Week 3 Reading Diary: Ramayana Part 4

Ramayana PDE

Rama vs Ravana from BBC

Rama Attacks from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1914)

I would love to go more into depth of how Ravana tricked Sita. The hurt that Sita felt and then the relief and anger when she realized it was all an illusion. The story did a great job talking about it, however, I don't think they went far enough. I really think the readers should feel what Sita is feeling in this story. 

Indrajit from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1914)

Wow this is a great battle scene! It has great imagery I would love to play with. My favorite is "But the monkeys were panic-sticken, and if even a straw moved they deemed it to be a rakshasa." War is gruesome and those poor monkeys had lost thousands of friends. I would be terrified too, especially if I thought my great leader was dead. What is an army without their leader? It goes down hill really fast. I also feel sorry for Sita. Again, she is shown the body of Rama and now Lakshmana. She is just really going through a lot of emotions at the moment. Not to mention, at the moment she still doesn't know that Rama and Lakshmana are in fact alive. She must be distraught! 

Ramayana and Lakshmana from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)

I went through a moment of panic with Rama over Lakshmana. I was not going to be happy if he died! Thankfully, he was saved with herbs! Like when I wanted to go into more depth of Sita's pain and loss over Rama, I would like to do the same with Rama and his pain over what he thought was losing his brother. They had experienced so much together and had survived so much of this battle it would be heart breaking to see your best friend and brother die.