Portfolio Guide

Sita Self-Imolates
This was my first story for my portfolio. It retells the story from the point after Rama winds the battle with Ravana. In my story, Sita has a very different reaction than in the original.
Queen Sita
For my second story, I chose to pretend that Sita had willingly gone away with Ravana, rather than being kidnapped.
My Maria
This is a light-hearted story which focuses on Kumbhakarna, Ravana's large, sleepy, and very hungry brother.
The Descent of the Ganga
This is a dramatic tale of the Ganga and her descent to Earth, mixed in with a good life lesson for all.

Queen Sita

“Come away with me; be my queen over all of my wives.”

“Queen?” Sita could not help but show at least a fraction of her interest seeping into her voice.

Ravana heard that little fraction. “Yes, my love. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known. You deserve nothing less than to be the queen over all my queens, wife to the Great Lord Ravana. Come away with me.”

“But I cannot leave Rama; what would he do without me?”

“Did Rama consider you when he chose to go away to the forest, even after his brother begged him to return? Did he consider taking his brother’s offer for the sake of his beautiful wife?”

And with these words, Sita was convinced. Flying on a chariot, Sita and Ravana rushed off to Lanka, Ravana’s island. Rama and Lakshmana soon returned to their home, having realized the golden deer was a trap. When they found Sita gone, Rama promptly killed his brother, whom Rama believed had failed to protect his wife. Rama remained secluded in the forest, continuing his exile while mourning Sita—whom he presumed to be dead. However, months passed and eventually word got round that Sita was residing happily in Ravana’s palace, presiding over all the other fair queens. At this news, Rama decided his life was no longer worth living. He could not imagine living the remainder of his life in shame, unfit to be king due to his own wife leaving him so cruelly. Rama performed his funeral rights and killed himself, leaving a note of his wish for his brother, Bharata, to continue to rule in his place.

Sita, who had been at Ravana’s palace for nearly a year now, was lounging among the many wives and concubines of Ravana one day. The sun was shining beautifully, the servants brought her fresh fruit, wine, and any luxury she could possibly desire. She wore only the finest silks, or nothing at all—that silly Rama had always forced her to cover herself and “look decent.” Ravana appreciated Sita’s beauty and did not mind her sharing it with the world. Sita could wear anything she liked. On this day, however, Sita caught wind of some discomforting news. Apparently her previous husband, Rama, had eventually realized he had been abandoned, not widowed, and committed suicide. Though dismayed to hear such news, she was also a bit relieved. She had always worried Rama’s silly pride would one day lead to him storming the palace and forcefully taking back his former wife. He could be such a stubborn man. Now it seemed, Sita could truly live in peace, no more forest-dwelling for her…

Author’s Note: Obviously I changed this story quite a bit. I completely altered the portrayal of Sita’s character and chose to let her go with Ravana willingly. In the original, Sita went along with Ravana forcibly. That was an important point in the story, because the audience only viewed Sita as innocent and loyal due to her unwillingness. It also provides the unbreakable motivation of Rama, who feels obligated to protect his wife, in the original. In my version, Sita is very different. Her perspective on the events and other characters is very harsh and cold. She resents Rama for putting her in the position to either live away from her husband or be confined to the forest—neither of which is an ideal position. She blamed Rama for that and because she held on to that resentment, she felt no remorse when her ex-husband killed himself due to her actions. I wanted to do this in order to illustrate how different the story would have been had Sita changed. Her change in character managed to make Rama look weak—clingy even—because such a high level of love and affection is no longer being returned, changing the perception of his love for Sita from endearing to desperate. I chose the image below because it is a picture of a harem, and one woman in particular happens to be partially nude. This is similar to the end of my story, when Sita is with the other wives and Sita is more exposed than the others. Although it depicts a harem in Arab lands, it still fit my topic quite well. I also really liked the attitude and mood conveyed in this image. It feels relaxed and slightly sensual, which is how I imagined Sita’s final scene to be as well.

(Image from Wikimedia)




Bibliography:




Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way.

My Maria

                “Kumbhakarna!”

                “Yes, dear?”

                “Dinner is ready!”

