‘The Daughter from a Wishing Tree’ is a compilation of short stories from Hindu mythology by renowned author, Ms. Sudha Murty.
SUDHA MURTY
Ms. Sudha Murty is an exceptional and highly distinguished author, teacher, engineer, motivational speaker, and philanthropist. She was born on 19 August 1950, in Shiggaon, Karnataka. Her parents, Dr. R. H. Kulkarni and Mrs. Vimala Kulkarni encouraged her passion for reading and writing since she was little.
Ms. Murty was the first female engineer to be hired by India’s biggest automobile manufacturer – TATA Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO) in Pune. She co-founded the Infosys foundation with her husband, Mr. N. R. Narayan Murty. She has been the chairperson of the company since 1996 and will be stepping down from the position in December this year. Hailing from a scientific background, she understood the importance of knowledge and went on to establish many libraries and computer labs for the underprivileged. Through the foundation, she has made significant contributions to society in the fields of healthcare, education, sanitation facilities, etc. The Padma-Shri awardee has written numerous titles in Kannada and English catering to readers across all ages. Her most notable works include Wise and Otherwise, How I Taught My Grandmother to Read, Grandma’s Bag of Stories, Mahashweta among others. She began writing while still in school and mainly wrote in Kannada. She studied in a Kannada-medium school till class 10th and didn’t begin writing in English until the age of 50. Her characters are often inspired by the people that surround her. Her books for children have made her the nation’s ‘beloved grandmother,’ with their sweet tenor and undertones which are relevant to the Indian culture and environment.
The Daughter from a Wishing Tree
‘The Daughter from a Wishing Tree,’ is one of the books from the four-part series on Hindu myths by Ms. Sudha Murty. This book mainly focuses on the women in Hindu mythology and narrates the lore of their virtues. These women, though few have had important parts to play in these legends, often making decisions that have affected the entire course of events in the protagonist’s story. Many of these women have paved their way in a man’s world and written destinies with their own hands. The book goes on to unfold the tales of twenty-four such women who have had the power to influence fate itself – The bold Goddess of chaos, Kali; the serene Goddess of wisdom, Saraswati; the epitome of courage – Goddess Durga; the ethereal Goddess of beauty and wealth, Lakshmi; the sacred Ganga and Vatsala, the forgotten wife among others.
OUTLINE
The book is divided into four chapters with further divisions according to the legends. The chapters have Sanskrit names that vividly capture the essence of the stories that follow. Intricate illustrations by Priyankar Gupta accompany each fable and offer the reader a glimpse of another world.
The cover story, ‘The Daughter from a Wishing Tree,’ follows Goddess Parvati who, upon visiting the garden of Nandana at Amravati, the capital of Lord Indra’s kingdom, makes a wish to Kalpavriksha, the Wishing Tree, asking for a daughter. ‘The Source of Knowledge’ tells the reader about the creation of Saraswati, the Goddess of wisdom and knowledge, by Lord Brahma. ‘The Woman of the Battlefield’ tells the reader how Goddess Durga comes to yield her eight characteristic weapons and goes on to slay Mahishasura, the asura who had wreaked havoc on the earth and subsequently, in the realm of the Gods. Other stories include, ‘The Maiden of The River’, ‘The Temple Without a Deity’, ‘The God with The Head of a Horse’, and ‘The First Clone in The World,’ etc.
EVALUATION
The book is written in simple language which is no surprise considering the writer’s slight aversion to dictionaries . This feature of the book not only makes it easily comprehensible by all but, also a must-read. Most of the books based on Hindu mythology in the market glorify the male legends and the role of women in these stories is often limited. This book gives the women in Hindu mythology the much-deserved limelight and presents their tales in a thought-provoking manner. It offers an insight into the world of Hindu mythology which is considered one of the oldest mythologies in the world and therefore, is perfect for individuals who have recently gained interest in the subject. Apart from mythology enthusiasts, psychology, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, and history lovers should also read this book as it discusses topics that would provide them with a better understanding of the Hindu religion, traditions, culture, psyche, polity, etc.
‘The Daughter from a Wishing Tree,’ discusses morals and themes that are rarely talked about in the real world. Seeing women, who followers of Hinduism have known about since their childhood through folklore, being portrayed as the remarkable protagonists they are, makes them a source of inspiration even today.
