Ann reviews, Tapestry of Women in Indian Mythology (Poems), edited by Dr Meenakshi Mohan, and a foreword by Devdutt Pattanaik – exclusively for Different Truths.

The image of a tapestry: colourful, complex in design, artistic and at times mysterious is a fitting metaphor to describe this recently published anthology of poetry. For our pleasure and posterity, Dr Meenakshi Mohan has reviewed nearly 300 pages of original poems celebrating female gods of the East in Indian folklore.

The collection should prove enlightening even for those exposed to Indian mythology from childhood. No doubt, the spectrum of poetic insight found in this volume will serve as a reference for academics and a treasure for those fascinated by mythology.

The collection’s unifying theme, as tapestry suggests, is that of the diverse roles played by female gods in Indian mythology. The tapestry metaphor adds depth to the title as each submission suggests a thread in weaving together the stories told in each work.

Readers will surely enjoy seeing the varied manifestations of goddesses in mythology and their roles as they intervened in the lives of humans.

Stylistically the poems vary considerably. While many adhere to a rhyme scheme and poetic form familiar to western readers, many poets have placed messages above format.

While most works follow a familiar stanza format, others focus more on story content and theme than form or rhyme scheme.

Thus, the collection is diverse as it celebrates innumerable gods of mythology and in varied forms of poetic expressions. Without a doubt, this unique collection of poems celebrates an aspect of Indian literature that will be of interest, of course, to academics but as well to devotees of Indian literature.  

Book cover sourced by the reviewer

Ann Skelton

Ann Skelton, award-winning writer of poetry and fiction, formerly a Peace Corps volunteer and teacher, has over 30 years of experience, including creative writing, university-level teaching, and course design. Extensive international experience honed her appreciation for multicultural themes, while her love of the music of poetry attuned her to diverse styles. An active writer, she has won awards from Virginia Writers. Her essays, humour articles and reviews appeared in the popular press.