Ramayana- what does it mean? Wednesday, February 22, 2012

I finally got the Ramayana in the mail after asking for it last week! My dad sent me the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. I started reading the Ramayana and it was a little bit hard to understand at first, so I decided to read a background of it so that I could get more of an introduction. I learned that it is the biggest epic in Hindu culture, much like the Iliad and the Odyssey, for the Greeks. I think that it is so interesting to note how Rama, the story hero and his wife, Sita, the heroine, have play such a central role in this epic story.

I remember in a former post, writing about how Sita was the perfect girl and how she exemplified everything that a woman should be. As I read that today, I was thinking about how Sita had to practically be "won" by the prospects that would come to win her hand. Sita's father made a competition for the suitors to come and win her hand, and while many left disappointed and defeated, there was no other that could win her hand but Rama.

As I was thinking about this, I thought about my individual research project and I thought about how Sita would feel if I interviewed her. How did she feel about being "won" over? did she feel valued and treasured? we all know that Sita becomes the faithful wife of Rama and even is exiled with him, but I wonder if she really wanted to be with Rama. Obviously, I will never know the answer, but it was fun trying to treat Sita as one of the women I plan on interviewing. I think that Sita represents that ultimate perfect women in the minds of many Indian women, and it will be intriguing to see how that is somewhat exhibited in their answers, if it is at all.