Week 11: Reading Diary B

sita's in flames from Bill Benzon on Flickr

This week I chose to finish up Nine Ideal Indian Women, by Sunity Devee.

Every time I reread Sita's story, I know exactly what's coming at the end, and yet it gets me every time. Rama insists Sita prove herself virtuous, so she throws herself on a fire and doesn't get burned. Pretty sure that's proof enough, but a while later, Rama tells Lakshmana that while Rama totally 100% believes that Sita is innocent, she's gotta go back to the forest. Because of his duty to his subjects, or something. Really? It's like every time I read it his reasoning gets worse.

Plus, this time, Rama gets mad that she leaves and starts shooting arrows at the earth, and then promises that he'll never ask to test her again, which is interesting, because he's already asked her twice.

At least Rama is appropriately unhappy at the end of Sita's story.

Enjoying Promila's story so far, but Birbahoo is a ridiculous name and I love it.

I think the exact way most of the women's tales can be summed up is in the passage in Promila's story that follows, quoted from page 164 of Nine Ideal Indian Women:

"Husband and lord! I know your duty to King, country, and parents comes before all else, and I shall not hinder you, but may I not accompany you to the Capital?"
     "Promila! Beloved wife, music of my life!" and Indrajit caught her in a mighty clasp of farewell love. "Is it possible I could forget you for a single moment? You are my higher soul, my sunshine of life! Wait here awhile for me."  

And Promila is thrilled! The whole passage just seems so characteristic of how the husband and wife interactions go. Showered with praise, and then "but also don't come with me."

Never mind. I am thrilled with Promila's decision to go anyway dressed as a soldier.

Lakshmana got some surprising depth in the end of that story as well.

I might have to write about Promila this week.

Week 11: Reading Diary A

Sita, peacing out, and Rama, being super confused by that fact (also known as Sita returning to Mother Earth and her sons and husband looking on) from the Wikipedia article on Sita

This week I chose to finish out the Nine Ideal Indian Women book by reading Sita's section. Since I've read about Sita a fair few times before, I did my reading diary in a stream-of-consciousness style to see how that worked for me. It's a little sarcastic, so I apologize in advance.

Sita was named Sita because she was found in the furrows, which are also sitas. Did not know that!

Ravan makes the holiest and hermit-est of people praise him with gifts even if they're poor. Lame.

The moonis retaliate by giving Ravan a drop of blood from each of them, and let Ravan know that he's "so yesterday" and "we're the cool ones now," and Ravan freaks out so he gets his messenger to bury the blood in the ground. Enter Sita.

All of the princesses are pretty, but Sita's prettiness is noteworthy. All the sisters love each other though, so it's all good.

I think the mileage varies with parents openly picking favorite children, but not having that experience myself, I wouldn't know.

When Rama is getting ready to break the bow, Sita is very reminiscent of a Disney Princess in that she first saw him 0.02 seconds ago, but is asking God to help him because she loves him. Fortunately, this behavior is looked upon as normal at this point in time.

Oooooh, Rama didn't tell Dad-King he was going to woo a lady and can't very well marry without his permission.

I think I'll start using the word "bride-elect" when I'm referring to bride-to-be's. Much more democratic. Far more politically correct.

Is it just me or does it seem sort of terrible that once Sita gets married her parents are just not going to see her again? That's just a thing that happens and is accepted. "Alright, ring's on your finger, now get out and don't come back."

In every new version of the Ramayana there seems to be another detail as to why Sita's life is just not a quality one. In this version, it's because her intended takes a really, really long time to come back from taking a powder, and so when he encounters them on the road, he starts to pick a fight with Rama. Not cool, man, you set the deal up yourself.

Ooooh, Rama is sassy in this edition!

Rama: "I love you so much! I'll never leave you! Except if you get forcibly taken from me. That's not my fault, that's just logistics. And don't expect a warm welcome if you ever get back from kidnapping."

Keykaya is still the worst.

No, Sita, really, just chill in the palace. It'll make life easier for everyone and--nope, still going in to exile with your man. That's admirable, just know that loyalty in this relationship is not in fact a two way street.

Monthara is also the worst.

Sita still has a good time in the forest.

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I think the stream of consciousness made me pay more attention to how I was reacting to the story, but I might have gotten lost in myself? I'm not sure. Will experiment further.

Week 10: Review

Okay, as much as I wanted to choose the Great Pumpkin picture for my review post, there was a picture earlier in the week that I shared with all of my friends because it was just too awesome.

Mythical Creatures chart from Tuesday's Announcements

This is the greatest thing I've ever seen. The normal stuff is all on there, but did you know there's a man-fish-horse hybrid? What? That's ridiculous! Where does that come up? I'm gonna have to track it down and find out because it's too crazy not to read about.