Ramayan

Ram Avatar

Rama, Prince of Ayodhya, is believed to be an avatar or incarnation of Maha Vishnu, the Supreme God in Hinduism. Therefore, his life is seen as a spiritual message for all mankind. There is a saying that a picture speaks a thousand words. Well, each and every phase of his life speaks a lesson in dharma...let us revisit this favourite mythological story of all Indians, especially as Ram Navami, the birthday of Rama, is almost here...

Ram Lalla

King Dasaratha of Ayodhya had four sons from his three wives. Rama was the son born to Kaushalya. As the brothers grow older, they are taught the skill of archery, at which they soon excel.

First Good Deed

Sage Vishwamitra presents to them the first opportunity to test their skills in warfare. He wants Ram and Lakshman to help him get rid of Tataka, a female demoness who is harassing rishis living peacefully in the forest. Ram kills her. In turn, Vishwamitra presents Ram with several astra and sastra - arms and knowledge. Then, Vishwamitra plans a yagna, at which he expects the surprise entry of Tataka's sons Mareecha and Subahu for revenge. Arrive they do, and Ram shoots down Subahu with one arrow and flings Mareecha to death faraway with another.

Frees Ahalya of Curse

Rama also frees Ahalya, the wife of Gautama Maharishi, from a curse. She had been turned into stone by her husband after he was displeased with her for something. But as Rama walked through the forest, his feet happened to touch the stone that Ahalya had become.

Sita Swayamvar

Sage Vishwamitra takes the two princes to Mithila, to attend the swayamvara of Sita, the daughter of King Janak. Eligible suitors far and wide are asked to test their skills in stringing and breaking a bow called Pinaka, belonging to none less than Shiva. No wonder, it is no mean for ordinary mortals. However, for Ram, it is child's play, and he easily breaks it in two.

Ram Sita Vivah

King Janak keeps his word and gives his beautiful daughter's hand in marriage to this able Prince from Ayodhya, who was the only one who could rise to the challenge set by him.

Stage set for Ram to become Yuvraj

King Dashrath is happy with Ram's exploits in ensuring the prevalence of dharma and decides that he is mature enough to learn the art of aristocracy as well. He announces that he will make Ram the crown prince or Yuvraj.

Kaikeyi and Her Promised Boon

While the news is welcomed by everyone in the kingdom, as Ram is a young prince adored by one and all, there is one person who is not too happy. That is Queen Kaikeyi, till now a doting stepmother to Ram. Her mind has been quickly poisoned by her maid Manthara, who dotes on Kaikeyi's son Bharat. She convinces the queen that Bharat's future is at stake if Ram becomes King. Fearing for her son, Kaikeyi reminds King Dashrath to honour a promise made long ago. Although the King is stunned, he cannot but honour her two wishes, that Bharat be made crown prince and Ram be banished to the forest for 14 long years.

Ram Decides to Uphold Father's Honour

Realizing his father's dilemma, Ram makes it easier fro him by saying he will, indeed, leave the palace and go into the forest. His brother Lakshman and his wife Sita follow suit.

Vanvas or 14 years in Exile

Ram and Sita, accompanied by Lakshman, then begin a new life in the forest. What did they know that it would not be an uneventful life but one marked by many dramatic developments.

Ram Paduka is Enough

After Ram leaves the palace, the sorrow of being separated from his favourite son eats away at King Dasharath and he dies. Despite his mother's blackmail, Prince Bharat refuses to be crowned king and instead pleads with Ram to return and become King. But for Ram, honouring his father's word is more important. Therefore, Bharat collects Ram's khadau, or wooden slippers, and places them on the throne as a mark of symbolic respect that only Ram is the King of Ayodhya.

Surpanakha's Arrival

In the forest, Ravana's demon sister Surpanakha happens to spot Ram and Sita. Envious, she asks him why he does not take her for a wife as well? This enrages the short-tempered Lakhsman, who promptly chops off her nose. Surpanakha vows revenge. The rest is history.

Ravana's Entry

When Surpanakha appeals to her brother Ravana, king of Sri Lanka, he decides to kidnap Sita. He asks one of his brothers to take the form of a beautiful deer and distract Ram and Lakshman, so that he can kidnap Sita easily. First, Ram is lured by the voice of a person in agony, a call the compassionate Ram cannot ignore. Then, Lakshman is lured by a fake voice of Ram in pain. Although Lakshman advises Sita not to step out of her house, she is moved by the sight of a hermit seeking alms, and steps out to offer him something, little realizing that he is none other than Ravana in disguise.

Sita's Abduction

Revealing his true self, Ravana easily abducts Sita and takes her to his palace in Lanka. Once there, he torments her day and night to marry him.

