Somen  requested me to post 15 best photographs from the ones  we have taken during our trip to ‘rarh’ Bengal in flickr/kodak/picassa. It is a difficult choice.Besides, I am slow about editing and often I work with writing blogs as a target.

Anyway, as I am progressing with listing and PSing the photos, I have picked up a few from our albums for sharing the same with my friends and relatives.I start with with a mosque , which I thought is the best among the Muslim terra cotta architecture we saw.

Lottan Masjid. 1475 AD ( 500+ years old !!).Built @ the behest of a courtesan . Attributed to sultan Yusuf Shah. Slope of the roof, domes, an extension on the far end and terra cotta motifs impressed us  ( photo by RC).

Among the terra cotta work among the Muslim terra cotta architecture , I have selected two as the most representative ones :

Pillars and arch in a monument under restoration @ Gaur. ASI did not fix any notice here and the time of construction,therefore, is unknown to us. Try to visualise   the grand view when , centuries ago,
the coloured tiles were intact.

Terra cotta decoration on the western wall @ Adina Masjid built by sultan Sikandar Shah between 1364-74 AD,
supposedly the largest in Asia !
Simply majestic !

The history of construction of this huge Masjid stares at your eyes as you come across scores of Hindu deities abounding the structure  !

No caption needed…… from one of the pillars of the gate to the Nave.

Terra cotta and other temples of Baronagar were overwhelming . Those at Sribati can be called cute. I must add that villagers of Sribati were very bitter about indifference of Govt regd. support to the maintenance efforts . They do not get even 1 rupee for removal growth after every monsoon. These temples have panels with lots of stories to tell . Let us try to contribute to the preservation of thises temples .

LH – Krsna kills Kansaraj as Balam looks on. RH – Krsna kills mahut of Kubalayapeerh  while Balaram tackles the elephant which is finally killed by Krsna . Baronagar . 1755 AD.
( Photo by RC )

Ravan had a special place in the heart of the person/s who decided on depiction of Ramayana scenes in Charbangla and Gangeswar temples. Those who are interested in more on this aspect may pl open : http://www.flickr.com/photos/maulindu/4054539545/in/set-72157622562648829/. View this Ravan, placed separately, armed  and dressed  regally.

Finally, 2 panels from Sribati. Sribat has a cluster of 3 temples. One of them is an octagonal temple, quite like
the one at Ilambazar.This temple has many interesting social scenes.

This panel, centrally placed above one of the arches of the octagonal panel, has no figure from mythology !

Who are these characters ?

Here is oeuvre from my HDD . Hope , these pleases the viewers of this page.

‘ROYAL HUNTERS’: View the dynamics of all the human and animal figures of this panel. One of the oldest from my collection. 1648 AD. ’Jor-Bagla’ temple, Bishnupur, West Bengal.

‘ART OF THE GROTESQUE’ : Yet another  of the oldest from my collection. 1648 AD. ’Jor-Bagla’ temple, Bishnupur, West Bengal.

‘FERTILITY : The goddess and her devotees.17th century (?). Jain temple ,Ranakpur,Rajasthan.

‘ACROBATS IN A SHOW OF TRAPEZE’ : A wonderful collage of 20 persons in various postures of acrobatics,The ‘zamindar’, in a crouching posture (LH bottom-most corner) watches the show. 1786AD.’RadhaGovindjiu’s temple, Aantpur, Dt –Hooghly, West Bengal.

‘COAXING’ : Woman sulks and looks away from his lover while their friends are in a mood of joyous revelry.1652 AD. ’Jagdhish’ temple. Udaipur, Rajasthan.

‘ENTWINED’ : Formation of four women in a circle. 1652 AD. ’Jagdhish’ temple. Udaipur, Rajasthan.

‘SAILING ON THE BROOKS OF LIFE’ : Please see the note below. 18th century. Temple at Kotalpur, Dt.- Hooghly, West Bengal.

The top panel has two parts from a well known sequence of Krsnaleela.Many songs….’kirtan’ and folksongs…have been written and sung for centuries on the same. Secondly, according to Suniti Kumar Chattopadhyaya, a renowned scholar of Bengal , ‘boat’ has special significance in ‘Caryapada’,the earliest mystic poems in Bengali and repeated appearance of ‘boat’ in ‘Krsnaleela’ in terra cotta temples of Bengal has influence of ‘Caryapada’ theme too.
On the left-hand side, we find 4 milk-women of Vrindavan, stranded on the shore of Mathura,since Krsna has managed to disperse all the boatmen of the Yamuna river.2 women are seen to persuade Krsna to take them to take them to Vrindavan while the other two enliven the scene by song and dance.On the right-hand panel, we find Krsna in multiple manifestations.He is at the stern as well as at the centre of the boat,embracing Radha and another milk-women.
On the lower level,we can see a large see a large boat, very European in its appearance. Damaged it is ….. but, it is not difficult to imagine how magnificent the panel was. Rows of sailors and revelers adorn the panel.

