Transit of Hindu Mythology: Role of Biographical Method in Multicultural Landscape

Abstract

The study offers a biographical examination of the “Ramayana,” an ancient Indian epic renowned not only for its cultural significance and literary eminence but also for its scrutiny within the framework of modern philosophical discourse that includes a biographical dimension. In the “Ramayana,” we trace how conventional cultural archetypes, such as devotion, justice, and love, are revealed through distinct biographical circumstances and narratives. In the epic, each character serves as a bearer of specific archetypal attributes and concepts, which reflect diverse facets of human nature and are also distinct symbols embodying virtues, devotion, love, morality, evil, etc. With the help of mythological plots through biographical practices, people identify themselves with the characters of myths. In recent decades, there has been a popularization of modern adaptations of the “Ramayana” across India. The emergence of “new Indian mythmaking” and the renewed perception of profound archetypes within Indian culture coincides with the growing expansion of biographical and pseudo-biographical content in mass media. The protagonists of epics serve as foundational elements for the biographical strategies embraced by modern audiences, playing an integral role in shaping the culture of modern India and determining specific options for constructing a life course. In this article, we have examined contemporary interpretations of the “Ramayana” by writers such as Kavita Kané, Amish Tripathi, and Devdutt Pattanaik. In the works of these authors, one observes a transformation in the biographies of characters, shifts in their conduct, and even depictions of their emotional states, all of which reflect modern socio-cultural realities. This philosophical turn, characterized by the fusion of ancient myths with modern realities, values, and reader expectations, leads to a rethinking of traditional images, as well as a cultural dialogue between the East and the West.