Adbhut: Marvellous Creatures of Indian Myth and Folklore by Meena Arora Nayak [Hardcover]

Adbhut: Marvellous Creatures of Indian Myth and Folklore by Meena Arora Nayak is an anthology of fifty-five mythical creatures drawn from the rich tapestry of India’s diverse cultural myths and folklore. The book is divided into five sections, each dedicated to creatures that inhabit different realms—air, water, earth, land, and the spaces in between. Within these pages, Nayak introduces readers to a blend of well-known and obscure beings that captivate and terrify, bringing to life guardians, monsters, and hybrids from various traditions.

The creatures include Indian mythological figures like the guardian python god Pakhangpa from Manipur, Garuda the king of birds, and Mahisa the Buffalo King. Nayak also broadens the scope to include mythical beings from other traditions, such as Leviathan from Judaic lore, Azhi Dahaka from Zoroastrian mythology, and al-Buraq from Islamic tales. Each creature is carefully portrayed with an emphasis on its unique attributes and its role in the mythology of its culture, creating a vivid picture of India’s mythological diversity and its connections to broader mythic traditions.