1st Edition
The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore
By Devdutt Pattanaik
Copyright 2002
180 Pages
by
Routledge
196 Pages
by
Routledge
180 Pages
by
Routledge
Also available as eBook on:
A god transforms into a nymph and enchants another god. A king becomes pregnant. A prince discovers on his wedding night that he is not a man. Another king has children who call him both father and mother. A hero turns into a eunuch and wears female apparel. A princess has to turn into a man before she can avenge her humiliation. Widows of a king make love to conceive his child. Friends of... Read more
Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction: Placing Stories in Context
- Universality of Queer Narratives
- Differences in Queer Narratives
- Hindu versus Biblical Paradigm
- Structured Society Within Fluid Philosophy
- The Hindu Way of Life
- Hindu Response to Queer Sexuality
- Adoption of the Colonial Discourse
- The Third Sex and Gender in India
- An Ancient Legacy
- What About the Women?
- Representation in Narratives
- Interpretation of Narratives
- Structure and Aim of the Book
- Chapter 1. Women Who Become Men
- Bhisma: The Son Who Swore Celibacy
- Avikshita: The Prince Who Believed He Was a Woman
- Amba's Quest for Manhood
- Children of the Man with Queer Virility
- Shikhandini Gets a Male Body
- The Raja's Daughter Who Became His Son
- The Girls Who Got Married
- The Inseparable Girls
- Man Who Was a Woman
- The Woman Who Became a Man and Then a Woman
- Sariputra's Sex Change
- Malli Who Became Malli-Natha
- Chapter 2. Pregnant Kings
- Bhangashvana: The Man Who Was Father and Mother
- Somavat: The Male Wife
- Son of a Eunuch
- The Forest Where Men Became Women
- The Dawn-God Becomes a Woman
- Riksharaja's Dip into Womanhood
- Narada Becomes a Woman
- Yuvanashva: The Pregnant King
- Ravana's Pregnancy
- Shiva Gives Birth to Shukra
- Kavya Gives Birth to Kacha
- Birth of Kartikeya
- Kartikeya Turns Away from Women
- Chapter 3. Cross-Dressing Tricksters
- Mohini Tricks Bhasma
- Mohini Fools the Asuras
- Mohini Kills Virochana
- Mohini Enchants the Sages
- Vishnu Arouses Shiva
- Death of Adi
- The Son of Shiva and Vishnu
- Kali Becomes Krishna
- Shiva, The Milkmaid
- Krishna Wears Radha's Clothes
- Krishna Kills Araka
- Krishna and Arjuna As Mother and Daughter
- Ghatotkacha in Women's Clothes
- Bhima in Women's Clothes
- Santoshi and Her Brother
- Krishna Becomes Aravan's Wife
- Samba's Pregnancy
- Ravana's Harem
- Past Lives of the Milkmaids
- Chapter 4. Castrated Men and Women
- Brihanalla: The Eunuch Dancer
- Urvashi Castrates Arjuna
- Bahuchara Emasculates Her Husband
- Bahuchara Cuts Her Breasts
- Kannagi Plucks Out Her Breast
- Shiva Castrates Himself
- Sages Castrate Shiva
- Indra Loses His Manhood
- Laxmana Mutilates Surpanakha
- Emasculation of Jamadagni's Sons
- Chelliamman's Female Companion
- The Man Who Had Never Seen a Woman
- Chapter 5. Neither This nor That
- Narasimha
- Creation of Ganesha
- Two Queens Conceive a Child
- Ganesha Remains Single
- The Separation of the Three Worlds
- Rama's Return
- Purusha Splits into Two
- Brahma Sees the Half-Woman God
- Shiva Makes Parvati His Left Half
- Shiva Fuses with Parvati
- Shiva Cursed to Become an Androgyne
- Bhrungi Tries to Separate the Androgyne
- Shiva-Linga
- The Prince Who Married His Left Half
- Afterword
- Notes
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Index
- Reference Notes Included
Biography
Devdutt Pattanaik