Wonderful! My beautiful wife, Maria, is always cooking up delicious mountains of food for me, which is good because I am a very large fellow. It takes a lot of food to keep this belly from rumbling! I hope she made dessert, too. Last week, she made a rich gulab jamun and I ate myself sick, but it was well worth it. I just cannot control myself around desserts.

"Maria, what have you prepared for me today?"

"Oh my single-minded man, can I at least receive a kiss before you assault the food I've worked so hard on all day?"

"Sorry, honey. My stomach made me forget myself."

I wrapped my arms around Maria, kissing her softly. I pulled back gently and caught sight of the table. Oh my. Maria outdid herself. The table was piled high with scrumptious-looking delicacies. She caught me staring past her at the food and began lightly scolding me. Luckily, she is used to my love of food and knows I love her just as much—maybe even more!

“Alright, dear, you can eat now. I’ve prepared a whole butter chicken, lamb vindaloo, naan paranthas stuffed with vegetables, samosas, a big pot of rasam—“

“Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom, nom, nom”

“Ugh, that man! He isn’t even listening… I guess I won’t tell him about the ladoos.”

My ears perked up, even in my food-induced craze I could listen for the sound of desserts! I’ll just have to sweet talk her into giving the precious ladoos to me, as soon as I finish off this dish…

“Dear, can’t I please have some of the ladoos? I know how hard you worked on it; I want to show my appreciation! By eating and enjoying it, of course!” I said while rubbing my belly happily.

“I’m afraid not, Kumbi. I’ve already thrown it all out.”

“What!? How could you?”

I dropped to the floor in despair and—strangely enough—opened my eyes in my family’s house, back on the island.

                Oh my. That was some dream. I really must get off this island and find me a wife, one who can cook as well as the wives of my dreams. I must’ve dozed off again… What year is it? I suppose I’ll have to venture outside and check. Ugh. I HATE waking up… Sometimes I wish I could sleep forever, but then I’d miss out on all the food! I could try ringing the servants’ bell. *RING, RING, RING*… Hmm, that is strange. The servants know better than to ignore me when I first wake up. I am always rather grumpy, but who could blame me following a dream like that, only to wake up wifeless and hungry? No matter, I will punish the servants later. Right now, I need to track down some food. Hey, what’s that noise? I hear a faint rumbling outside. Was that a battle cry? Oh, goodness. Did I miss something important? I do believe there is a battle going on outside; I hope Ravana hasn’t started trouble again…

 

(Image from Pixabay) 

Author’s Note: I chose to tell this story because I was interested in Kumbhakarna’s character, but he was not elaborated on very much at all in the original version. I completely made up his dream world and I changed the scene in which he initially wakes up during the battle between Rama and Ravana. I liked telling the story using a lot of dialogue as well as inner thoughts of Kumbhakarna because I felt it showed the relationship between him and Maria very well. I was hoping to convey that they cared for each other, in spite of Kumbhakarna’s obsession with food. I think my version of Kumbhakarna is much more relatable and lovable than the original, which was an important goal of my story. I used the Ramayana for my inspiration and VahRehVah.com for the names of the traditional Indian food mentioned in the story. I have personally tried samosas—the Indian food, not the drink!—and they were pretty good, though I hear they are much more impressive when they are homemade, as Kumbhakarna’s were in the dream. The image is something I found by simply searching “traditional Indian food”, so I am unsure what exactly is in the picture. I love the song "My Maria," so I chose to use that inspiration for the name of the wife, which is why she does not have a traditional Indian name.

Bibliography:

Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way

 VahRehVah.com

Sita Self-Immolates

Introduction: This story will be a new, very different version of the end of the Ramayana. It will begin from the moment Rama left the battle with Ravana. It will feature a much stronger female heroine and it will have a very different ending. An important note to keep in mind in my version is that Ravana did not suffer from any curse restricting his ability to touch unwilling women, including Sita.

     “He did what!?” I practically shouted at the poor attendant sent to inform me of Rama’s immediate return to his kingdom upon vanquishing Ravana. 

     “I’m s-sorry, ma’am,” stuttered the little man, “he was most anxious to reclaim his throne, seeing how the fourteen-year exile is ending soon.” 

     

     "Very well, I’ll make my way there myself," I muttered. “Bring me a chariot then. I’ll depart as soon as you can prepare me this.”

