Narayan, the renowned Indian author celebrated for his evocative storytelling and insightful portrayal of Indian life, once again enchants readers with his collection of short stories in "Gods, Demons, and Others." Published in 1964, this anthology is a splendid tapestry of myths, legends, and everyday life in South India, skillfully woven together to create a vivid and captivating literary landscape.
The collection's charm lies in Narayan's ability to seamlessly blend the ordinary with the extraordinary. Narayan's narrative prowess is on full display as he transports readers to the fictional town of Malgudi, a place that feels as real and familiar as any living city. Through its winding lanes and quirky inhabitants, Narayan explores the rich tapestry of human existence, often infused with a hint of the supernatural.
"Gods, Demons, and Others" is a testament to Narayan's ability to capture the essence of Indian culture, superstitions, and traditions. The stories resonate with universal themes of human nature, ambition, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. Whether it's the misadventures of a small-time astrologer in "An Astrologer's Day" or the comic tale of an impoverished poet in "A Tiger for Malgudi," each story is a gem that offers profound insights into the human condition.
Narayan's prose is deceptively simple, yet it carries a profound depth that invites readers to contemplate the nuances of life. His characters, though often eccentric, are relatable and endearing, making it easy for readers to connect with their trials and tribulations. Through humor and wit, Narayan crafts stories that are not just entertaining but also thought-provoking.
"Gods, Demons, and Others" is a literary masterpiece that showcases Narayan's ability to explore the mystical and the mundane with equal finesse. It is a testament to his storytelling prowess and his enduring legacy as one of India's most beloved authors. For those seeking an enchanting journey through the heart of Indian culture and human nature, this collection is an absolute must-read, offering a delightful and enriching literary experience.
Author: R.K. Narayan
Reviewed By: Neel Preet
R.K. Narayan, the renowned Indian author celebrated for his evocative storytelling and insightful portrayal of Indian life, once again enchants readers with his collection of short stories in "Gods, Demons, and Others." Published in 1964, this anthology is a splendid tapestry of myths, legends, and everyday life in South India, skillfully woven together to create a vivid and captivating literary landscape.
The collection's charm lies in Narayan's ability to seamlessly blend the ordinary with the extraordinary. Narayan's narrative prowess is on full display as he transports readers to the fictional town of Malgudi, a place that feels as real and familiar as any living city. Through its winding lanes and quirky inhabitants, Narayan explores the rich tapestry of human existence, often infused with a hint of the supernatural.
"Gods, Demons, and Others" is a testament to Narayan's ability to capture the essence of Indian culture, superstitions, and traditions. The stories resonate with universal themes of human nature, ambition, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. Whether it's the misadventures of a small-time astrologer in "An Astrologer's Day" or the comic tale of an impoverished poet in "A Tiger for Malgudi," each story is a gem that offers profound insights into the human condition.
Narayan's prose is deceptively simple, yet it carries a profound depth that invites readers to contemplate the nuances of life. His characters, though often eccentric, are relatable and endearing, making it easy for readers to connect with their trials and tribulations. Through humor and wit, Narayan crafts stories that are not just entertaining but also thought-provoking.
"Gods, Demons, and Others" is a literary masterpiece that showcases Narayan's ability to explore the mystical and the mundane with equal finesse. It is a testament to his storytelling prowess and his enduring legacy as one of India's most beloved authors. For those seeking an enchanting journey through the heart of Indian culture and human nature, this collection is an absolute must-read, offering a delightful and enriching literary experience.
April 2, 2018
R K Narayan is always a delight to read. I'm embarrassingly ignorant when it comes to the mythological tales from Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Geetha etc and this served as a great initiation. I'd definitely pick up Narayan's re-telling of these epics some day.
January 26, 2018
It was a good engrossing read, especially to read at length the tales of not so familiar characters like Yayati, Chudala, Lavana, Sibi, Vishwamitra, Nala etc.
August 15, 2019
Beautiful book and beautiful tales. Stories I would read out to my next generation.
September 17, 2019
Light weight refresher to Indian mythology.
Read
September 26, 2020.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2024
i liked these stories tbh, but we did jump around so i didnt READ READ everything fyi
August 7, 2020
R.K Narayan, a famous indian author known for his simple and lighthearted storytelling presents several short stories about Gods, Demons and others in this book. Some known, some of them unknown. It is quick read and can be finished in one sitting.
If you're feeling nostalgic about your childhood or want to tell a story to your kid, this is the book to pick up. The language is simple as usual and understandable by everyday laymen. I cannot recollect anything memorable in particular to describe here.
Recommended to read if you're interested in Indian Folklore.
If you're feeling nostalgic about your childhood or want to tell a story to your kid, this is the book to pick up. The language is simple as usual and understandable by everyday laymen. I cannot recollect anything memorable in particular to describe here.