An Serendipitous Encounter

As Rama searched high and low in the forest for his lost wife, he came across Sugreeva, the monkey king who had been exiled by his own brother Bali. With Rama's help, he restored Sugreeva to the throne. In turn, Sugreeva promised to raise an army of monkeys to help him locate Sita.

Ram meets Hanuman

Hanuman is the commander of the monkey army organised by Sugreeva. When Ram meets Hanuman, it was as if twin souls met. As everyone knows, the two have ever since stood for the perfect Bhagwan and Bhakta.

Lanka Ahead

The monkey - and bear - army led by Hanuman reached the shores of Lanka, equipped with information given by Jatayu, the vulture, that he had spotted Ravan, the king of Lanka, kidnapping Sita. However, the sea seemed too big for this mere army of monkeys to cross. But Hanuman found a way. he threw rocks into the sea, and built a bridge all the way to Lanka. To people who do not belive this to be possible, let me share that staellite images of the Palk Strait reveal this bridge below the surface even today.

Ashok Vatika

Once the army reaches Lanka, Hanuman offers to go alone and search for Sita, so as not to arouse anyone's suspicions. He finally finds her in Ashok Vatika. Hanuman gives Sita Ram's ring as a sign of hope that her husband and help is near.

Hanuman sets Lanka on Fire

However, Hanuman is soon captured by Ravana's soldiers, and he is tied up in ropes. Then, his tail is set on fire. But Hanuman, using his special powers, reduces himself in size and wriggles out of his tight ropes. Then, assuming a huge persona, he leaps over homes and palaces in Lanka, setting it all on fire with his fiery tail.

War with Lanka

Hanuman then reaches Ram and gives him the news about his beloved wife Sita. When Ram launches attack on Lanka with his makeshift army, Ravana comes out to meet him with all his might. One by one, all his worthy lieutenants are vanquished by Ram, including Kumbhakarna, the giant who sleeps long and hard.

Lakshman Wounded

During the battle, Lakshman gets badly wounded. A monkey physician advises Hanuman to fetch the rare herb sanjeevani, as the only cure for reviving Lakshman. Hanuman reaches the mountain where the herb is meant to be, but being in a hurry, decides to carry the mountain itself to Lakshman! Such is the might of Hanuman.

Ram and Ravan Come Face to Face

Now, the fight is between Ram and Ravan. Although Ram's arrows don't miss Ravan, each time one of Ravan's famed 10 heads is chopped off, it gets restored again, due to a wish granted by Shiva, whose ardent devotee is Ravana. Then rishi Agastya reveals to Ram that his life lies in his belly. Ram shoots an arrow and vanquishes Ravan.

Agni Pariksha

War with Lanka ends with the death of Ravan and with the installation on the throne of Ravana's good brother Vibhishana. But it is not over for Sita. For having lived in another man's house, although chaste, she is asked to walk through fire to prove that she is pure.

Return to Ayodhya

Ram and Sita return to Ayodhya to a grand welcome. Ayodhya nagri has, after all, waited for 14 long years. The city is decorated with flowers and garlands. Every house has lamps lit outside, a practice followed till date, the day being Diwali, the darkest night of the year.

Happily Ever After...Not Really

Ram and Sita have returned home, now all should be well. But they are not so lucky. Ram is crowned King. With great power, comes great responsibility, indeed. A dhobi casually remarks that if he were Ram, he would never have accepted his wife again, after she returned from another man's house. This was enough for the King of Ayodhya, who valued dharma above all. If even one of his subjects was unhappy, he could not be happy. Thus, he banished his pregnant wife to the forest, once again. It is still a matter of debate whether he did right or wrong. But she gives birth to twins Luv and Kush in sage Valmiki's ashram.

Ashwamedha Yagna

Even as Sita leads a life in the forest, Ram decides to conduct an ashwamedha yagna, for which he installs a bronze image of Sita. After the yagna, the horse is set free as per norm to roam and return. The horse enters the forest where Luv and Kush are growing up. The brave boys halt the horse in its journey, not knowing that stopping the horse means posing a challenge to the army of Ayodhya.

Ramayana concludes

It is Hanuman who conveys the news to Ram that the two boys are his sons Luv and Kush. A delighted Ram comes to the forest to reclaim his family. However, he once again asks Sita to do agni pariksha, as she has lived away from home. The humiliation of being asked to perform agni pariksha for a second time is too much for Sita, who asks her mother Bhoomi Devi, represented by the earth, to accept her, as she does not wish to live anymore. Rama loses Sita, and returns home with his sons.