BOBC |
Resource type: Journal Article Language: en: English Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1017/S0041977X08000554 BibTeX citation key: McLain2008 Email resource to friend View all bibliographic details |
Categories: General Keywords: "Amar Chithra Katha", Adaptation, India, Myth, Pai. Anant, Religion Creators: McLain Collection: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies |
Views: 9/1057
|
Attachments |
Abstract |
Amar Chitra Katha (Immortal Picture Stories) is India's leading comic book series, featuring hundreds of mythological titles about the Hindu gods. Founder Anant Pai initially eliminated all miracles, believing them to be unscientific interpolations. But while producing Tales of Durga (no. 176, 1978), he declared that the comic must be an “authentic” recreation of the Devī Māhātmya scripture, and that all miracles in the classical Sanskrit text must be faithfully rendered in the comic. This article examines the discourse of authenticity that surrounds the production of Tales of Durga in particular and this comic book series more generally. Through a careful reading of the Devī Māhātmya, content analysis of Tales of Durga, a consideration of the unique characteristics of the comic book medium, and interviews with comic book producers, this study provides insight into modern interpretations of the Devī Māhātmya and evolving Hindu attitudes towards the martial goddess Durga.
Added by: joachim Last edited by: joachim |