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Lessons to learn from Hanuman
By Krithika Nair Hanuman, the vanara son of Kesari and Anjana, is a beloved deity from the Ramayana. He is a lot of things – a chiranjeevi, a poet, a singer, a yogi, and so much more, but he is best known for being Rama’s most ardent devotee. His might and cleverness have no match, […]
Panchakanya: The Five Virgins of the Epics
By Kayva Gokhale The Indian epics – Ramayana and Mahabharata – are both fascinating studies of human behaviour. They are full of myriad characters with unique personalities and motivations, all trying to navigate through concepts like duty, honour, love, morality, loyalty and courage. Unlike a lot of other modern and ancient literature however, the epics […]
The Noble Asuras
By Krishna Priya The terms asura and rakshasa are associated with destruction and violence throughout Indian mythology. In the epics, like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, they are seen as demonic figures – monstrous in form and nature. However, a closer look reveals that not all asuras were the same. A lot of the asuras […]
Lava and Kusha
Did you know the legend behind how Lava and Kusha, Sita and Rama’s twin sons, were named? The Uttara Kand in Valmiki’s Ramayana tells us the story of the twins’ naming. When Sita gave birth to her sons in Valmiki’s ashram, the other sages asked Valmiki to protect them from evil spirits, as was the […]
Chiranjeevi: The Immortals
By Vidhi Kubadia In Hinduism, the cycle of life and death is endless until one attains moksha (liberation from birth). However, there are some people who do not follow the same cycle. These are the Chiranjeevis. The Sanskrit word ‘chiranjeevi’ means immortal. Different texts mention either seven or eight such beings. This article explores how […]
Mayasita
Did you know this interesting tale from the Ramayana? During his exile, Rama once saw Agni, the fire god, in his dream. Agni told him that Ravana would carry Sita away, and it was Rama’s destiny to kill the evil asura king. He had a plan to keep Sita safe by replacing her with a […]
Why the Ebony Tree is Black
The Tinduka or Tendu tree, also known as Ebony, is recognisable because of its trademark black wood. There is a fascinating legend about how the tree got its characteristic colour.
Devoted Sons From The Epics
Indian mythology is full of fascinating father-son relationships. Read the stories of Rama, Bheeshma and Puru, devoted sons who sacrificed greatly for their fathers.
Comic of The Month
The Sons of Rama
The story of Rama and Sita was first set down by the sage Valmiki in his epic poem 'Ramayana.' Rama was the eldest son of Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya, who had three wives - Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra. Rama was the son of Kaushalya, Bharata of Kaikeyi and Laxmana and Shatrughna of Sumitra. The four princes grew up to be brave and valiant. Rama won the hand of Sita, the daughter of King Janaka. Dasharatha wanted to crown Rama as the king but Kaikeyi objected. Using boons granted to her by Dasharatha earlier, she had Rama banished to the forest. Sita and Laxmana decided to follow Rama. While in the forest, a Rakshasi, Shoorpanakha, accosted Laxmana but had her nose cut off by him. In revenge, her brother Ravana, king of Lanka, carried Sita away. Rama and Laxmana set out to look for her and with the help of an army of monkeys, defeated Ravana. On returning Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, Rama banished Sita because of the suspicions of his subjects. In the ashrama of sage Valmiki, she gave birth to her twin sons, Luv and Kush.
