Myth and Modernity in Devdutt Pattanaik’s My Hanuman Chalisa

Abstract

The relationship between myth and modernity has become one of the central concerns of contemporary literary and cultural studies. In India, mythological narratives continue to influence social imagination, ethical thought, religious practice, and cultural identity. Devdutt Pattanaik’s My Hanuman Chalisa emerges within this intellectual and cultural framework as an important modern reinterpretation of a classical devotional text. Pattanaik revisits the Hanuman Chalisa composed by Goswami Tulsidas and recontextualizes it for contemporary readers by combining mythology, psychology, philosophy, and cultural commentary. This paper explores how Pattanaik negotiates the tension between mythic tradition and modern sensibility. It examines how symbols associated with Hanuman are transformed into metaphors for emotional resilience, ethical discipline, self-awareness, and social harmony.

The study also investigates Pattanaik’s method of mythological interpretation and his attempt to make ancient narratives meaningful within a rapidly changing modern society. Through textual analysis, the paper demonstrates that My Hanuman Chalisa does not reject tradition; rather, it reconstructs tradition through modern intellectual frameworks. The work reveals how mythology can continue to function as a living cultural force capable of guiding contemporary individuals through psychological uncertainty and moral fragmentation. The paper argues that Pattanaik’s reinterpretation represents an important dialogue between devotional spirituality and modern rational inquiry.