I do not know how people might take this writings of mine. The recent happening in Delhi. of rape of a helpless girl, Nirbhaya, or whatever be her name is a result of long term conditioning of the minds of individuals specially the men folk of India.
Today, we find a mass hysteria in public condemning and condoling the wrong that has been done. However, I go back to my memories as a small boy, when I used to hear stories of Ramayan from my Didu and then contemplate. One of the incidents which still haunt me was when Ram and Lakshman along with Sita, were living in Panchavati; and Shupnakha approached the two handsome princes with the proposal of marriage. She was from a different clan but was still a princess in her own rights.
Making fun and cracking jokes could have been one thing but then physically mutilating Shupnakha and treating her as an article by Lakshman, as I was told, was something I was never ever convinced about. I had learned that all these things happened in the presence of Ram and Sita and when her brothers, Khar & Dushana came to her rescue they too were killed in a battle.
Ram, Lakshman and Sita were revered then and are revered now. And still all of us, feel the agony of the victim. Why do such thoughts keep crossing our minds that somehow, those who did such a dastardly deed against the victim, should suffer the same plight? - Be it though a life sentence or at least a chemical castration. And going back to the times when such things were not possible, was it not the best option available to Ravana to abduct Sita and let them, who did such an act, Lakshman, or who could have prevented such an act, Ram, understand the plight of the victim.
I had even learnt during my childhood, that the powerful king of the demons, Ravana, did not even touch Sita. Perhaps that was never his intention. We, the people of India, are once again taking a stand against the wrong doers, as did the people of Lanka, and I regret to contemplate that once again they are going to fail. History will fail to give credit or even recognize the real heroes as history is always written by the victor.
As for the victors of Ramayan, the skills of Ram and Lakshman was used by Sugreev and Vibhishana to serve their own ends. It was they who enjoyed the fruits of victory over Lanka, Ram and Lakshman had to end their own lives despite being the victors of the Lanka war.
Today, we find a mass hysteria in public condemning and condoling the wrong that has been done. However, I go back to my memories as a small boy, when I used to hear stories of Ramayan from my Didu and then contemplate. One of the incidents which still haunt me was when Ram and Lakshman along with Sita, were living in Panchavati; and Shupnakha approached the two handsome princes with the proposal of marriage. She was from a different clan but was still a princess in her own rights.
Making fun and cracking jokes could have been one thing but then physically mutilating Shupnakha and treating her as an article by Lakshman, as I was told, was something I was never ever convinced about. I had learned that all these things happened in the presence of Ram and Sita and when her brothers, Khar & Dushana came to her rescue they too were killed in a battle.
Ram, Lakshman and Sita were revered then and are revered now. And still all of us, feel the agony of the victim. Why do such thoughts keep crossing our minds that somehow, those who did such a dastardly deed against the victim, should suffer the same plight? - Be it though a life sentence or at least a chemical castration. And going back to the times when such things were not possible, was it not the best option available to Ravana to abduct Sita and let them, who did such an act, Lakshman, or who could have prevented such an act, Ram, understand the plight of the victim.
I had even learnt during my childhood, that the powerful king of the demons, Ravana, did not even touch Sita. Perhaps that was never his intention. We, the people of India, are once again taking a stand against the wrong doers, as did the people of Lanka, and I regret to contemplate that once again they are going to fail. History will fail to give credit or even recognize the real heroes as history is always written by the victor.
As for the victors of Ramayan, the skills of Ram and Lakshman was used by Sugreev and Vibhishana to serve their own ends. It was they who enjoyed the fruits of victory over Lanka, Ram and Lakshman had to end their own lives despite being the victors of the Lanka war.
Drawing parallels between a Horrendous rape, mutilation of genitals, murder attempt that happened a fortnight ago with the Physical assault and mutilation of the nose ( as what the epic says) that’s only believed to have happened and that too thousands of years ago is not appropriate. Did Shupnakha die because of the pain inflicted? No. She was physically fit enough to travel back to Lanka.
ReplyDeleteI agree, history is always written by the victor. In the present times these rapists are not the victors- they were not sons of high class officials, politicians and so they will be punished.
The current reactions of people are something that’s alive, happening now, not penned by an epic writer. So it would not be right to have it governed by Ramayana.
About killing Khar and Duhsana atleast they died fighting against Ram Lakshman as humans, for the sake of their sister. Better still than those countless ‘Rakshas’ who were poached only because the forests they inhabited were being blown away , fauna chased away by ‘Rishis’ who light fires.
Why did Ravan abduct Sita? Was it a revenge of Shupnakha’s nose cut-off or was it that Shupnakha gave Ravan a vivid description of Sita’s beauty and lured Ravan to abduct her?The latter too has been mentioned in Ramayana. Our epic writers are on the side of Ram so they have put riders wherever Ravan could be the ‘good man’.
Looking further into our epics, the cases of violence against women have been prevalent and more so to take revenge on her male counterpart. In this way woman has been treated as an object Ravan abducted Sita to avenge his sister’s insult. Ram took revenge upon himself –king Ram and abandoned his pregnant wife. But hey, why the violence of demanding Sita to prove her sanctity? Where was the revenge? No- there was no revenge but pure appeasement. Appeasement of the race that helped Ram become a victor. A race whose IQ is considered lower than of humans. And yet Ram submitted to them. Here I do hope that Sita saw through Ram’s intention. Perhaps a dialogue was not necessary because Ram and Sita were one.
