Download or read book Shikhandini Warrior Princess of the Mahabharata written by Ashwini Shenoy and published by One Point Six Technology Pvt Ltd. This book was released on 2019-10-14 with total page 349 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Centuries have passed since the Great War of Kurukshetra, but her name is still uttered in hushed whispers – eunuch, hijra, neither man nor woman... But was this all there was to Shikhandini, Princess of Panchala? Was this her only identity? The firstborn of King Drupada, Shikhandini was trained to be a warrior from early childhood. She became a Rathi, and then an Athirathi, a warrior of unmatched valour and skill, who singlehandedly defeated the hundred Kaurava brothers in battle. All her life she strove to fulfil one goal – to slay the Maharathi of Hasthinapur, in a trans-generational act of vengeance. But was this her final destiny? At the Battle of Kurukshetra, when the Pandava brothers seem to have lost all hope and are facing defeat, it is Shikhandini who joins them and turns the battle in their favour. If not for her, history would have been written differently. But what was the price she paid? How far did she go in order to prove herself and accomplish her goal? What did she sacrifice along the way? Was she just a pawn in the game between the Kurus? Or was she a true hero, conveniently forgotten because she was not born a man? In this retelling of epochal events, Shikhandini’s transformation from woman to man, based on ancient medical science, is what makes this story both riveting and real in its validity, human intensity, driven purpose and ultimate sacrifice. In this new dawn, when the third gender is finally gaining acceptance and identity, it is perhaps time Shikhandini’s story was retold in all its tragic glory.
Download or read book Shikhandini written by Ashwini Shenoy and published by Platinum Press Incorporated. This book was released on 2019-10-14 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Centuries have passed since the Great War of Kurukshetra, but her name is still uttered in hushed whispers - eunuch, hijra, neither man nor woman... But was this all there was to Shikhandini, Princess of Panchala? Was this her only identity? The firstborn of King Drupada, Shikhandini was trained to be a warrior from early childhood. She became a Rathi, and then an Athirathi, a warrior of unmatched valour and skill, who singlehandedly defeated the hundred Kaurava brothers in battle. All her life she strove to fulfil one goal - to slay the Maharathi of Hasthinapur, in a trans-generational act of vengeance. But was this her final destiny? At the Battle of Kurukshetra, when the Pandava brothers seem to have lost all hope and are facing defeat, it is Shikhandini who joins them and turns the battle in their favour. If not for her, history would have been written differently. But what was the price she paid? How far did she go in order to prove herself and accomplish her goal? What did she sacrifice along the way? Was she just a pawn in the game between the Kurus? Or was she a true hero, conveniently forgotten because she was not born a man? In this retelling of epochal events, Shikhandini's transformation from woman to man, based on ancient medical science, is what makes this story both riveting and real in its validity, human intensity, driven purpose and ultimate sacrifice. In this new dawn, when the third gender is finally gaining acceptance and identity, it is perhaps time Shikhandini's story was retold in all its tragic glory.
