A minister recently allegedly told scientists in the defence industry to be like rishis. He was referring to the story of sage Dadhichi who gave up his body so that his bones could be used to make the Vajra weapon for Indra, king of the gods. But, who were the rishis? Were they scientists or sorcerers or seers? Television would like us to believe that rishis had a dress code: white or orange robes, beards and a Gandalf-like staff. Our knowledge of the rishis comes from Vedas, composed 4,000 years ago, and Puranas, which were composed over a thousand years ago.

Illustration/Devdutt Pattanaik