Week 3 Story: My Take on Part B

A painting of Ravana approaching Sita in the jungle. Source: Wikipedia

After Rama's marriage to Sita, he returned home to his kingdom in Koshala. However, Rama's father, Dasharatha, exiled him as his wife, Kaikeyi, told him to do so. For this reason, Bharata, Rama's brother, would look after the kingdom.

When exiled, Sita and Lakshmana, Rama's other brother, chose to accompany him so that he would not have to journey through the jungle alone and so that he would have company.

A while after being in the jungle, Maricha, a demon who was friends Ravana, the king of Rakshasas, took the form of a beautiful red fox and approached Sita. Sita asked Rama to capture the tame fox for her. As he shot the fox, it transformed into Maricha, who imitated the voice of Rama calling out to Sita "Help me! Help me!"

When Sita heard the cries for help, she sent Lakshmana to go see what happened and to help Rama through the trouble.

As Lakshmana left, Ravana approached Sita, in the form of a frail old man. After she confided in the "old man" and told him about what had happened with the exile and what not, the "old man" transformed back into Ravana's monstrous form. Ravana took Sita away in his chariot driven by flying white horses. Sita wept and called out for Rama with every weary breath she had, but no one could hear her screams and cries.

As she was being carried away she told the trees, animals, deities, and anything in the living jungle to tell Rama and Lakshmana that she had been abducted by Ravana.

Jaytu, a vulture, heard Sita's requests and battled with Ravana because what he was doing was wrong. As they fought, Jaytu became injured and his wings became cut. However, he managed to hurt one of the horses, causing the chariot to plummet to the ground along with himself. Ravana transformed his arms into wings and managed to fly himself and Sita to his palace in Lanka. Jaytu, fallen to the ground, tattered and approaching death, came across Rama and Lakshmana and told them everything that had happened, before dying in Rama's arms and then vanishing into thin air.

Author's Note: My story is based on some sections of part B from the PDE Ramayana. I kept the basic information and background of the story but changed up a few key points. I changed Ravana's form from a Sage to a frail old man because he would look more innocent and Sita would confide in him. I also changed the animal Maricha transformed into from a deer to a red fox because It would it smaller and come to Sita as if it were a dog. I gave Ravana wings and had the chariot driven by white horses because they are really popular in Indian remakes of Ramayana in videos.

Bibliography: PDE Ramayana, M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder, Source.