Download or read book Queer Magic written by Tomás Prower and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2018-06-08 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Queer Magic and Mysticism in History and Today Queer Magic provides nourishment for LGBT+ souls and their allies who are interested in learning about the significant presence and influence of queer folks throughout history. Explore fascinating insights into queer relationships and spiritual practices from different regions of the world. Learn about deities, heroes, and historical figures who embody the power of the queer spirit. Discover inspiring contributions from contemporary LGBT+ Pagans, Catholics, Buddhists, Muslims, and others as they share personal stories of their experiences as well as spells, prayers, and meditations from their own practices. With practical suggestions and enlightening perspectives, this book is a unique resource for LGBT+ spiritual seekers who want to experience the sustaining energy and strength of the worldwide queer community. Praise: "Queer Magic asks us to unlearn what we've thought about the global past and instead substitutes an inclusive, more accurate world history, where queer identities are plenty."—ForeWord Reviews "Tomás Prower takes us on a global journey, a quest to find queer magick across the world. Our stories are not confined to any one place, time, or religion, and this book is truly a diverse guide to understanding our often lost and forgotten myth and history. Certain to inspire LGBTQ+ magickal practitioners for years to come!"—Christopher Penczak, Gay Witchcraft "In his latest work, Queer Magic, Tomás Prower takes us on a journey that spans both time and continents to examine the myths, magic, and spiritual lives of those who exist outside the culturally sanctioned heterosexual binary. Surprisingly detailed, Prower examines not only the practices of pre-modern native cultures, but also the effects of Christian colonialism and its devastating and history-robbing effects upon them. He demonstrates how those cultures' near-universal acceptance of queer sexual expression has been usurped, and he shines a light on how those traditions have found ways to survive—and even thrive—in spite of being the victims of revisionist history. With interesting bits of history and lore (I may never think of Dracula quite the same way again) combined with practical exercises to help us view sexual expression and gender outside of our common modern restrictions, this book should be considered essential reading for all LGBT+ practitioners of magic and spirituality. Highly recommended."—Storm Faerywolf, author of Betwixt and Between "More often than not, people whose sexual identities, gender identities, social roles, affectional preferences, relationship styles, and so on are in the minority and tend to be erased or misrepresented in our culture. Queer Magic is a journey around the world and through the centuries to uncover some of these hidden stories. This book is not only history and mythology, it also contains vignettes, experiences, and practices from modern people from diverse backgrounds. One book cannot address everyone and everything, but Queer Magic is a heartfelt effort that will encourage you to continue the work of discovering these treasures of the spirit."—Ivo Dominguez Jr., author of The Keys to Perception
Download or read book Gift of Life written by Ashwini Shenoy and published by Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd. This book was released on 1901 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gift of Life is Shyamala’s story. A seventy-year-old women, living alone in the small coastal town of Perdur. She is simple and relatable. Yet there is something bold and impressive about the way she lives her life alone, refusing to depend on anyone. Carrying the burden of a tragic past, Shyamala believes that the only way she can survive is to follow a routine that allows her to spend most of her time outside the house that is a constant reminder of the past. For years this routine is her anchor. But what happens when the whole world is confronted by a challenge that halts normal life and Shyamala is confined to the house that screams of everything she has lost? Does she surrender to her fate, or does she fight back and rediscover herself? This beautifully narrated, deeply felt story is told with an innate understanding of both the frailty and the strength of human experience. Based on the nationwide lockdown of 2020, Gift of Life is a story of acceptance, hope and healing in times of great uncertainty.
Download or read book Queer Heroes of Myth and Legend written by Dan Jones and published by Radar. This book was released on 2023-01-12 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hidden in the margins of history books, classical literature, and thousands of years of stories, myths and legends, through to contemporary literature, TV and film, there is a diverse and other-worldly super community of queer heroes to discover, learn from, and celebrate. Be captivated by stories of forbidden love like Patroclus & Achilles (explored in Madeleine Miller's bestseller Song of Achilles), join the cult of Antinous (inspiration for Oscar Wilde), get down with pansexual god Set in Egyptian myth, and fall for Zimbabwe's trans God Mawi. And from modern pop-culture, through Dan Jones's witty, upbeat style, learn more about 90s fan obsessions Xena: Warrior Princess and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Neil Gaiman's American Gods and the BBC's Doctor Who. Queer Heroes of Myth & Legend brings to life characters who are romantic, brave, mysterious, and always fantastical. It is a magnificent celebration of queerness through the ages in all its legendary glory.
Download or read book Shikhandi written by Devdutt Pattanaik and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2014-07-20 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Patriarchy asserts men are superior to women Feminism clarifies women and men are equal Queerness questions what constitutes male and female Queerness isn’t only modern, Western or sexual, says mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik. Take a close look at the vast written and oral traditions in Hinduism, some over two thousand years old, and you will find tales of: Shikhandi, who became a man to satisfy her wife Mahadeva, who became a woman to deliver a devotee’s child Chudala, who became a man to enlighten her husband Samavan, who became the wife of his male friend and many more . . . Playful and touching—and sometimes disturbing—these stories when compared with tales of the Mesopotamian Gilgamesh, the Greek Ganymede, the biblical Sodom or the Chinese ‘cut sleeve’ Emperor reveal the unique Indian way of making sense of queerness. Devdutt Pattanaik’s new book builds on profound ideas that our ancestors shared but which we have rarely inherited. This book has content for mature audiences. Discretion advised.
