"Shurpnakha"

Ramayana by Poet and Devotee of Lord Ram Tulsidas is in the form of couplets running into more than 1200 pages is recited in Hindu households on auspicious occasions. Lord Ram, whom Hindus worship as their God is the protagonist of this great epic that has a number of stories interwoven into the main theme. Each of these stories is built around different characters and events related to Lord Ram , his birth, his marriage to princess Sita , his 14 year exile , his brothers , parents , friends and foes And each of these gripping stories have a magical hold on you as you seem to flow with mesmerizing rhythm of the poetic narration that lifts you off your feet to another World , to another Age .You cannot but marvel at minutest details of things physical, of human expressions and emotions that move you as they take you through the journey of Lord Ram’s life , a story of courage , sacrifice, truth ,devotion and duty . King Dahshratha of Ayodhya has three wives and four sons, the eldest one from his Queen kaushlaya is Ram . Ram has killed many a demons who tried to disrupt and disturb the meditation of sages (holy men) and is held in great esteem by the people of Ayodhya. He is to be crowned as Dashrath’s successor. There is an air of celebration everywhere but Kekeyi Dasharath’s third wife is unhappy .She wants her son Bharath to be made the King. She reminds Dashrath of two boons he had pledged to her when she had saved his life and wants these to fulfilled immediately. She demands, Bharath, her son to be made the king and Ram to be sent in exile to forests for 14 years . Dashrath is shocked.“ Don’t ask for Ram’s exile.”, he pleads . Kekeyi is adamant . For Ram, the Epitome of courage and idealism , giving up kingdom and luxuries is nothing , to help his father keep his promise now the mission of his life. His brother laxman wants to be by the side of his brother , Sita cannot think of life without Ram and so all the three leave . Heart broken Dashrath dies. There is also a story of a curse on him that he would die grieving for his son for he had by mistake killed the only son of parents who had lost their vision. Ayodhya plunges into gloom. Bharath and Shatrughan the other two sons are back from their grandparents home to find Ram, Laxman ,Sita gone , their father dead. Bharath is shattered. Ashamed of his mother kekeyi’s doings ,he follows Ram to bring him back but Ram is determined to fulfill his father’s promises .The devoted brother Bharath comes back but rules the kingdom on behalf of Ram keeping Ram’s wooden sandals on the throne. In the forest, Sita is kidnapped by Ravana , the ruler of Lanka because his sister Shurpnakha has been insulted by Laxman whom she tried to entice. Then begins the long struggle to bring Sita back from the clutches of the Ten Headed Ravana . There is fierce battle between Ram and Ravana , between Good and Evil . Ravana is killed, 14 year exile of Ram is over and they return to Ayodhya.