Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part C

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Hanuman Source:Wikipedia Commons

    This was a very interesting read once again. The story now introduces Hanuman, a very powerful monkey god who is supporting the exiled monkey king Sugriva. There were a lot of parallels between Rama and Sugriva and I think this had a big part in them allying each other. It was unfortunate that Vali's mistaken perception of Sugriva had ended up in his death. I wish there were more details on what happened to Vali's son and wife after Sugriva. I was almost imagining that maybe Sugriva will guarantee that Vali's son would be the one to take the throne to make amends to Vali. Also, the scene where Rama ambushes Vali in a dishonorable way was a huge shock for me. The reading stated as well that this was one of the most controversial part of the epic and I can totally see why. 
    Hanuman's adventure onto Ravana's island was epic as well and I thought that him setting the island on fire after getting his tail set on fire by Ravana was hilarious. Vibhishana, the one who opposed the war with Rama was also a big shocker and another example of a Rakshasa not being completely evil. I think this is one of the great parts of Indian Epics that there are supposedly evil beings but there's also exceptions. 

Bibliography
Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)
Rama and the Monkeys by Geraldine Hodgson (1903)

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