But then what happened in Uttar Ramayana? Was it that the appeasement saga continued and Sita felt that enough is enough? Or that Ram was moving towards Godliness- considering the dhobi –the accuser, king Ram – the accused, Sita –the victim to be all but ONE ; and that Sita was still a human considering herself to be the rightful queen? What happened when the spy came and spoke to Ram in confidence? Why didn’t Ram speak with Sita? How could he just abandon her without a word ? Why were the people of Ayodhya so dead as to not question their king or better beat up the dhobi? So dead!! Yes that’s what are ancestors have been. Often there’s a feeling that story of Ramayana is in truth the story of India. But it doesn’t mean its always going to be the same way. (Atleast that’s where our hope is).
After the several years when Rishi Valmiki introduces Lav Kush to Ram as his sons and requests Ram to bring Sita back- what made him say so abruptly , so un-intelligently “ How can I accept whom (which) I have previously rejected?” How can the Godliness that caused him to bear the separation from Sita also make him say such words- as if coming from an obstinate, average witted, helpless human? Was he a God only for the people of Ayodhya and in front of Rishi Valmiki and Sita – he became a human again?
Women even in present times have their existence known through their male counterparts. Was it true for Sita too? Did Sita realize that Ram is yet to become God? The lives of Ram and Sita were supposed to bring perfection- Ram Rajya. But perfection was still lacking in Ram himself. What option did Sita have but to end her life.
Personally speaking, Ramayana is a story seeking idealism. Almost every night when I narrate to Bia the story of Luv Kush, Ashvamedh yagya and Sita ‘going to her mummy ke ghar’ , I get some new thought and the same old feel of agony.
Drawing parallels between a Horrendous rape, mutilation of genitals, murder attempt that happened a fortnight ago with the Physical assault and mutilation of the nose ( as what the epic says) that’s only believed to have happened and that too thousands of years ago is not appropriate. Did Shupnakha die because of the pain inflicted? No. She was physically fit enough to travel back to Lanka.
ReplyDeleteI agree, history is always written by the victor. In the present times these rapists are not the victors- they were not sons of high class officials, politicians and so they will be punished.
The current reactions of people are something that’s alive, happening now, not penned by an epic writer. So it would not be right to have it governed by Ramayana.
About killing Khar and Duhsana atleast they died fighting against Ram Lakshman as humans, for the sake of their sister. Better still than those countless ‘Rakshas’ who were poached only because the forests they inhabited were being blown away , fauna chased away by ‘Rishis’ who light fires.
Why did Ravan abduct Sita? Was it a revenge of Shupnakha’s nose cut-off or was it that Shupnakha gave Ravan a vivid description of Sita’s beauty and lured Ravan to abduct her?The latter too has been mentioned in Ramayana. Our epic writers are on the side of Ram so they have put riders wherever Ravan could be the ‘good man’.
Looking further into our epics, the cases of violence against women have been prevalent and more so to take revenge on her male counterpart. In this way woman has been treated as an object Ravan abducted Sita to avenge his sister’s insult. Ram took revenge upon himself –king Ram and abandoned his pregnant wife. But hey, why the violence of demanding Sita to prove her sanctity? Where was the revenge? No- there was no revenge but pure appeasement. Appeasement of the race that helped Ram become a victor. A race whose IQ is considered lower than of humans. And yet Ram submitted to them. Here I do hope that Sita saw through Ram’s intention. Perhaps a dialogue was not necessary because Ram and Sita were one.
But then what happened in Uttar Ramayana? Was it that the appeasement saga continued and Sita felt that enough is enough? Or that Ram was moving towards Godliness- considering the dhobi –the accuser, king Ram – the accused, Sita –the victim to be all but ONE ; and that Sita was still a human considering herself to be the rightful queen? What happened when the spy came and spoke to Ram in confidence? Why didn’t Ram speak with Sita? How could he just abandon her without a word ? Why were the people of Ayodhya so dead as to not question their king or better beat up the dhobi? So dead!! Yes that’s what are ancestors have been. Often there’s a feeling that story of Ramayana is in truth the story of India. But it doesn’t mean its always going to be the same way. (Atleast that’s where our hope is).
After the several years when Rishi Valmiki introduces Lav Kush to Ram as his sons and requests Ram to bring Sita back- what made him say so abruptly , so un-intelligently “ How can I accept whom (which) I have previously rejected?” How can the Godliness that caused him to bear the separation from Sita also make him say such words- as if coming from an obstinate, average witted, helpless human? Was he a God only for the people of Ayodhya and in front of Rishi Valmiki and Sita – he became a human again?
Women even in present times have their existence known through their male counterparts. Was it true for Sita too? Did Sita realize that Ram is yet to become God? The lives of Ram and Sita were supposed to bring perfection- Ram Rajya. But perfection was still lacking in Ram himself. What option did Sita have but to end her life.
Personally speaking, Ramayana is a story seeking idealism. Almost every night when I narrate to Bia the story of Luv Kush, Ashvamedh yagya and Sita ‘going to her mummy ke ghar’ , I get some new thought and the same old feel of agony.