Reading Notes: The Ramayana Part A

This week we read The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic by R.K. Narayan. I really liked when Viswamithra told Ganga's Story (pg. 17) because the story featured Mother Earth and other natural symbolization. The journey of Ganga as she transformed from a god into a tame river turned into a power competition between her and Shiva. Bhagiratha was also an intriguing character. The story said his name means indefatigable effort, which is actually very true of humankind. He wanted to free his ancestors and was willing to bring down a terrible force, Ganga, to do so. He, like so many, was short-sighted and put his immediate needs and the needs of those he knew personally before the wellbeing of the planet. Thus, when I retell the story, I want it to be about Bhagiratha (humankind) learning to live in harmony with the earth and not hurt the earth. This, in some ways, happened through Shiva in this story. I would also want to highlight Mother Earth and delve into their perspective more. The description at the beginning of the story about mother earth was so descriptive of their continuity and experience, which I would want to explore more in my retelling.

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I also really enjoyed the exchange of dialogue between Kooni and Kaikeyi on the balcony (p. 39). Koonie said, "But both beauty and youth are a wild stream, which, while rushing down the mountainside, crushing flowers and leaves, holds you in a spell. But how long does it last? Very soon it passes, and in its place, you have only the sandy bed...It's only a question of time. When you are old and the cheeks sag, you will be a nobody, pushed aside with the back of your lover's hand. You will be at other people's mercy."
This is a lot more than a sentence but I thought it was really powerful. Not only because of the meaning but also because of how the author introduced the quote. Kaikeyi was speaking playfully with Kooni which emphasized the meaning of the quote, showing Kaikeyi was in a spell, a sense of denial. The natural imagery that the author used was also what made this quote so impactful. Also, the theme of impermanence is very prevalent in this quote, which is an important idea for characters to grasp as they evolve and become wiser throughout the story. The power of water and the feeling of destroyed nature is something everyone has felt. It is a uniform imagery that everyone can visualize.