The magazine has explored the psychology of the villain, Ravana, in depth, and how he has always been demonised in black and white while there were many shades to him.
With the rise of Hindutva and Right-wing politics, other aspects came to the fore too, like the increase in religious tourism, a trend the magazine caught in its cover story.
Outlook covered The new Ayodhya, remodelled as a glitzy temple town, exudes celebratory spirit and promises limitless development.
The Myth Factory: Belief, Politics, and the Making of New Ayodhya
How faith, power, and spectacle converged as Ayodhya transformed into a symbol of cultural assertion and political ambition.
Summary
In a deeply religious country like India, the lines between mythology and history often blur. Many devout firmly believe Lord Ram and Sita to have lived long ago in Ayodhya and no amount of reasoning can shake their faith. Politicians know this well and have used it to gain electoral success and remain in power. Outlook has always tried to separate facts from fiction and draw the hard line between mythology and history. We have traced how an epic hero Ram, always righteous and benign in his decisions in the Ramayana, has transformed into a muscular and aggressive character in the last few decades.
On the counter side, the magazine has explored the psychology of the villain, Ravana, in depth, and how he has always been demonised in black and white while there were many shades to him. With the rise of Hindutva and Right-wing politics, other aspects came to the fore too, like the increase in religious tourism, a trend the magazine caught in its cover story. We have always raised the flag whenever mythology has been tried to pass on as history in school and college syllabuses.
Different Take: Diwali, dedicated to the return of Ram from Lanka after defeating Ravana, is celebrated for a different reason in Tamil Nadu—it was the day Krishna killed the rakshas Narkasura
Saga Season: God Ram is headlining the current national discourse—from prime time to WhatsApp. He and the pantheon from Indian mythology have also been the source of bestselling pulp fiction lately
Defining the Enigma: Millions, who may not agree with Ram’s ideals, engage with his story, which calls upon them to confront their own behaviour
Status Change: Religious tourism has moved from the spiritual to the transactional
Temple town, Tinseltown: The new Ayodhya, remodelled as a glitzy temple town, exudes celebratory spirit and promises limitless development. But a closer look reveals its contradictions and discontent
Angels & Demons: Characters from India’s mythological cosmos are the new inspiration for writers in different languages
Holy Cow: Caught between competitive sentiments, the cow has become a victim of the politics around it
Advertisement
Ravana Redux: This anti-hero’s many dimensions have resisted the imposition of a singular narrative of him
Published At: