He touches upon his affinity for an all-pervading mother goddess, creating strong women characters as opposed to the “damsel-in-distress” Western trope. Through his story, he also explores deeper questions around the existence of a God and the concept of “Shoonyata” or a “profound, eternal void”. He also mentions his passion for keeping traditional folklore alive, sprinkling mythological references throughout his book, and his love for “rain” to keep a narrative going.
And the Dakini, he says, will be back, as part of his "horror universe" or even as a film. Listen in!
Book recommendations:
* Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levine
* The Shining by Stephen King
* Markandeya Purana
* Devi Bhagavatam by Ramesh Menon
About the book “Dakini”:
While investigating a spate of unexplained deaths in a remote village, Mumbai-based journalist Mamta learns of the dakini: a bloodthirsty entity that haunts the surrounding forests, leaving mutilated corpses in her wake. As the villagers’ terror grows, so does their dangerous suspicion of women. With lives on the line, including her own, Mamta is dragged into a race against time-all whilst trying to escape her traumatic past, which threatens to turn her own mind against her.
About the author:
Gurgaon-based K. Hari Kumar is an author of eight books, including the bestseller Daiva: Discovering the Extraordinary World of Spirit Worship and the popular horror anthology India’s Most Haunted. His narratives are rooted in Indian folklore and mythology. He is also an international award nominated photographer and screenwriter.
Timestamps
02:20 The conception of Dakini; coming across news of witch-hunting
07:05 On the feminist energy of the book, his affinity for goddess Durga
14:30 Growing up on stories of yakshas, dakinis, brahma rakshasas, etc
20:35 Mythological symbolism in the book; Dakini as a yogini in Tibetan mythology
22:48 On his non-fiction Daiva; oral tradition of storytelling
27:00 “Surprising” rituals encountered during research for Daiva
39:44 His personal view of the rational vs supernatural
46:15 Interpretation of God
49:50 Using horror tropes; why he loves rain
55:10 How he started writing horror; the oracle’s prophecy
1:00:26 Book recommendations
1:06
Popular Podcasts
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.