What does Ravana think?

The Ramayana one of Indiarsquos most revered epics has travelled through time constantly reinterpreted by different communities and storytellers Each retelling adds a new dimension offering insights into the charactersrsquo journeys while reflecting the evolving moral and cultural fabric of Indian societyArtists perform Bharatanatyam to portray Jatayu Moksham a story from Ramayana at the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai in February 2024While the core story of Ram remains constant the lens through which we perceive it continues to shift From folk ballads in rural India to modern feminist versions the Ramayana remains a living text evolving alongside society This Diwali as we celebrate the triumph of light over darkness we can reflect on the many ways communities have found their own meanings in the story of Ram and SitaFinding a connect with natureOne of the latest retellings of the epic is Vayu Naidursquos ldquoThe Living Legendrdquo which launched just this Dussehra It offers a fresh perspective on the epic through an ecoconscious lens blending mythology with modern environmental themes ldquoThe themes of climate change are integrated in the story as nature is a central characterrdquo says Naidu Set in the Dandaka Forest Naidursquos version places nature at the heart of the story ldquoThe forests do take on a central and pivotal rolerdquo Naidu explains noting that Valmiki who lived in the wild inspired the epicrsquos origins Ramarsquos first encounter with the decayed Dandaka forest became for Naidu ldquoan expression of what we experience today with toxic waste in rivers deforestationhellipthe balance of nature is an imperativerdquoVayu NaiduldquoThe underlying story about love and reconciliation with all beings while knowing what it means to fight for justice It is the principal driving force that took the epic on its South East Asian voyagerdquo she says Naidursquos approach to her retelling of the epic connects ancient myths with todayrsquos ecological concerns ldquoIf nature is ruined so is all of what we construct as human civilisationrdquo she says highlighting the storyrsquos universal resonance ldquoFor me Ramayana is about self reflectionrdquo says Naidu ldquowhen I went as an Arts practitioner to Her Majestyrsquos Prison one inmate heard me telling the story of Valmiki before he became a legend and wept saying lsquoEven criminals can write poetryrsquordquo Naidu hopes her novel speaks to readers about climate change ldquoItrsquos the mythology of our living timerdquoSita as the true heroineChandrabatirsquos lsquoSitayanrsquo PicsarahholzcomAnother powerful reinterpretation of the epic comes from Chandrabati a 16thcentury Bengali poet whose work often called Sitayana shifts the focus from Ram to Sita Translated into English by Nabaneeta Dev Sen in 2020 this version presents Sita as the true protagonist Chandrabatirsquos Ramayana is a deeply personal one beginning with a retelling of Sitarsquos birth and focusing on her struggles including her exile and her eventual return to Mother Earth Unlike traditional versions that highlight Ramrsquos battles Chandrabatirsquos work centres on Sitarsquos emotional journey offering a feminist reimagining of the epicAs the first female author to write a retelling of the Ramayana Chandrabatirsquos lsquoSitayanarsquo brings Sita out of the margins and into the spotlight challenging traditional gender roles and elevating her inner life in a way that resonates deeply with contemporary readersKaikeyi ki kahaaniKaikeyi The Mother of a God revisits the muchmaligned queen of the Ramayana offering a more sympathetic portrayal of her character The novel opens with a dramatic trial where Kaikeyi defends herself against accusations of high treason reflecting on her political manoeuvring and personal motivations Through flashbacks the story reveals Kaikeyirsquos upbringing as a warrior princess and her strategic marriage to DashrathSuresh KalaSuresh Kalarsquos portrayal of Kaikeyi transforms her from a villain into a complex and even morally grey figure driven by love for her son and the weight of royal responsibilities The novel redefines Kaikeyirsquos role emphasising her strength wisdom and sacrificesEach of these retellings adds new layers to the Ramayana reflecting the concerns of their time while challenging readers to look beyond the traditional narrative Whether through an ecoconscious lens a feminist perspective or an alternative viewpoint from the ldquovillainsrdquo these stories remind us that the Ramayana continues to evolve as we doHave a laughDr MN KarasseryThe Mappila Ramayana as explored in Chapter 19 of Ramayana Stories in Modern South India offers a unique retelling from Keralarsquos Mappila Muslim community Collected and transcribed by MN Karassery this version is known for its humorous and eccentric take on the epic merging Islamic and Hindu elements Sung by the performer Hassankutty this retelling uses Mappila ballad meters blending cultural elements from both traditions Characters like ldquoLamardquo for Rama and ldquoLavanardquo for Ravana highlight this blend reflecting a period of peaceful coexistence between Hindu and Muslim communitiesThis version adds a witty multicultural flavour to the Ramayana showing how oral traditions can reshape and recontextualise Indiarsquos beloved epicRavana had his own versionAnand NeelakantanThis retelling offers a completely different perspective on the Ramayana by telling the story from Ravanarsquos point of view This retelling humanises Ravana portraying him as a flawed yet ambitious leader who sought to uplift the Asuras Through Ravanarsquos narrative Anand Neelakantan challenges the traditional glorification of Ram exploring themes of rebellion justice and the complexities of morality By presenting Ravanarsquos internal conflict between love pride and ambition Neelakantanrsquos work invites readers to reconsider the traditional lines between good and evil