Reading Notes- Ramayana Part C

Done in Pune, India around the year 1800.

Sita's rakshasi guards.

The most prominent part that stuck out to me about Ramayana Part C was the idea of protection. From both sides, protection of whatever they thought was the priority was the highest matter in order. For Sita, Rama seemed, at least in my opinion, more worried about her being hurt or otherwise more than his loss of a wife. I think it is interesting that these kinds of stories have such a strong force of martyrdom. While there is a lot of history of Rama and how he got to the situations, most of the other characters that are searching all over the "world" are left quite vague in their own history and stories. I think the faith in Rama is rooted in the idea of protecting the most important priority. I certainly don't know all the angles of exactly why the entire population was on his side since many stories that are driven by passion instead of strategy are disregarded and require a special group that embraces martyrdom. And this can also be seen partly as Hanuman goes above and beyond to do just about anything for Rama. At the Ashoka Grove, where Sita is seen to be guarded by the rakshasis, the idea of protection rings true. (Just for a second, I think the culture is so strongly enforced that even the monsters are almost humanized with the painting with the sari and making it to where the guards' features are mostly just exaggerated human features.

Another thing I noticed was Sita's own idea of protection. While others focused on rescuing the physical body of Sita, her priority was different. She wanted to protect her faith and "purity", even when it was in exchange for not leaving. For example, Hanuman was ready to take her away on his back when he got past Sita's rakshasi guards. Instead of giving into the escape, she focused on the fact she is first the wife of Rama and then she is a trapped being.

I mostly used the story of The Ashoka Grove. The prose portion comes from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913), and the verse portion comes from Ramayana, The Epic of Rama, Prince of India.

Comments

Week 2 Story: Snip Snap Fish Crab

Photo by pieceoflace photography on Flikr. The pond had been the home for generations of fish. The pond had seen generations of schools, all swimming up to feel the warmth of the sun after being burrowed in eggs on the deep floor. As the years passed, the pond kept losing water, kept losing fish. What was once a booming pool of abundant creatures slowly became a warm puddle with fish that were slowly suffocating. The wild crane, the old and cranky one near the bay, watch the water line dip lower and lower every year. Instead of working hard to catch a few fish every day in a deep pond, he waited. Patiently. He watched the waters evaporate from the now shallow pond and saw the booming schools of fish starting to panic. He smiled to himself, knowing his long-awaited moment was almost here. "I don't know what much else we can do, sir," said Lole, the wisest fish in the pond. "I've never seen anything like it," said Boe, the oldest fish in the pond....

Here is a place that feels like warmth

Hello! When I pondered about a favourite place, I couldn't help but think of my home country of Bangladesh. While I don't want to say that I don't think about that place often, it certainly isn't enough. This picture by Verity Stokes-Clark at Flikr. I think it is a favourite place because it holds memories of mine that can never be recreated. I haven't been back to Bangladesh since 8th grade and it isn't something that crosses my mind until my story of immigration comes to the surface. No matter how I spin it and how much of American culture I manage to accumulate every day, I just can't seem to shake away that I am at least a bit different at the core. And that's okay. While I love the whole country, this mountain that once used to be a castle holds a dear place in my heart. I believe it was one of the last places I saw the family on my dad's side. They always lived quite far away and even if I enjoyed their company, it was hard...

Week 6 Story: Bhima and Hidimbi

Ghatotkacha by Unknown. The story of Bhima and Hidimba actually made me feel a bit different compared to all the love stories from the Indian Epics. I wanted to focus on more of the emotional aspect of the couple and decided to write it up! This felt different. He felt different. The large family, in the tattered garment and heavy eyelids, took a seat under the tallest tree in my forest. F...

Reety etc.

Search This Blog