How many Ramayanas? I am for many Ramayanasby DP Satish (http://www.ibnlive.com/blogs/)
February 27, 2008
The
late A K Ramanujan is arguably one of the best internationally known
Indian writers. The Mysore born and educated Ramanujan taught at the
University of Chicago for decades. He introduced India's oral folktales
to the West through his scholarly writings and translations. His
writings are so fascinating and you will be hooked to them.
Ramanujan
died more than a decade ago in the United States. He is now making news
in the national capital Delhi. Thanks to our ill informed and self
proclaimed custodians of Hinduism and Hindu mythology : Outfits of the
RSS like ABVP and VHP. His writing ' Three Hundred Ramayanas ' is
embroiled in an ugly controversy created by the members of the saffron
brigade.
Sadly the lathi weilding gang doesn't even know the
basic difference between Hinduism and other religions. Hinduism, which
is described as a way of life and not a religion in the strictest sense
is highly pluralistic in nature. It allows a greater freedom of
expression and right to question the very religion, rituals and beliefs
when compared to other religions. In my view that makes Hinduism, the
most tolerant and unique religion.
The ABVP activists who never
try to understand these basic strengths of their religion and ignorant
of India's diverse culture and languages are trying to trash
Ramanujan's " Three Hundred Ramayanas " as the work of a pseudo
secularist, intended to hurt the sentiments of Hindus.
People of
India have been reading, writing, watching and listening to Ramayanas
for the past at least 2000 years. Most of our Ramayanas are in oral
form, preserved and popularised by the tribals and illiterate villagers
across India.
Ramayana by Valmiki isn't the only Ramayana, that
we have. There is nothing called authentic mythology. Ancient Dravidian
languages like Tamil and Kannada have thousands of year old Ramayanas
by ancient poets. Kamba Ramayana in Tamil and Pampa Ramayana in Kannada
treat the entire epic in a different style. Story may be the same, but
their interpretation is totally different.
The Department of
History of Delhi University, which is facing the ire of so called ' Ram
Bhakts' clarifies its decision to teach A K Ramanujan's writings in the
following statement.
"The sole purpose of this course is to
create an awareness and understanding of the rich and diverse cultural
heritage of ancient India among students, and to acquaint them with
original sources. Apart from the reading mentioned in the letter, the
course includes readings on Kalidasa's poetry, Jataka stories, ancient
Tamil poets and poetry, ancient iconography, and the modern history of
ancient artifacts. The essay is part of a unit titled 'The Ramayana and
Mahabharata - stories, characters, versions.' It is accompanied by an
excerpt from Iravati Karve's book, Yuganta: The end of an epoch.
Supplementary readings include the Introduction of Robert P. Goldman's
The Ramayana of Valmiki: an epic of ancient India (the most recent and
most authoritative English translation of the epic), which gives a
detailed, scholarly introduction to the Valmiki Ramayana.
The
late A. K. Ramanujan (recipient of several national & international
honours, including the Padmashri) was a widely acclaimed scholar with
impeccable academic credentials. His expertise in a range of languages
including English, Sanskrit, Tamil and Kannada was perhaps without
parallel. His credentials as a scholar, writer, and teacher with
extensive knowledge of ancient Indian literary traditions are
incontestable. It is sad to see his name and work being subjected so
such ill-informed controversy. In the article in question, he
illustrates and analyses the great dynamism and variety in what he
describes as 'tellings' of the story of Rama within India and across
the world".
The Ramayanas in the form of folk stories and songs
in different parts of India have a distinct local flavour. Indian
folklore believes in Anthropomorphism. They bring gods and human beings
closer by imagining to behave them just like us. The gods of many
ancient societies were thoroughly anthropomorphized, both in their form
and in their familial and social relationships; for example, as
presented in the folk tales and songs which were familiar throughout
the ancient India, they get drunk, marry, quarrel, and make up just
like we people.
In Assamese folklore, for example, Sita and
Surpanaka are good weavers. It is so probably because Assamese women
are traditionally good at weaving. Telugu folk songs speak of
Kousalya's morning sickness and baby Rama's bath - things that women
can relate to.
