Kausalya and Rama

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pasumarthisa

@pasumarthisa

Dazzler

Posted: 9 years ago

Let us remember Kausalya's punya and her relationship with Rama.

Tyagaraja says 'taluku chekkili muddu petta kausalya munu tapamemi cheseno?' What tapas did Kausalya do to kiss his cheek.

In Valmiki Ramayana, their conversations are elaborate(run into 3 sargas). Kausalya hears the news and falls to the ground(shown in SKR briefly)and later says that she is neglected even when he is around and what will happen if he is not.

Rama later goes to take her permission and she says, If you the 'Abhirama'/most charming in the world has to go to forest, then I have to believe that destiny is very strong.

When you leave, the grief and sorrow will burn me down like a firewood is burnt. I will follow you like a cow follows her calf. Awww.

To this Rama says that she cannot leave Dasharatha and its her dharma to stay with him and help him in this situation. And that he will return after his exile and stand at her command. And that she should pray for him all this while.

She does an elaborate Puja for him, blesses him(with a long list of blessings), hugs him and smells his head(a traditional way of showing love n blessing i guess) and bids him farewell.

Rama again comes back to her and takes her permission(today's scene at the doorstep. just that Rama doesn't talk in SKR version) and she advises Seetha and gets assured. Hugs them. He assures her.

Why this? I felt this was important as the relationship was hardly shown in this show. Sumitra's portions were shown ok.

An overdose of Manthara's gymnastics and minutest details of Lankapati's vijaya yatras. But a daily show doesn't have time to show this mother-son relationship. But in turns shows it in a very cordial way. Or even non-existent.

Edited by pasumarthisa - 9 years ago

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Justlikethat1

@Justlikethat1

Sparkler

+ 2

Posted: 9 years ago

Kousalya's relationship with Shri Ram is one of the most poignant ever. In Ramayan, we see in her, the mother who was helpless against destiny and fate.

Kousalya actually is so affected by the cruelty of Kaikeyi s boons that she laments that even if Ram returns from the forest after 14 years, he would still not take over as king as the kingdom would be Bharath s by then. She wonders what is left for her in Ayodhya.

While this strong mother and queen accepts Ram's decision, one can see how affected she is in her lamentation to Dasharath and later to Bharath.

Shri Ram's devotion to Kousalya was no less. While we have been shown his love for kaikeyi in detail, in Valmiki Ramayan, Shri Ram actually asks Lakshman to return back to Ayodhya during a moment if extreme sorrow after they leave for vanvaas. Ram is afraid of how kaikeyi would treat kousalya and Sumitra and wants Lakshman to go back. He is worried that king Dasharath in his lust for kaikeyi would be of no protectionto kousalya and Sumitra and in Bharath s absence they would suffer. While this is momentary, it hints and explains the bond Ram shares with his mother kousalya.

This is one relationship that needs a fitting portrayal.

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attubaby

@attubaby

Dazzler

Posted: 9 years ago

In SKR, ram's relation and rapport with kakayi is explored more than that with Kaushalya and Sumitra.

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appukrish

@appukrish

Dazzler

Posted: 9 years ago

Reading Santhi and @juslikethat's post about the portrayal of Rama-Kaushalya's relation, in SKR I will go with non-existent.

Kaushalya is shown being the Queen more than a mother. Except when Rama first says that his Niyati is 14 years vanvaas and her shock, her emotions and distress have not been explored at all. She accepted Rama's Rajdharm ka palan very easily.

Even Rama is not shown to feel any deep connect to Kaushalya. When he finds out about Shantha his sister, was the only time I felt his connect to Kaushalya's pain.

He seems more concerned about Kaikeyi.

Santhi, thanks for the link to Valmiki Ramayan on the net. Growing up I had only read C.Rajagopalachari's Ramayana. This is beautiful.

Edited by appukrish - 9 years ago

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pasumarthisa

@pasumarthisa

Dazzler

Posted: 9 years ago

Originally posted by: appukrish

Reading Santhi and @juslikethat's post about the portrayal of Rama-Kaushalya's relation, in SKR I will go with non-existent.

Kaushalya is shown being the Queen more than a mother. Except when Rama first says that his Niyati is 14 years vanvaas and her shock, her emotions and distress have not been explored at all. She accepted Rama's Rajdharm ka palan very easily.

Even Rama is not shown to feel any deep connect to Kaushalya. When he finds out about Shantha his sister, was the only time I felt his connect to Kaushalya's pain.
He seems more concerned about Kaikeyi.

Santhi, thanks for the link to Valmiki Ramayan on the net. Growing up I had only read C.Rajagopalachari's Ramayana. This is beautiful.

The translation is not great and not authentic. But they gave word-to-word meaning too. And you get the big picture.

And Rama tells Dasharatha to take care of his mother. He is really worried for her.

Edited by pasumarthisa - 9 years ago

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appukrish

@appukrish

Dazzler

Posted: 9 years ago

Yes the translation isn't authentic. I have a fair knowledge of Sanskrit having learned Carnatic music from a young age. The word to word meaning helps for parts which I don't understand.

Like you said, wish they had gone into these details instead of focusing so much on Manthara and her monologues, Raavana, Surpanakha also was given so much time when her husband was killed:(

Edited by appukrish - 9 years ago

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Kausalya and Rama

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