17
Mar 2025
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Drama Classes for Kids
Mayoor Private School, 42nd St. Al Wathba South, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Did you know that Adam's first wife wasn't Eve? Mythology tells the tale of a fiery woman named Lilith who refused to be subservient to him and left Eden. But Lilith's departure didn't mark the end of her story. Instead, it was just the beginning of a tale filled with rebellion and defiance.
Prepare to be enlightened as eminent
authors Devdutt Pattanaik and Shinie Antony explore the Garden
of Eden, a symbol of paradise in Abrahamic lore. The engaging conversation will
illuminate the tales and metaphors woven across cultures and religions. The
panelists will also delve into the lesser-known figures and their stories,
challenging the traditional interpretations of power, desire, morality, and
female agency
Join us for timeless lessons from
ancient tales and understand their relevance for the 21st century.
Devdutt Pattanaik writes on mythology, which he defines as cultural truths revealed through stories, symbols and rituals. He lectures on the relevance of both Indian and Western myths in modern life. In the last twenty-five years, he has authored and illustrated over fifty books, including Book of Ram and Eden: An Indian Exploration of Jewish, Christian and Islamic Lore. Known for his TED talk and TV shows such as Devlok and Business Sutra, he is a regular columnist for reputed newspapers like The Times of India and Dainik Bhaskar. A medical doctor by training, Devdutt spent fifteen years working in the pharma and healthcare industry, but over the past decade he has been fully immersed in exploring mythology and sharing its wisdom with the world.
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Shinie Antony is a writer and editor based in Bengaluru. Her novels include Eden Abandoned: The Story of Lilith, Can’t, The Girl Who Couldn’t Love. Her short-story collections include Barefoot and Pregnant, The Orphanage for Words. She has put together the anthologies Boo, Why We Don’t Talk, An Unsuitable Woman. She is the founder of the Bangalore Literature Festival and director of the Bengaluru Poetry Festival. Her story ‘A Dog’s Death’ won the Commonwealth Short Story Asia prize in 2002
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Anuradha SenGupta is an independent journalist who runs her own YouTube channel @anuradhasays. She has spent close to thirty years creating and anchoring current affairs feature shows and interview shows for CNBC-TV18 and CNN News18. They include Storyboard, Beautiful People, Off Centre, Reporters Project and Media Dialogues.
Read moreThe Tale of Adam and Eve
The biblical story of Adam and Eve is a foundational narrative in Christianity that recounts the creation of the first humans and their lives in the Garden of Eden, a place of harmony and innocence. God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden with a single command: not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, when they disobeyed God's command by eating the forbidden fruit, they were expelled from Eden, an event known as the Fall. This act of disobedience is seen in Christian theology as the original sin, a pivotal moment that introduced sin and suffering into the human experience. By breaking God's command, Adam and Eve lost their innocence and the perfect harmony they once enjoyed, leading to a world marked by toil, pain, and mortality. The story of Adam and Eve underscores the themes of obedience, free will, and the consequences of choices. It also introduces the concept of salvation, suggesting that humanity's separation from God, brought on by sin, requires redemption. In Christian thought, this redemption is achieved through Jesus Christ, who offers a path to forgiveness and reconciliation with God.
Who is Lilith?
Lilith has a storied and multifaceted history in Jewish folklore. Initially introduced through "The Alphabet of Ben Sira," Lilith is often portrayed as the original woman, created before Eve and Adam's first wife. According to Genesis Rabbah, Lilith refused to be subservient to Adam, leading to her eventual departure from Eden. As a result, she transformed into a demon and became associated with malevolent acts such as harming newborns and haunting the night. The Hebrew term "lîlît" translates to "night spectre" or "screech owl," reflecting her ties to the nocturnal and the supernatural.
Lilith's story extends
beyond her demonization in Jewish tradition, where she symbolizes darkness and
chaos. In contemporary interpretations, especially within feminist circles,
Lilith has been reimagined as a symbol of female empowerment, independence, and
defiance against patriarchal constraints. This reimagining contrasts with the
traditional depictions of women in religious texts, offering an alternative
narrative that champions autonomy and resistance. Her legend is traced back to
ancient Babylonian mythology, where she was considered a threatening figure.
The Book of Isaiah even cautions against those who worship foreign deities like
Lilith. In the Talmud, she is further characterized as a spirit of darkness and
unchecked sexuality, reinforcing her status as a controversial and enigmatic
presence within Jewish tradition.
Judaism
Judaism, one of the oldest religions in the world, has a rich history that stretches back nearly 4,000 years. Often considered the original Abrahamic faith, Judaism laid the groundwork for Islam and Christianity. Central to Judaism is the belief in a single, omniscient God who revealed his will through prophets like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. The primary sacred text is the Tanakh, also known as the Hebrew Bible. The Torah, the first five books of the Tanakh, outlines the laws and teachings that guide Jewish religious and ethical practices; it is also known as the Pentateuch. Jewish worship takes place in synagogues, which are community centers for prayer and learning, led by spiritual leaders known as rabbis. The most widely recognized symbol of Judaism is the six-pointed Star of David. Jewish culture is rich with traditions and holidays, such as Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Hanukkah, and Purim, each marking significant events in Jewish history or religious teachings.
