7 Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art is a book written by Devdutt Pattanaik that explores the Hindu calendar art. Hindu mythology talks of hundreds and thousands of gods and goddesses. It also consists of various characters that form an essential part of the Hindu mythology. These gods, goddesses, and characters are visually represented through calendar art. This calendar art is colorful and fantastic. However, the author in this book explains that this art is a democratic expression of a mythic imagery. This imagery was initially restricted to temple walls and palm leaf manuscripts, but with the calendar, this form of art has reached the common man. The book comprises the portraits of the Hindu pantheon of gods along with the associated stories. The Hindu mythology is full of symbols, and each image is like one of the pieces of the ancient metaphysical puzzle. This book tries to decode the symbols and hence successfully unleashes the wisdom behind the legends. A Black and white representation of the imageries are used in the book so that the reader does not get inflicted by colors. Moreover, the emphasis is more on the visual meaning rather than the quality of the image.

Devdutt Pattanaik is a doctor who shifted his focus to Indian mythology and their influence on the people of the country. He has written many books based on Indian epics and Puranas.

Devdutt Pattanaik has written other books based on Hindu epics and other related works. Some of his other books are:

Devi, the Mother-Goddess: an introduction
Shiva: an introduction
Vishnu: an introduction
The Goddess in India: the five faces of the eternal feminine
Hanuman: an introduction
The Man Who Was A Woman and other queer tales of Hindu lore
Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and fortune: an introduction

His Writing Style
Devdutt Pattanaik's style is simple and elegant, and he adds value by creating his own line drawing illustrations ? an unusual combination. He is not strictly traditional in his retelling, yet he remains true to the original spirit of the stories. He also explores the influence of the epics on Indian thought and their continued relevance to life, even today, thousands of years after the stories were written.

His Personal Life
Devdutt Pattanaik grew up in Mumbai and graduated with a degree in medicine from the Grant Medical College. He later studied Comparative Mythology at Mumbai University.

After working in the Healthcare industry for 14 years, he turned his attention to the wisdom and insights contained in the ancient Hindu texts. He started to write books and columns on the subject and has also delivered many lectures on Indian mythology.