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An Unlikely Goddess: Guest Post and Giveaway!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Could you shed more light on Hindu culture?
People often confuse being a speaker of Hindi, which is one of the 16 official languages of India, with the religion, with being a Hindu, which is someone of the faith of Hinduism.

Hinduism is an ancient religion which is polytheistic, or believes in many Gods and is mostly practiced in India but also in Nepal and places with Indian influence like Bali or Singapore. There are male and female deities, like the goddess Sita, who the main character is named after, and like the Greek gods, there are many, many stories about their origins, lives on earth in human form, and the ways they can help people.

Many of the gods have allegorical positions or they stand for certain values. Sita, for example, is a paragon of womanly virtue. A parallel might be the Virgin Mary for Catholics; she is seen as above reproach and the perfect woman (the comparison ends there, no virgin birth for Sita).

I named my main character Sita because she is a “good girl” who struggles with how to come into her own, whether as an Indian, or an American teenager. Her struggle is one anyone who has ever tried to fit in can relate to.

Do you have any personal experiences involving unwanted daughters?
I was the second daughter and it’s no secret that my family was eagerly expecting a boy since all of the 10+ cousins were also girls. I wrote a short story, “Truth” about unwanted daughters and the dangers of the ‘sex test’ in Asia (which allows women to know whether or not they’re having a boy) in my collection Coloured and other Stories. Throughout India, China, and other parts of Asia, girls are often viewed as a burden because of the high price of dowries and marriage practices where they are given away to the other family. “A daughter is the wealth you give away,” a character says in the novel Toss of a Lemon by Padma Viswanathan. This is a mentality is changing but is at the heart of sexism against women all over Asia. And certainly a key part of Sita, my protagonist’s, story.



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  1. Another fascinating post. I am one of 7 children. 6 daughter & a son. Makes you think.


  1. Karen H said...:

    This book sounds like it would make a great movie. Who would you like to see playing the main characters?

    kareninnc at gmail dot com

  1. Rita Wray said...:

    Interesting post, thank you.

  1. mohadoha said...:

    Wow Mary. I bet you have stories of your own to tell!

  1. MomJane said...:

    What an interesting opportunity to read this story. I really enjoy learning about other cultures

  1. Great post! Your book sounds interesting!

    falcondraco at Hotmail dot com

  1. bn100 said...:

    Interesting info about the name

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

  1. Natasha said...:

    Sounds like a great read!!
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com

  1. This is truly one of the more intriguing books I have seen on a blog tour. I am definitely adding this to my tbr. Thanks for sharing.

  1. Sounds really cool!