     As I traveled toward Ayodhya, I was a mixture of fury and gratitude. I couldn't believe my dear husband had worked so hard to find and free me, only to leave without so much as glimpsing at me. Luckily, the charioteer explained during the trip that my sweet Rama had been inclined to return to his kingdom due to his brother’s desperate state of mind—Rama worried he might end his own life! Of course, I immediately forgave my husband and spent the remainder of the trip in anxious excitement at the prospect of being reunited with my love. I felt very sure Rama would succeed in calming his brother as well.

     After a time I realized I was not in just any chariot, but rather the vimana of Indra himself! Suffice to say, the trip back was a very quick one indeed. We arrived at the city gates and I proudly exited the chariot. As I strode through the city streets toward the palace, I began to notice an uncomfortable air about the citizens. Darting glances, hushed whispers behind my back: all this greeted the return of the rightful king’s wife? I could not believe their disrespect, but it was of no import to me. "I’ll be with my Rama again soon, and none of these things shall matter any longer," I thought to myself.

     I entered the palace courtyard and nearly fainted with joy at the sight of my beloved husband!Finally, I would be able to move on and forget the wretched feel of the evil Ravana. I rushed toward his glorious embrace, filled to the brim with happiness at being reunited with him. Much to my surprise, however, Rama stepped back at my approach. I was shocked. His face was cold, shut off. I stood stock still, more confused than I had ever been in my life. "How can this be?" I wondered aloud.

     “It is improper for a woman who has been alone with another man to remain in the household of her husband. You may do as you wish, but you cannot stay here.” Rama’s words crushed me. I tried to offer a rebuttal, but only a faint whimper came out. My knees gave out and I sank to the ground. A cry of anguish escaped my lips. A rush of memories assailed me: the first time Ravana approached me, the last time--just before the battle began, and all the many times between. Every single time Ravana raped me  was burned into my memory. I shook my head, trying to clear my haunted thoughts.

     “You think I have forsaken you, my dear husband? Have you no faith in our love, the love that is known through all the heavens and the Earth?”

     “It would be impossible to believe such a beautiful woman had remained pure through such a long tribulation, I’m afraid.”

     “Not only have you held me to such an impossible standard—to avoid rape, being unwillingly touched by a man unwillingly, without an ounce of pleasure or love—but now you refuse to accept your loving, devoted wife even though you worked so hard to free her? I had no say in what was done with my body, husband of mine.”

Rama’s stoic expression made it clear to me that he would not reconsider. I immediately left the palace court. I would not be a victim—not again.

     It took many hours, days, weeks, and months of meditation, counsel, and self-reflection, but eventually I was able to live a happy life. I lived through the trials of Ravana imprisoning me, Rama’s judgment and ultimate rejection of me, and now it was time I live through something new, something good. It was at this point I met Ardhanaranari, who turned out to be the love of my life. Yes, yes, I know. I had said this once before. But Ardhanaranari taught me that love is not about being in eternal servitude; it is about equal love and respect. We take care of one another, and I have continued to enjoy my newly found hobbies. I enjoy reading stories of old, belly dancing, and I even continued my meditation—it’s great for dealing with the inevitable annoyances of living with a lover! Sometimes, I feel as if my new personality has lit my very soul on fire, almost as an offering to the gods...

Author’s Note: I had a lot of fun writing this story. If you can’t tell, I’m a feminist and this story for me represents the Sita I had been wishing for throughout the reading of the Ramayana. I still appreciate the epic as it is; it is a wonderful glimpse into the cultural and religious traditions of India. However, my feminist mind couldn't help recreating Sita as a stronger version of herself. I did try to convey her extreme devotion and original personality as much as possible in the recreated version. I also felt obligated to address the issue of rape in the story, as the manner in which this was handled in the original version really bothered me. I strongly believe it is important to address these issues in our media, and not continue to sugarcoat the issues as our society often does. I guess this is my little contribution to that movement. I only used one source other than the Ramayana; that was Wikipedia. I was initially searching for an androgynous traditional Indian name. I ended up finding this name because it is the name of a particular incarnation of Shiva—one which was half male and half female. I chose this particular name—among several choices—because it was the most neutral in meaning, in my opinion. I liked the idea of Sita’s new partner’s sex and gender remaining unknown. I prefer to let my readers make their own choice, if they wish. I pinned a couple things to my Pinterest board, which is here, in regards to androgyny in case anyone is interested! I chose the image below because it makes me think of Sita with a great sage, who I imagine could have been helpful to her after her trials with Ravana and Rama. In reality, the image actually shows Menaka and Visvamitra, but I chose to interpret the picture differently to fit my story. I chose this title because of Sita's final thought in my version, which is also a throwback to the original.

