Children born in Indian Hindu households grow up consuming these stories. As a child, I loved these fantastic tales — especially those from the shaktya tradition dominant in my home state — which involved the feminine power, or Aadi Shakti, quashing the egos of pompous male gods and slaying demons. But these tales are often presented in ways that reinforce racist, casteist, and sexist stereotypes. Positing these stories as the sole representation of Indian mythology erases the stories of the indigenous peoples of India, of other religions, and also versions of the same stories that differ from the widely accepted one.
Luckily, in recent years there has been a shift in the approach to writing mythology books for children, led by some brilliant independent children’s book publishers in India. There is active effort to highlight stories of indigenous communities, and of regions that are often ignored in national discourses. There is still a long way to go, but kids now have access to more diverse books than I had growing up. Writers are also finding, new, thoughtful ways of engaging with the well known tales from Hindu mythology. So read on, for a list of Indian mythology books for children that will provide kids with an introduction to enjoyable stories from Indian mythology.
Indian Mythology Picture Books for children
Middle Grade Indian Mythology Books
Want to know more about this diverse country and its history and culture? Check out there must-read Indian history books and our starter kit for Indian writing in English. Here are more middle grade mythology recs and a list of classical mythology retellings.
