The epic Ramayana narrative has been recounted several times. While most of us are familiar with the Ramayana and its main character Ram, we rarely hear the narrative from the other characters. And imagine how it must have felt to read it through their eyes.
The following are some works that recreate the Ramayana narrative from unique and varied perspectives:
Sita – Warrior of Mithila – Amish Tripathi
Sita: Warrior of Mithila, written by Amish Tripathi, narrates Sita’s tale from birth through imprisonment, although it is not the Ramayana recounted through Sita’s eyes. He believes that a work like this will have an impact in the Western era when women are fighting for recognition.
This story, the second in the Ram Chandra Trilogy, stars Sita and is a balancing act of contemporary and traditional themes.
The story takes place around 3400 BCE on the Godavari River and centers on Sita’s strong personality. In this twisted version of the Ramayana, Sita is a fighter, archery, and a wonderful administrator, rather than an ideal, meek, and obedient wife.
Sita’s Sister – Kavita Kane
The book tells the famous Ramayana narrative through the eyes of Urmila, a lady with unrivaled tenacity and dedication in historical records.
One of the Ramayana’s most unappreciated heroes is Urmila, Sita’s sister, and Lakshman’s wife. Sita has chosen to remain behind and care for her in-laws as she prepares to be banished. This tale will explain why she stayed at the castle for 14 years while waiting for her marriage.
Lanka’s Princess – Kavita Kane
The story follows Princess Meenakshi, also known as Surpanakha, through her life and legacy, as well as her painful and wrathful emotions. Surpanakha, Ravan’s famous sister. She is typically characterized as uncontrollable, aggressive, and fearless. Someone whose nose was sliced by an infuriated Lakshman and who started the fight.
Was she, on the other hand, just a war criminal? Was she a victim, or was she a perpetrator? Was she dubbed “Lanka’s Princess”?
While we’ve all heard about Surpanakha, few of us have heard of her full name, Meenakshi. There’s a lot more to discover about the princess of Lanka, the child of Kaikesi and Vishravas and Ravana’s cousin. Her anguish, wrath, longing, and revenge are apparent to the reader, and she is immensely relatable in today’s world.
Hanuman’s Ramayan – Devdutt Pattanaik
This work has a cheerful tone and tells the Ramayana narrative as Lord Hanuman might have told it.
This comic series’ visuals are based on Mithila traditional art. This is Hanuman’s playful take on the Ramayana.
Also read: 7 Great Must-Read Books By Amish Tripathi
Sita’s Ascent – Vayu Naidu
For those who think the Ramayana ends with Ram slaying Ravana, this tendency began with Sita being brought to Valmiki’s ashram while she was six months pregnant.
“Stories, aside from providing hope, must be recounted and shared so that everyone may try to grasp the experience of life from another point of view,” Sita says in Vayu Naidu’s new novel Sita’s Ascent. The chapter gives an intriguing insight into the protagonist of the Ramayana’s mind.
Scion of Ikshvaku – Amish Tripathi
While Ram is presented as God in all classical literature, Amish Tripathi’s work takes a different approach by portraying Ram as a regular prince.
If you know the Ramayana as you’ve always known it, you’ll be astonished by this novel, which is also the first in the Ram Chandra Series. The narrative is stripped of its magical elements, and Amish’s Ram is a very human hero.
Asura – Anand Neelakantan
The work seeks to portray the astonishing narrative of the wicked king Ravana and his servants from the Ramayana.
Throughout antiquity, the Ramayana appears to have been recounted primarily from the perspectives of the winners. The narrative of Asura is portrayed from the perspectives of Ravana and the people of Lanka. Finally, the work raises the question of whether anything was horrible just because it was portrayed as such, or if there is another story behind everything.
Sita’s Ramayana – Samhita Arni & Moyna Chitrakar
This novel, told through the eyes of queen Sita, investigates the destiny of women, children, creatures, and the environment caught in the crossfire.
This visually stunning graphic novel depicts the Ramayana from the perspective of Sita. The fascinating illustrations in this book depict Sita as a fit and competent lady, bringing insight into the lives of ladies who became stooges in men-vs-kingdom combat.
The Queen’s Play – Aashish Kaul
The plot revolves around Mandodari, Ravana’s monarch, and how she rises to become one of the most powerful players in the conflict.
Mandodari, the wife of the wicked king Ravana, is only referenced once in the ancient Ramayana. Even though the book spends little time on the Ramayana, it does pick up on individual occurrences and weaves them into the risk game.
