India Authentic
Encyclopedia
Deepak Chopra's India Authentic is a series of one-shot comic books from Virgin Comics which re-tell the iconic myths and legends of India
for a global audience. The series has been created by Deepak Chopra
(with Saurav Mohapatra
), who also presents the foreword for each issue. The first five issues were collected as the 'Book of Shiva'. The next will likely be collected as a 'Book of Vishnu'.
. This features art by many of Virgin Comics' artists like Abhishek Singh (Ramayan 3392 A.D.), Satish Tayade (Kama Sutra
) and others.
, son of Shiva
, who gave up his life for a promise made to his mother, Uma.
, an unstoppable destroyer, who was summoned by the gods to battle a demonic army.
, king of the heavens, and the serpent demon Vritra
.
.
, the destroyer, and the churning of the primordial ocean
.
, the fourth incarnation of Vishnu
, who defended the people of Earth against a demon overlord.
, the lord of death, who rules over the underworld Naraka
.
, the mighty Eagle
-headed god, the Avian
warrior.
, the son of Shiva
and Uma
Bhargava, and his vendetta against the kings.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for a global audience. The series has been created by Deepak Chopra
Deepak Chopra
Deepak Chopra is an Indian medical doctor, public speaker, and writer on subjects such as spirituality, Ayurveda and mind-body medicine. Chopra began his career as an endocrinologist and later shifted his focus to alternative medicine. Chopra now runs his own medical center, with a focus on...
(with Saurav Mohapatra
Saurav Mohapatra
Saurav Mohapatra is an Indian comic book writer based out of Massachusetts, USA. His credits include the Devi , The Sadhu : "The Silent Ones" and Deepak Chopra's India Authentic from Virgin Comics- Biography :...
), who also presents the foreword for each issue. The first five issues were collected as the 'Book of Shiva'. The next will likely be collected as a 'Book of Vishnu'.
Credits
The series is the creation of Deepak Chopra and is written by Saurav MohapatraSaurav Mohapatra
Saurav Mohapatra is an Indian comic book writer based out of Massachusetts, USA. His credits include the Devi , The Sadhu : "The Silent Ones" and Deepak Chopra's India Authentic from Virgin Comics- Biography :...
. This features art by many of Virgin Comics' artists like Abhishek Singh (Ramayan 3392 A.D.), Satish Tayade (Kama Sutra
Kama Sutra
The Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian Hindu text widely considered to be the standard work on human sexual behavior in Sanskrit literature written by Vātsyāyana. A portion of the work consists of practical advice on sexual intercourse. It is largely in prose, with many inserted anustubh poetry verses...
) and others.
Issue #1: Ganesha
The first issue recounts the story of the birth of GaneshaGanesha
Ganesha , also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh, also known as Ganapati , Vinayaka , and Pillaiyar , is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations...
, son of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, who gave up his life for a promise made to his mother, Uma.
Issue #2: Kali
The second issue recounts the story of the awakening of KaliKali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
, an unstoppable destroyer, who was summoned by the gods to battle a demonic army.
Issue #3: Indra
The third issue recounts the story of the battle between IndraIndra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, king of the heavens, and the serpent demon Vritra
Vritra
In the early Vedic religion, Vritra , is an Asura and also a serpent or dragon, the personification of drought and enemy of Indra. Vritra was also known in the Vedas as Ahi...
.
Issue #4: Uma
The fourth issue recounts the story of Uma and her quest to win the heart of ShivaShiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
.
Issue #5: Shiva
This issue tells the story of ShivaShiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, the destroyer, and the churning of the primordial ocean
Samudra manthan
In Hinduism, Samudra manthan or Ksheera Sagara Mathanam, Churning of the Ocean of Milk is one of the most famous episodes in the Puranas...
.
Issue #6: Vishnu (Narasimha Avatara)
This issue tells the story of NarasimhaNarasimha
Narasimha or Nrusimha , also spelt as Narasingh and Narasingha, whose name literally translates from Sanskrit as "Man-lion", is an avatar of Vishnu described in the Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient religious texts of Hinduism...
, the fourth incarnation of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, who defended the people of Earth against a demon overlord.
Issue #7: Yama
This issue tells the story of YamaYama
Yama , also known as Yamarāja in India and Nepal, Shinje in Tibet, Yanluowang or simply Yan in China, Yeomla Daewang in South Korea and Enma Dai-Ō in Japan, is the lord of death, in Hinduism and then adopted into Buddhism and then further into Chinese mythology and Japanese mythology. First...
, the lord of death, who rules over the underworld Naraka
Naraka
Naraka is the Sanskrit word for the underworld; literally, of man. According to Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism, Naraka is a place of torment, or Hell...
.
Issue #8: Garuda
This issue tells the story of GarudaGaruda
The Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.From an Indian perspective, Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and...
, the mighty Eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
-headed god, the Avian
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
warrior.
Issue #9: Kartikkeya
This issue tells the story of Kartikkeya, also called MuruganMurugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
, the son of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and Uma
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
Issue #10: Parshuram
This issue tells the story of ParashuramaParashurama
Parashurama , is the sixth avatar of Vishnu and belongs to the treta yuga, and is the son of a Brahmin father Jamadagni and mother Renuka. He is considered one of the seven immortal human. He received an axe after undertaking a terrible penance to please Shiva, from whom he learned the methods of...
Bhargava, and his vendetta against the kings.
Issue #16: The Saffron Princess
Created by: Deepak Chopra Written by: Yogesh Chandekar Art & Cover by: Virgin Studios When Prince Gulfaam rescues a huge, feral black panther, little does he know that he's on the brink of an unseen world where animals talk and a forgotten kingdom lies hidden deep in the woods. And it is here that fate will bring him face to face with the love of his life - the fabled 'Saffron Princess'. But what is love without a little peril? Ror the Saffron Princess has fallen prey to the evil schemes of a seasoned crook. And it is now up to Prince Gulfaam and his feline friend to foil the diabolical plan.Critical reception
The reception for this series has been generally positive http://www.comiccritique.com/st/grevSt551.htmlhttp://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?p=1385477#post1385477.Collected Editions
There are currently two volumes of collected editions available as trade paperbacks.- India Authentic Vol 1 : Book of Shiva (Collecting issues #1-5) ISBN-1934413089
- India Authentic Vol 2 (Collecting issues #6-10) ISBN-1934413151
External links
- ComicCrique.com's review of INDIA AUTHENTIC #1-3
- Virgin Comics Press Release about INDIA AUTHENTIC
- Full summary of the first three issues
- India Authentic #1 / Ganesha Review at ComicPants.com
- India Authentic #1 Review at ComixFan.com
- India Authentic #1 / Ganesha Digital Edition at Virgin Comics
- Saurav Mohapatra's website
- Deepak Chopra's website