Reading Sita - An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik is a unique experience. It can be called a non-fiction book about a mythological fiction, because it is very well researched. Or it can also be classified as a fictional story that borrows from several tales.
Most of us who have grown in India and have seen the televised Ramayana are aware of the basic beats of this epic. To a large extent even the message which this epic promotes is well understood and accepted. Good defeats Evil! But before reading this book, I had always seen the story of Ramayana from twin perspectives of religion and ethics. I always believed that the televised version was the most accurate version of this epic. Reading this book or retelling made several impressions on me. It is researched well, covering the stories, spanning across centuries, from different geographies. And while Pattanaik sticks to the core of the story, he brings to the fore certain value. He truly treats it as a mythology, so his story doesn't always go to the places you already are aware of. He brings in several lesser known or alternative aspects from various regional versions of Ramayana. There is no one Ramayana. It is cyclical.
He treats Ramayana as a metaphor about one's journey from Aham (Id/Ego) to Atma (Soul), the journey from humanity to divinity. It doesn't just remain a parable about Good vs Evil.
In this retelling, Sita's persona is fleshed out very well. She is not just a passive, waiting wife. Waiting to be rescued! The book talks about the impact she created in Lanka and in the lives of Lankans. The book details the impact she had in the forest later in her life.
There are so many characters and plot points in this retelling, that at times I got overwhelmed. But there is joy in getting lost at times. There is a small story on the origin of River Ganga. This story doesn't sound real. It is incredulous and fantastical. A child born out of a same sex relationship, who doesn't have bones and nerves. These bones and nerves get added through Siddha (miraculous powers achieved through spiritual and physical enlightenment). The purpose for the child's birth is to bring alive his dead father. There are series of such unbelievable elements in this story leading to the origin of the Ganga. Our minds conditioned by western education and influences will scoff at this story. But when one looks at the lessons, the metaphors and treat this story as a moral tale, may be then one will learn. And this realization defines the book for me.
The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle is a book that busts the myths around talent and talent hotbeds. The author explains his research findings that correlate talent to our neurological set-up. His research indicates that talent is not a birth right or determined by one's gene pool. This premise is really interesting which he backs by evidence from neuroscience, making it immensely clear that talent is not a genetic gift. It is something that has to be grown and then he explains how to go about it. There are changes which happen inside one's brain when one works towards becoming talented at some skill. Though for the purpose of this review, I will skip the neuroscience bit.
The case studies and the success stories mentioned in the book are inspirational. The simple idea of how 'Ignition - Deep Practice' builds talent is explained beautifully. The chapters on how teachers and coaches actually help create talent are exciting and have immense learning for people who are into coaching roles.
So I should really read & write more and understand the sub-tasks in the process of reading & writing. This will help me become a better writer, a better blogger and a more consummate reader.
