Scroll Adda: Why Devdutt Pattanaik thinks humans can’t live without mythology

Aug 1, 2025 - 23:00

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As a prolific mythologist with more than 60 books, Devdutt Pattanaik has single-handedly created a new genre of writing in India. His thoughtful commentaries on India’s epics have allowed everyday people to think and reflect on their mythology.

In this 1.5-hour conversation with Shoaib Daniyal, Pattanaik explains why Indians might have a genius for mythology and why we all live in mythos. Many rationalists merge the idea of myth and fiction but Pattanaik argues that both are very different. Myth can be thought of as an operating system for humans, he explains.

Pattanaik says that he faced censure from Brahmins for writing about Hindu scriptures as a non-Brahmin. He also opens up about his own experiences of growing up gay and how that informed his view on mythology.

Producer: Raghav Kakkar...