Download or read book Until the Lions written by Karthika Nair and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2017-08-16 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Until the Lions, Karthika Nair retells the Mahabharata through multiple voices. Her poems capture the epic through the lenses of nameless soldiers, outcast warriors and handmaidens but also abducted princesses, tribal queens and a gender-shifting god. As peripheral figures and silent catalysts take centre stage, we get a glimpse of lives and stories buried beneath the edifices of god and nation, heroes and victory; a glimpse of the price paid for myth and history--all too often interchangeable.
Download or read book Girls of the Mahabharata written by Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2018-12-05 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'The Indian epics gain strength and renewal with every telling and retelling. Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan's compelling and accomplished narration of the crucial story of Amba and Shikhandi is a timely reminder of the constant currency and relevance of the Mahabharata.' - Namita Gokhale. Book one, The One Who Swam with the Fishes, told the tale of Satyavati on the cusp of womanhood. She is now Queen of Hastinapur and the story moves forward to Kashi, where Princess Amba is growing up with her sisters, Ambika and Ambalika. A swayamvara is arranged for them, where Amba plans to wed Prince Salva, the love of her life. However, an unexpected figure walks into the ceremony and thwarts all plans of a happy ending. In another life, Shikhandi, has never been what he seems. With his close companion, Utsarg, he embarks on a journey to look for a yaksha who will give him what he wants - to be a Kshatriya prince in body and in mind. But along the way, he might have to lose some of himself, the part he calls Shikhandini. Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan draws out the lesser-known characters of the Mahabharata from the margins and tells their stories with compassion and grit.
Download or read book The Pregnant King written by Devdutt Pattanaik and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2014-07-11 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘I am not sure that I am a man,’ said Yuvanashva. ‘I have created life outside me as men do. But I have also created life inside me, as women do. What does that make me? Will a body such as mine fetter or free me?’ Among the many hundreds of characters who inhabit the Mahabharata, perhaps the world’s greatest epic and certainly one of the oldest, is Yuvanashva, a childless king, who accidentally drinks a magic potion meant to make his queens pregnant and gives birth to a son. This extraordinary novel is his story. It is also the story of his mother Shilavati, who cannot be king because she is a woman; of young Somvat, who surrenders his genitals to become a wife; of Shikhandi, a daughter brought up as a son, who fathers a child with a borrowed penis; of Arjuna, the great warrior with many wives, who is forced to masquerade as a woman after being castrated by a nymph; of Ileshwara, a god on full-moon days and a goddess on new-moon nights; and of Adi-natha, the teacher of teachers, worshipped as a hermit by some and as an enchantress by others. Building on Hinduism’s rich and complex mythology—but driven by a very contemporary sensibility—Devdutt Pattanaik creates a lush and fecund work of fiction in which the lines are continually blurred between men and women, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. Confronted with such fluidity the reader is drawn into Yuvanashva’s struggle to be fair to all—those here, those there and all those in between.
Download or read book Women of Myth written by Jenny Williamson and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2023-02-21 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Get inspired with 50 fascinating stories of powerful female figures from mythologies around the world. From heroines and deities to leaders and mythical creatures, this collection explores figures of myth who can inspire modern readers with their ability to shape our culture with the stories of their power, wisdom, compassion, and cunning. Featured characters include: Atalanta (Greek heroine and huntress who killed the Caledonia Boar and joined the Argonauts); Sky-Woman (the first woman in Iroquois myth who fell through a hole in the sky and into our world); Clídna (Queen of the Banshees in Irish legend); and La Llorona (a ghostly woman in Mexican folklore who wanders the waterfront). Celebrate these game-changing, attention-worthy female characters with this collection of engaging tales"--
Download or read book Incognito written by Praveer and published by Educreation Publishing. This book was released on 2016-03-12 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Destiny has landed Punya Saran in the middle of a quest. A quest which belonged to Vaidehi but Punya must accompany her in the journey to prove his innocence. It all started with the construction of a scientific marvel and a mysterious murder. They are confronted with a theory that has changed the way humanity looked at the world. To unveil the message which has earth shattering ramifications, they have to decipher the symbols and secrets hidden within historical monuments and ancient scriptures. They find themselves in a dilemma of deciding between mythology and logic. How do they do it? And then there are moments with Drishti, a girl who carried a burden in her heart. She was a broken soul who had forgotten to live. Punya had found himself in bringing her back to life. He tried hard, but he could not stop himself from loving her. It was an alliance of souls. But she is gone now. He is completely devastated. Will the memories weaken him further? What happens when an eye-opening thriller meets a heartfelt love story? Who is bestowed upon with the divine vision? Does the secret reveal itself? Do they understand the enigma of love? All we seek are right before our eyes, but choose to remain incognito.