A Telugu folk song titled, 'Lakshmana's Laugh ',
explains how, in order to guard Sita and Rama round the clock,
Lakshmana prays to the Goddess of Sleep that he be relieved of the need
to sleep. The Goddess agrees, but on one condition. The moment
Lakshmana returns to Ayodhya, he would have to start sleeping again.
When
Lakshmana returns to Ayodhya, the Goddess appears before him in the
palace hall, and says, "The deal's over. You start sleeping from
tonight." Lakshmana bursts out laughing. Now, only Lakshmana can see
the Goddess. So every person there wonders if Lakshmana is laughing at
him for some reason. This is a self-reflective folk song, because each
character in the story reflects on himself. A modern example of
self-reflectivity would be a short story by Amba, in which Sita writes
her version of the Ramayana, and calls it Sitayanam. Stories have a
better appeal when they incorporate local customs and traditions.
Paula
Richman, who has done in depth research on various Ramayanas says there
is a Tamil folk song which is about the various dishes the pregnant
wives of Dasaratha crave for. One of them wants murukku, one wants
idlis, and another wants dosas! Idlis in Ayodhya? A deft touch! Women
in Tamil Nadu can relate to pregnant women who crave for certain
dishes. Writer Pudhumaipithan contemporises Rama in one of his stories
where a grandson of Rama is named Bharata. The story is set in the
1900s and Bharata is Gandhi! The allegorical touch is further
strengthened when the writer dwells on the Imperial powers discovering
the culinary delights of India, and each wanting a monopoly over Indian
food. Thus the humble dosa becomes expensive!
One night Rama
waits for Sita, who is busy cleaning the kitchen. When she finishes,
she massages the feet of her mother-in-law. Rama keeps asking her to
come up to their room, but Sita continues to massage Kousalya's feet.
When Sita finally goes up, an angry Rama shuts the door, and locks her
out. "You have time for others, but not me," he says angrily. Thus goes
a Telugu folk song! These are marital tensions that any couple could
face.
According to a tribal folktale in Bastar district of
Chhatisgarh Ravana is an ideal man ' Maryada Purushottama '. Because he
strictly followed the ethics till his death.
Do these modern
retellings matter? "They're important because, as A.K.Ramanujan said,
they show how both folk stories and modern short stories improvise in
order to make the epic contemporary," says Paula Richman.
Why
the special interest in the 'Ramayana?' "Many reasons," Paula Richman
says in an interview to The Hindu. "One of them is the portrayal of
Sita as a strong woman who faces difficulties unflinchingly. When Rama
banishes her, she brings up her children all by herself. The world's
earliest example of a single parent!"
Cultural fascist
organisation like the RSS doesn't believe in pluralism of any kind. It
doesn't allow pluralism or freedom of expression within Hinduism. The
essence of Hinduism is free thinking. One can disown all rituals and
beliefs of that religion and still remain a Hindu. As far as I know
this isn't possible in any other religion.
It isn't the first time that the ABVP took objections to a Ramayana, which isn't in an ' approved ' format.
The
same ABVP activists assaulted a noted Kannada writer and English
professor, the late Prof. Polanki Ramamurthy in mid 80 s in Mysore.
They were ' incensed ' by his adaucity of writing his own Ramayana
called ' Seethayana ". Time and again they demonstrated that either
entire Hindu population in India must accept their version of Aryan
centric Hindu mythology and religion or be ready to face their wrath.
RSS,
which draws its strength from the Aryan thoughts and principles has
always been trying to impose its own version of Sanskritised Ramayana
over all Hindus across India. For these self styled sole protectors of
Hindus, different versions of epic are seemingly an insult to their
religion and belief! After all it has always been denying the existence
of Dravida race, Dravidian history and very importantly Dravida
mythology itself.
They must understand that there are a hundred
Indias in one India and a hundred Ramayanas in one Ramayana. All are
equally imporant and equally vibrant.
I am for many Indias in one India and many Ramayanas woven around one Ramayana.
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