Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part C2

(Photo from WikiMedia).

In Hanuman in Lanka, I loved that Hanuman snuck into Lanka in the form of a cat. I feel as though this is the first time I have seen a more house-hold animal in an Indian Epics story. I was surprised that the palace was full of so many people. I pictured the king being much more strict about the amount of people in his palace, but instead it seemed as though it was a party. I was also confused as to why Ravana was asleep while everyone else was awake in the palace. Maybe more time had passed before this point. At first, Hanuman thought Mandodari, Ravana's queen, was Sita and began to celebrate. Then, his reflection spoke to him reminding him that Sita would not eat or drink or decorate herself without Rama. He looked everywhere and could not find her so she though she must have been killed so he left the palace. 

In The Ashoka Grove, Hanuman wandered to this place and found Sita! She was surrounded by she-demons that were terrifying.

In Sita and Ravana, Hanuman saw an imprisoned women with jewels similar to those of Sita's that were described to him and he shed tears of joy as he thought of Rama and his brother. Ravana awoke and arrived with a trail of women. He went towards Sita and she was terrified and sobbed at the sight of him. He continued trying to woo her and continued to refuse. He then gave her a 2-month term and if she had not accepted him by then he would have her tortured and slain.

In Hanuman and Sita, Hanuman was close enough to talk to Sita in secret. She thought maybe is was Ravana in disguise at first, but then was reassured when shown the ring of Rama. Hanuman offered to carry her away, but she refused to touch the body of any male besides Rama. Instead she gave Hanuman a bright jewel as a token. I thought this was pretty insane. Someone came to rescue her and went through great trouble to finally find her and then she wouldn't let Hanuman carry her to Rama.

I think this was my favorite potion of reading C. I feel as though I could write my own version of this part of the story by having Hanuman take Sita anyway. I may make Hanuman disguise himself as Rama which would then allow her to touch him even if he isn't the real Rama.

Rayamana, Part C. Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.