(Image from Wikimedia)

Bibliography:

Narayan, R.K. (1972) The Ramayana

“Ardhanarishvara.” Website: Wikipedia 
"Vimana." Website: Wikipedia

The Descent of the Ganga

Once upon a time, there was a wild, massive river flowing freely throughout the heavens. This river was so massive, it stretched to every corner of the seven levels of the heavens; it was so wild that no one, not even Kali—the goddess of power—could tame it. However, one very lucky—or simply special, some might say—young man set out to bring this mighty river down from the heavens. For you see, the river had mystical powers, and could cleanse the soul of a human. But I’m getting ahead of myself I suppose…

Before all of that, this ‘lucky young man’ had been one of sixty-thousand sons! Amazing, huh? Tragically, he was the only remaining living son, as his brothers had all been killed. Oh, but that’s another story… This young man, by the name of Bhagiratha, wanted to bring down the Ganga in order to set free his brothers’ souls—which had been trapped, unable to ascend to the heavens in their afterlives. Unfortunately, the Ganga felt that she was entirely too valuable for such a menial task. She was irked at this request and felt she must have a proper revenge on the mortal who had such audacity to solicit her help. Therefore, the Ganga decided to destroy Mother Earth upon her descent!

During her long drop downward, the Ganga was so angry that huge, steaming fumes were coming out of her in all directions. In fact, she got so hot that the entirety of the Ganga began to boil and turned into a giant tunnel of steam! Thankfully, steam is not nearly as harmful as water can be. The Ganga continued rushing towards Earth, but the Earth was no longer in danger. The steam reached Earth and dissipated, so quietly that hardly even a mouse would have noticed. But Bhagiratha was watching, and was much dismayed. He thought his brothers would never be saved with the Ganga having completely disappeared. Little did he know, the droplets of steam did not actually disappear, as much as separate from one another. Many of the droplets fell right to the Earth, landing on the soil and in the great oceans. However, exactly 108 droplets were carried off by the strong winds. These droplets landed in various sacred places throughout Mother Earth, but one such droplet is of significance for this story. That was the droplet which landed on the souls of Bhagiratha’s brothers.

Bhagiratha’s brothers were saved! He was overjoyed! Now he knew with certainty that his wonderful brothers would be able to reach the heavens and live on in the afterlife in peace and happiness. No longer hindered by his burning guilt regarding his many fallen brothers, Bhagiratha went on to live a happy, wonderful life. He fell in love, traveled throughout the lands, and raised a beautiful family. Our sacred places of today come from the places on Earth where the Ganga landed. The number 108 is used for meditation training because this is how many droplets landed on the Earth. This number is sacred and represents a tie to our past, to the time of the Ganga’s descent. The end.



(Image from Wikimedia)


Author’s note: I chose this story because I was fascinated by the story of the Ganga and I also really enjoy personifying things/animals. It was especially challenging to personify the Ganga’s emotions; doing this with animals in the past was much easier for me! Working with only the inner thoughts of the Ganga and limited outward expression forced me to think outside the box, which is why I thought of the Ganga’s entire being reverberating with her rage—something I myself have felt, but never literally experienced in the way the Ganga of my version did. I chose the picture above because it shows a lot of steam blowing off, but it is actually from a volcano—not a giant mystical river! It looks similar to how I imagined the Ganga would have looked, though. The original story tells of another god coming down and literally holding up the Ganga to prevent her from smashing the Earth to pieces. In my version, the anger of the Ganga is what prevents the Ganga from destroying the Earth. I liked this twist because the story becomes more than just a story; it teaches a lesson: when you allow yourself to be angry, you often thwart your own plans. I think this is an important lesson for everyone to learn and one that I myself struggle with more than any other form of self-control and self-discipline.


Bibliography:

Narayan, R.K. (1972) The Ramayana, Naray.