Recommended to read if you're interested in Indian Folklore.
February 28, 2017
This is a wonderful book and greatly helpful for anyone who doesn't know anything about Hindu mythology. I was also unaware of the first 3 stories because of the nature of other epic stories overshadowing the importance of them.
The stories are grouped into 5 groups. Bear in mind, some of these are epics in their own respect and have a huge number of characters and story arcs all coming together at the end. Compiling such epics and writing them as a short story in 20 to 25 pages is not a small task yet R.K.Narayan did it with huge ease , an effort which I greatly applaud.
One:
---
Lavana (Explores the nature of time)
I loved this story the most because it explores time and I have not known this before. Time is one thing which humans have not learned to win over and it was really interesting to see how an individual passes through time and the concept of time continues to be interesting throughout Hindu mythology.
Chudhala ( Deals with unfoldement of psyche)
Yayati (Examines the quest of perpetual youth)
Two:
-------
Devi (Story of the goddess who destroys the demon Mahisa)
Vishwamitra ( The redemption story of an egoist)
Manmata (The origin story of Hindu God of Love)
Three:
------
Ravana (The antagonist of the epic 'Ramayana')
Valmiki (The story of the author of Ramayana)
Draupadi (The core story of Mahabharatha)
Four:
-------
Nala (A subtle love story)
Savitri (Examines perseverance)
The mispaired anklet (Story of wrongful judgement)
Shakuntala (Deals with memory and consciousness)
Five:
----
Harishchandra (The great king who took the oath of telling the truth)
Sibi ( The story of a generous, selfless king)
The stories are grouped into 5 groups. Bear in mind, some of these are epics in their own respect and have a huge number of characters and story arcs all coming together at the end. Compiling such epics and writing them as a short story in 20 to 25 pages is not a small task yet R.K.Narayan did it with huge ease , an effort which I greatly applaud.
One:
---
Lavana (Explores the nature of time)
I loved this story the most because it explores time and I have not known this before. Time is one thing which humans have not learned to win over and it was really interesting to see how an individual passes through time and the concept of time continues to be interesting throughout Hindu mythology.
Chudhala ( Deals with unfoldement of psyche)
Yayati (Examines the quest of perpetual youth)
Two:
-------
Devi (Story of the goddess who destroys the demon Mahisa)
Vishwamitra ( The redemption story of an egoist)
Manmata (The origin story of Hindu God of Love)
Three:
------
Ravana (The antagonist of the epic 'Ramayana')
Valmiki (The story of the author of Ramayana)
Draupadi (The core story of Mahabharatha)
Four:
-------
Nala (A subtle love story)
Savitri (Examines perseverance)
The mispaired anklet (Story of wrongful judgement)
Shakuntala (Deals with memory and consciousness)
Five:
----
Harishchandra (The great king who took the oath of telling the truth)
Sibi ( The story of a generous, selfless king)
May 31, 2015
A modern humanistic retelling of the most interesting tales from Hindu mythology (mostly from the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Yoga Vasistha). It has everything one could expect in such tales: kings, their wives, sages, ascetics, a magic cow, a demon king, reincarnation, a scholar falling in love with a public woman and exchanging all his wealth for a foul disease, a brigand repenting and turning into an ascetic, and so on.
My favorite is Narayan's retelling of the Tamil epic of the anklet. A married merchant's son falls in love with a dancer and wastes all his wealth on gifts for her; only his wife's dowry anklets remain. He repents, moves to another city with his wife, and tries to start a new life by selling an anklet to the king's jeweler. The jeweler falsely accuses him of stealing the queen's anklet, and has the man executed for theft, even though it was the jeweler himself who stole the queen's anklet. Upon learning that her husband has been executed, the wife appeals to the king and shows the remaining anklet to him and to the queen. Surprised to see three identical anklets, the queen agrees to break open the anklet seized from the executed man; it contains gems, and not pearls as the queen's own anklet. Angry at the miscarriage of justice, the wife twists off her breast, tears off her clothes, and appeals to gods to burn down the wicked city, which they do. After the city has been burned, its presiding goddess calms down the angry woman, and she herself ascends to heaven and becomes a goddess.
My favorite is Narayan's retelling of the Tamil epic of the anklet. A married merchant's son falls in love with a dancer and wastes all his wealth on gifts for her; only his wife's dowry anklets remain. He repents, moves to another city with his wife, and tries to start a new life by selling an anklet to the king's jeweler. The jeweler falsely accuses him of stealing the queen's anklet, and has the man executed for theft, even though it was the jeweler himself who stole the queen's anklet. Upon learning that her husband has been executed, the wife appeals to the king and shows the remaining anklet to him and to the queen. Surprised to see three identical anklets, the queen agrees to break open the anklet seized from the executed man; it contains gems, and not pearls as the queen's own anklet. Angry at the miscarriage of justice, the wife twists off her breast, tears off her clothes, and appeals to gods to burn down the wicked city, which they do. After the city has been burned, its presiding goddess calms down the angry woman, and she herself ascends to heaven and becomes a goddess.
