Indian mythology is replete with stories where women undertake extraordinary and perilous journeys to save their beloved from all kinds of sticky situations, at times even bringing them back from the dead.  The stories of Satyavan-Savitri, Nala-Damayanti, Arjuna-Ulupi show women moved heaven and earth for the men they loved.

Not as common are stories of husbands or lovers going the extra mile for their love. In that sense, the story of Ruru and Pramadvara that finds mention in the Adi Parva (Pouloma sub-parvan) of the Mahabharata is unique.

Shameless goddess!

Isn’t that a strange name for a goddess? And why is she Shameless?

However, Devi Mahatmya a text dedicated to worship of Devi, does not record any such name. Probably this may not be the original name of the goddess whose idols today are referred as Lajja gauri or Shameless goddess.

Excavations around Alampur, Nagarjunkonda, in Andhra Pradesh, Siddankotte in Karnataka and Ter, Mahurzuri , Bhokardan in Maharashtra during early 19th century revealed these strange female idols in explicit erotic postures. These female idols were presented in supine positions, with legs spread wide open, her genitalia and heavy breasts exposed to the viewer’s gaze. However the heads of these idols were missing, instead a lotus flower was carved in place of the head.

While scholars have tried to enumerate who the goddess could be and why she is represented in such explicit posture, here is an etiological myth that links the origins of this goddess to Parvati.

Hanuman and the mind immediately conjures up an image of him carrying the Sanjeevani mountain or kneeling at the feet of Lord Rama and Sita. Hanuman is the most favourite god in the Hindu pantheon in the recent times. He belongs to the tribe called Kimpurushas who are mystical beings that are half animal and half human. Did you know that Hanuman fought his first battle when he was still in his womb?

This is a story about Holika, an Asura and how her end was plotted with the help of the gods.

Holika’s death is celebrated as Holi. Her image is burnt to symbolise the end of her existence all over the country even today. In the same way in the southern State of Tamilnadu, they burn an image of Cupid or Kama. It is called the Kaman Pandigai or Kamavilas or Kama dahanam. An image of Kama and his consort Rati is painted and worshipped. The image of Kama is then burnt on the same day and hour as that of Holika.

The story of Swaminathan and Swami Malai from the Tamil Kanda Puranam challenges one of the accepted relationship hierarchies of Hindu mythology, albeit in a manner that is typical to the region. Usually the father-son relationship is one of obedience – be it Rama and Dasarath, Yayati and Puru and Bheeshman and Shantanu – in Hindu Indian mythology. This story however has a twist.

Swami Malai is a small hillock near Kumbakonam, a small town in Tamil Nadu. The temple at Swami Malai is one of the six important temples associated with the cult of Murugan. This story forms the sthala purana of the temple.

Many aeons ago, during the twilight that intervened between the Dwapara and Kāli Yugas, all men and women including barbarians and other workers of sin obtained entrance to heaven by visiting the celebrated shrine of Someswara (Somnath in Gujarat). Sacrifices, ascetic practices, charitable gifts, and all the other prescribed ordinances ceased and men thronged only to the temple of Siva. The old and young, those skilled in the Vedas and those ignorant of them, ascended to heaven, until at length it became crowded to excess.

Indra and other Gods, scared and afflicted as they were overcome by men and were nearly expelled from heaven invoked Siva. “O Sankara! By your favour now heaven is crowded with men and we are almost expelled from it. These mortals wander wherever and however they please each exclaiming himself/herself as “am the greatest, am the greatest”. Yama, the lord of Dharma and keeper of their good and evil deeds looks astonished. The seven hells were intended for these mortal wanderers of heaven but by your grace, having visited your shrine their all sins remitted and they attained most excellent life!”

Stories where in the beginning only women lived on earth without companionship of men is found across ancient mythologies. In this women- centric realm, men not only lose their position of power but are relegated to the position of slaves or victims of magic by which they service women in all kinds of jobs. Examples such as Amazonian women in Homer’s Illiad were sought and found somewhere near Lycia.  Diodorus mentions that the Amazons travelled from the Libya under Queen Myrina. People living under the rule of women suggest that in ancient cultures, matriarchal systems were the first social order of world. Arab geographers describe a great town in an island in the western ocean, which was free of men. Also similar ideas can be found in ancient Chinese, and Polynesian mythologies.

In Indian mythology we find a similar concept first mentioned in Mahabharata, in the context of fifth adventure of the Horse sacrifice or Ashvamedha. It is said that the horse entered a country inhabited only by women ruled by a queen Paramita.

Parashuram was the son of Jamadagni and Renuka. His story is a part of the epic literature and Parashuram is often cited for his unfailing loyalty to his father. Jamadagni was a Brahmin while Renuka belonged to the Kshatriya, or the warrior clan. Parashuram was a great worshipper of Shiva. He was a master at weaponry and is believed to have been teacher to the epic greats, Guru Dronacharya, Karna and Arjuna.