Download or read book The One Who Swam with the Fishes written by Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2017-06-20 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Retellings of the Mahabharata often succumb to the temptation of reversing the gaze and providing a noble patina to their protagonists. Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan, though, bravely reimagines the story and the inner life of the fisher-maiden Satyavati before her arrival into the epic, before she changes the future of the Kuru dynasty. Madhavan humanizes Satyavati, and reminds us that the passage through adolescence is in itself a heroic odyssey.' - Karthika NairWho is Satyavati? Truth-teller. Daughter of water. Child of apsara and king. Cursed from birth. Fish-smell girl.Growing up as a girl in the Vedic age is anything but easy - and even harder for the future Queen of Hastinapur, the kingdom of all kingdoms. She must contend with magic islands, difficult sages, calculating foster parents, sexual awakening and loneliness. Even when she is at the threshold of the capital, King Shantanu, smitten though he is with her, already has a crown prince from his marriage with a goddess. Young Satyavati must walk on thorns to reach her destiny in a world ruled by men.
Download or read book Shakuni The Dice of Doom written by Mallar Chatterjee and published by Readomania. This book was released on with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why did shakuni have to come to Hastinapur? His own gandhara folks believed that he wanted to take revenge against the Kauravas. They, however, knew nothing about shakuni’s disturbing secret and his actual intention. What was shakuni’s real motive? What was the secret he was trying to guard from the world with all his efforts? In Hastinapur, shakuni would get entrapped in an inescapable mesh of the past, the present, and the future. He could have freed himself from the tangle by cracking a particular riddle that he would only be able to solve too late. What was the riddle about? What made him finally realise that he had just been used? This is the untold story of shakti laced with love, desire, envy, Malice, and vengeance. This is a heart-rending chronicle of some grievously wounded people you can never hate, even if you fail to love or pity them.
Download or read book The Palace of Illusions written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2009-02-10 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Taking us back to a time that is half history, half myth and wholly magical, bestselling author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni gives voice to Panchaali, the fire-born heroine of the Mahabharata, as she weaves a vibrant retelling of an ancient epic saga. Married to five royal husbands who have been cheated out of their father's kingdom, Panchaali aids their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at their side through years of exile and a terrible civil war. But she cannot deny her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna—or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husbands' most dangerous enemy—as she is caught up in the ever-manipulating hands of fate.
Download or read book The Great Indian Novel written by Shashi Tharoor and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011-09-01 with total page 409 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this award-winning novel, Tharoor has masterfully recast the two-thousand-year-old epic, The Mahabharata, with fictional but highly recognizable events and characters from twentieth-century Indian politics. Nothing is sacred in this deliciously irreverent, witty, and deeply intelligent retelling of modern Indian history and the ancient Indian epic The Mahabharata. Alternately outrageous and instructive, hilarious and moving, it is a dazzling tapestry of prose and verse that satirically, but also poignantly, chronicles the struggle for Indian freedom and independence.
Download or read book Yuganta written by Irawati Karve and published by Orient Blackswan. This book was released on 2006-07-19 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Irawati Karve studies the humanity of the Mahabharata`s great figures, with all their virtues and their equally numerous faults. Sought out by an inquirer like her, whose view of life is secular, scientific, anthropological in the widest sense, yet appreciative of literary values, social problems of the past and present alike, and human needs and responses in her own time and in antiquity as she identifies them... Seen through her eyes the Mahabharata is more than a work which Hindus look upon as divinely inspired, and venerate. It becomes a record of complex humanity and a mirror to all the faces which we ourselves wear.
Download or read book Chitra written by Rabindranath Tagore and published by . This book was released on 1917 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A lyrical drama based on a story from the Mahabharata. cf. Pref.
