Questioning Ramayanas: A South Asian TraditionPaula Richman Questioning Rama's story has played a generative role in sustaining the Ramayana tradition over centuries, across regions, and among different communities. Although the story of Rama (Ramkatha) has generated many tellings, most people are familiar with a few authoritative texts, such as those by Valmiki, Tulsidas, or the television serial by Ramanand Sagar. This volume expands our understanding of Ramkatha by focusing on tellings that question aspects of such dominant texts. Through analysis of oral and written narratives, exegesis, plays, songs, rituals, and poetry, the contributors demonstrate the centrality of questioning within the Ramayana tradition and chart the many forms such interrogation takes. The book demonstrates how questioning safeguards the diversity and capaciousness of the Ramayana tradition. |
Contents
FORMS OF QUESTIONING | 12 |
THREE | 28 |
Bhavabhuti on Cruelty and Compassion | 49 |
FOUR | 70 |
SEVEN | 127 |
EIGHT | 159 |
NINE | 169 |
ELEVEN | 239 |
FOURTEEN | 285 |
FIFTEEN | 309 |
SIXTEEN | 329 |
Notes | 359 |
Contributors | 411 |
Copyright Statement | 419 |
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African Caribbean Arya Samaj ascetic Asia aśvamedha audience authoritative Ayodhya Bāli Bali's bhakti Bhavabhuti birth Brahmin brothers castes celebration century character Chaudari context cultural Delhi demon depicts devotion dharma divine epic episode essay example exile Fiji forest Gandhi gender Goldman Hanuman high-caste Hindi Hindu husband ideal indenture Indian Ismail jāti Kālidāsa Kamban's Kerala kill king Kṛttibāsa Kshatriya Lakshman Lakṣmaṇa Lava literary literature Lord Mahābhārata Mānas Muslim myth performance play poems poet political questions rākṣasa Ram's Rāma Rāma's Rama's story Rāmāyaṇa Ramayana narrative Ramayana tradition Rāmcaritmānas Rāmkathā Ramlila Ravana religious ritual Sanskrit SBS Ramlila scholars sexual Shabari Sheldon Pollock Shudra sing Sītā Sita's Śiva social society songs South Asian Southall status Studies Sundarakāṇḍa tail Tamil Tamil Nadu tellings of Rama's Telugu teyyam teyyāṭṭam theme Tulsidas Umaru uttara kāṇḍa Valmiki Valmiki's text Vedas verse wife woman women worship