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Sanjay Patel's newest book, Ramayana: divine loophole, continues his work of passion; he crafts approachable narratives from Hindu mythology. This dazzles me, since the Hindu faith includes thousands of divine beings.
This book tells a condensed version of the Sanskrit epic Ramayana. Written around 4 B.C., the tale begins with the birth of blue-skinned Rama (the earthly incarnation of Vishnu, the preserver god). Born a prince, he marries Sita (incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi), is exiled to the demon-forests of Dandaka, where he befriends Jambavan the Bear chief and Hanuman the monkey-child-of-a-wind-god, and ultimately faces Ravana (a nine headed demon-king whose name means "the one that makes the universe scream". There is kidnapping, espionage, and high magic, culminating in an epic battle between good and evil.
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Also by Patel, try the Little Book of Hindu Deities. Each divine biography, short and sweet, matches an adorable chibi-style Hindu deity. ('Chibi', by the way, is a popular style of Manga art, shrinking the subject into a child-like state. Somehow, this works for Brahma's brood!)
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