Patriarchy asserts men are superior to women.
Feminism clarifies women and men are equal.
Queerness questions what constitutes male and female.

Queerness isnt 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 many overlooked tales, such as those of Shikhandi, who became a man to satisfy her wife; Mahadeva, who became a woman to deliver his devotees 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 their Mesopotamian, Greek, Chinese and Biblical counterparts, reveal the unique Indian way of making sense of queerness.

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 Pattanaiks 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.