A long time ago, there were two powerful sisters who couldn’t have been more different. Inanna was the goddess of love, beauty, and life. She ruled over the bright, sunny world where people celebrated, planted crops, and fell in love. Her sister, Ereshkigal, was the queen of the underworld, a shadowy, quiet place where things ended and rested in stillness.
One day, Inanna decided to visit Ereshkigal’s world. She dressed in her finest outfit—crown, jewels, and royal robes—and started her journey down into the underworld. However, to enter the underworld, Inanna had to go through seven gates, and at each gate, she had to give up something she was wearing. First her crown, then her necklace, her bracelets, her dress… by the time she reached the last gate, she had nothing left. She was completely vulnerable.
When she finally stood before her sister, Ereshkigal wasn’t happy to see her. She was angry and upset—maybe she thought Inanna was invading her space or trying to take her power. In a flash of rage, Ereshkigal killed Inanna and hung her lifeless body on a hook.
For a while, it seemed like that was the end of Inanna. The bright goddess of life and love was gone, and the world above started to feel darker and colder without her. But Inanna had a loyal friend named Ninshubur. Ninshubur noticed that Inanna hadn’t returned from visiting her sister, so she went to the other gods and begged for help. Finally, the god Enki, known for being wise and clever, came up with a plan. He created two small beings who snuck into the underworld. Instead of fighting Ereshkigal, they listened to her. They showed kindness and understood her sadness.
Ereshkigal, moved by their compassion, agreed to let Inanna go. The beings sprinkled magical life-giving water on her, and Inanna woke up! She wasn’t the same as before — she had been through darkness and death, and now she was stronger and wiser. Inanna climbed back up through the seven gates, reclaiming her power piece by piece. When she reached the surface, the world celebrated! The light and life she brought with her were like the return of the sun after the longest night
But there was one last twist: Inanna couldn’t leave the underworld without someone taking her place. Eventually, she chose her husband, Dumuzi, the god of vegetation, who hadn’t even missed her while she was gone! He had to spend part of the year in the underworld, and during that time, the world would grow cold and quiet. But when he returned, life and warmth would come back—just like the seasons change every year.