August 9, 2017
With an author of such stature as Narayan, and my interest in stories from Hindu mythology, my expectations were very high. Sadly, it fell short, way too short. I was already familiar with most of the stories, so not much new there. But my major source of disappointment was the way the stories were told - it was kind of bland, and I found it lacking in the author's insights or interpretations. More like a text book or documentary.
In fact, the edition I was reading, included "Indian Epics Retold" (Ramayana and Mahabharata), but I was too disappointed by the stories to even try reading these. In contrast, the several interpretations of Mahabharata that I have read, were very well told (disregarding the fact that I had issues with their perspective) that I enjoyed reading them despite knowing the story quite well.
In fact, the edition I was reading, included "Indian Epics Retold" (Ramayana and Mahabharata), but I was too disappointed by the stories to even try reading these. In contrast, the several interpretations of Mahabharata that I have read, were very well told (disregarding the fact that I had issues with their perspective) that I enjoyed reading them despite knowing the story quite well.
October 6, 2013
Every generation has a challenge to understand the faith/religion through their perceptions most of the times based on parables.These parables needed to be deciphered in right context for understanding of faith.
Narayan's this book has picked some of the most fascinating tales from ancient Indian scriptures.Remarkable mightiness of parables could alter the consciousness.
Written in profound manner and insightful.In one of stories titled Devi,R.K Narayan quotes Devi stating to a demon: "I am primordial foe of evil"
A book worth reading
Narayan's this book has picked some of the most fascinating tales from ancient Indian scriptures.Remarkable mightiness of parables could alter the consciousness.
Written in profound manner and insightful.In one of stories titled Devi,R.K Narayan quotes Devi stating to a demon: "I am primordial foe of evil"
A book worth reading
October 17, 2013
It's easy to read, I guess? Not particularly _fun_ though.
The loose thematic structures let the tales tell themselves. That's probably a good thing.
But it seemed lacklustre, somehow. The stories never drew you in - it seemed like they lacked detail, lacked empathetical markers. Were very hard to connect to and wrap your head around. The narrator seems tacked on.
Then again, the epics themselves are kinda weighty. Narayan doesn't have the free hand of the bard working with a solely oral tradition.
The loose thematic structures let the tales tell themselves. That's probably a good thing.
But it seemed lacklustre, somehow. The stories never drew you in - it seemed like they lacked detail, lacked empathetical markers. Were very hard to connect to and wrap your head around. The narrator seems tacked on.
Then again, the epics themselves are kinda weighty. Narayan doesn't have the free hand of the bard working with a solely oral tradition.
February 17, 2014
Yet another delightful collection of short stories from the masterful R.K. Narayan. As someone who is quite familiar with Indian mythology, I enjoyed Narayan's refreshing, candid look at the tales I grew up with; he even supplies alternate endings and interpretations by various past authors.
This is a book that's hard to put down, and I enjoyed every page. Staying true to his trademark style, Narayan skims away superfluous characters and events, retelling each story succinctly and making sense of the often confusing tangle of Indian mythological and religious characters.
This is a book that's hard to put down, and I enjoyed every page. Staying true to his trademark style, Narayan skims away superfluous characters and events, retelling each story succinctly and making sense of the often confusing tangle of Indian mythological and religious characters.
July 7, 2016
This masterpiece by R.K. Narayan is a collection of short Indian mythological stories. He has taken up the characters, mostly from the epics, and spun around the characters enchantingly in his own splendorous accord. Having read the Mahabharata (Amar Chitra Katha) recently, and having a penchant for history, this work, with all the morals and values of the characters embedded within, didn't fail to stir me from deep within.
The hardcover book is a perfect weekend read.
The hardcover book is a perfect weekend read.
July 10, 2014
"The company of good people is never fruitless"
A great selection of stories from India's vast treasure-house of myths and legends handed down through the ages. Spectacular battles, supernatural mysteries, passion, devotion, laughter and love and the eternal spiritual quest are the ingredients of these legends.
A great selection of stories from India's vast treasure-house of myths and legends handed down through the ages. Spectacular battles, supernatural mysteries, passion, devotion, laughter and love and the eternal spiritual quest are the ingredients of these legends.
January 13, 2008
I'm glad that this book is still available.
November 22, 2015
This book is a sort of guide to Indian mythology and ways of worship. Written in a humorous vein, this book can be considered as a shortcut for understanding Indian culture.
January 28, 2013
Enlightening! Has made me want to read the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
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May 29, 2013Indian Mythology reloaded !
September 2, 2013
Short, sharp, amazingly written. but still can push you into the make believe world that we booklovers all have one of. Superb!
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