‘You can find magic in mythology’ says Anuja Chandramouli

In literature, mythology has long been a ground for reimagining stories through fresh perspectives. Be it the untold story of Maa Sita, or the tales of Draupadi, numerous authors have given a fresh perspective of the females in a male-dominated story, and breathed fresh life into the characters.
And one such story is ‘The Wife and the Dancing Girl’ by Anuja Chandramouli.
In a recent discussion between Soma Basu, a senior journalist, and Anuja, an author of over 10 books, the duo discussed ‘The Wife and the Dancing Girl’, the themes of literature and mythology, the inspiration behind the book, and much more.

The discussion first started with a candid conversation between Soma and Anuja, and her inspiration and muse for writing the book. It started with Anuja mentioning why she took up writing in the first place, with her will and wish to travel the world, and her realisation that writing could open many gates for her and for her dreams.
Anuja also shared that her love and interest in mythology came from the stories she was told by elders, but she also always had second thoughts in mind about the real portrayal of queens, the royals and more, and how even though the ‘prince charming’ was always glorified, there were tears in the eyes of the queens and disappointment in life.
Anuja also talked about her writing process and remarked that when she is stuck in a pickle in her writing journey, one can find her talking to Lord Krishna in her head, blaming him about why she feels stuck. She took the audience back to her childhood by explaining how she was introduced to Lord Krishna as a friend, instead of a God, and thus her relationship with him has been one of friendship more than devotion.
The conversation then moved on to the folk story from which her book ‘The Wife and the Dancing Girl’ was inspired from, and she described how Kannagi was the chaste and pious wife who only ever saw good in her husband, and there were portrayals of women in different forms, linking them to both doom and blessings.
She talked about how mythology, even with the female characters, has been written from a male perspective, defining them with their relationships with men—either as wives, mothers, or temptresses. But, ‘The Wife and the Dancing Girl’ changes this perspective and gives voice to the female characters who were in the shadows of the males and gives them a chance to fight back and talk freely about what they need.
Anuja also read an excerpt from the book, which was received well from the audience, sparking more interest in the book.
Overall, ‘The Wife and the Dancing Girl’ is a book with poignant storytelling, listing not just the plight but also the wrath of women when she steps up, and will remain an emotional journey that readers will never forget.