Reading Notes: Narayan's Ramayana Section C

Title: The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic
Author: Kamban / R. K. Narayan
Year: 1972

- Lakshmana is faced with a dilemma - does he go look for Rama, who he knows is ok, or does he stay with Sita even though she is threatening to kill herself? Ultimately he decided to go look for Rama, leaving Sita in the hands of Dharma (and captured by Ravana), but I might prefer him to stay.

- While Ravana is talking to Sita, he says the Rakshasa clan has been misrepresented; that they are kind and enlightened....maybe they could be.

- Ravana has an ancient curse upon him - he cannot touch a woman without her consent or he will die. A lot can be done with this. Something else that could be done, is that Ravana could defeat, although not kill Rama, with Rama or Lakshmana  (or someone else) convincing Sita to become Ravana's queen in order to save the world as he will do whatever she commands. 

- Vali, Sugreeva, and Rama: There is a lot to this story that could be changed; Rama could simply talk to Vali which could result in Sugreeva and Vali putting aside their differences, or it could lead to a fight between Rama and Vali where Lakshmana has to save Rama, or many other possibilities. With that said, the story is very controversial as both sides, Vali and Rama, make good points as to what they did and why they did it. I like this story the way it is and do not want to change it.

- I like that there is a connection to the way Rama treated Kooni when he was younger and what happened earlier in the story.

- Hanuman, Angada, and their army go through a tunnel to the middle of the earth and find a goddess who was banished there until that moment. They feasted and the woman returned to her heaven while the army went back to their task. This woman could have been Soorpanaka.

Rama Kills Vali (c. 1720)

Image Author: Unknown

Source: Philadelphia Museum of Art

Geography:

Section A

- Kosala (country)

- Ayodhya (capital of Kosala)

- Anga

- Sidhasrama

- Mithila City

- Sarayu River

- Ganges River

- Himalayas

- Mount Saila

- Amravati (fabulous city was Indra's or Alkapuri of Kubera?)

Section B

- Kekaya (where Aswapathi's palace is - 8 days ride from Ayodhya)

- Chitrakuta

- Nandigram (small village on the outskirts of Ayodhya) 

- Panchvati

- Lanka 

- Dandaka Forest 

- Godavari River

- Mount Kailas

- Meru Mountain

Section C

Mountainous forest region of Kiskinda

Vidarbha

Charuvala (mountain)

Mount Matanga

Vindhya (mountain peaks)

Hemakuta Mountains

Thiruvengadam (holiest mountain)

Mahendra (mountain)

Narmanda River