Ranakpur is in a beautiful valley, 98 km from Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. Nearest railway station is Phalna, which is 35 km from this complex of four temples , self-sufficient with  a set of spartan Guest Houses and a vegetarian canteen.

The  main temple of Ranakpur. Built in 15th Century by Dharna Sha,  a Jain business man. He built this on land given by Rana Kumbha and named this place Ranakpur. Aadinath is the deity here. Massive temple, with  plinth size of 48,000 sq ft  and supported by 1444 pillars.

Man with his five senses. Artwork on ceiling of Aadinath temple.

Saraswati among an arabesque formed by snakes.

Mahavira and arabesque.

The Ferocious.Close to  Hindu Bhairav. On Parsvanath temple’s wall.Impassive face.Beard and moustache.Naked with ornaments dangling on thighs.A snake round his neck,A dead man’s head hangs from his right hand.

Puja Pandal @ Gokhale Sporting , Bhowanipore.

The ‘Puja’ has been highly commercialised, specially through hype in TV. Days’ count starts blinking on the screen 90 days before ‘Mahalaya’.Endless advertisements and talks and reports on what minor celebrities plan to do during the ‘Puja’ spoils the celebration’s mood because of over-exposure. Gradually, DurgaPuja is turning to be a carnival.

Yet, the art of decorating and the height of workmanship of the artisans who toil for weeks attract lakhs of people who stream through the PujaPandals for 4/5 evenings.The rush allows just a glimpse , because , there is a constant push to move and make room for the next person. I normally cover a few of the famous ones in South Calcutta during early hours of the morning or noon.In the evenings, I enjoy the shows of TV channels. Much to my chagrin,in 2009, TV channels, who did cover the Puja crowd a lot, were very particular about not showing the details of award-winning images and pandals !There must have been requests of Puja Committes about not showing the details so that curiosity attracts larger and larger crowd,which in turn means,bigger support from sponsors.

Weather was a spoil-sport this year. September weather is, as such, humid.Calcuttans had to brave a few showers too. are a few photos capturing the moments of joy :

Tired face of a priest. ‘Evergreen’ pandal @ Ballygunge.

Durgabari @ Ballygunge Place. Notice the bright red garlands on Devi’s body.

The best performer in a competition of impersonating DeviDurga among local children @ (Behala) Airport ‘More’ near Parnasree.

Seeking the blessing of the Goddess, after the priest performed ‘Arati’.@ (Behala) Airport ‘More’ near Parnasree.

Sunset , as viwed from Sajjangarh.

My wife is from Rajasthan.Therefore, I have visited Rajasthan on many occasions during the 3 decades of married life. I have visited Udaipur and Chittorgarh , among other places, more than once. I have always been influenced deeply by the splendour of these places offered to the visitors. A visitor of Rajasthan looks forward to views of historical monuments, lakes (of Udaipur) and hills ( Araballi) and desert.

This trip added a new chapter to our previous experiences.During this trip, we discovered the beauty of the Ranakpur valley , lush green after monsoon. As our car travelled through winding roads of this valley , cutting through the green hills dotted with small hamlets and rolling meadows, we soaked in the tranquility of nature.

View of FatehSagar Lake, Udaipur from Sajjangarh.

We visited quite a few places and monuments we have missed out so far. We visited Sajangarh @ Udaipur, offering wonderful view of the city and lakes below) , Eklingji’s temple (30 km from Udaipur), Snaolima temple ( on the way to Chittorgarh), Ranakpur’s temples and Bikaner’s forts.There was one problem we faced throughout this tour – that of cloudy sky, often coming in the way of photography.Nevertheless , we clicked a lot of photographs of the places,events and monuments, some of which are quite interesting.

Jagadishji's Temple @ Udaipur.

Jagadishji’s Temple @ Udaipur. Built by Rana Jagat Singha(1st) in 1652.The temple’s front was extensively damaged by Aurangzeb’s army in 1736. Rana Sangram Singha(2nd) restored the temple to its glory in 1780.

Hermit and his surroundings.

A hermit stands unperturbed while a couple is engaged in sex on his right and two women dance on his left. Jagdishji’s Temple @ Udaipur.

The gate to 'Jayastambha',Chittorgarh.

The entrance of ‘Jayastambha’ compound @ Chittorgarh, just before the sunset .

The ones I liked most are – three faces of Shiva(Chittorgarh),oblique rays of the sun lighting up a plaque showing Palidana’s temple, ‘jhoroka’s of Bikaner, private collection of paintings @ Bikaner ( some of you may have heard/read of ‘RasikPriya’ series…. presumably the better paintings are in the private displays in the confines of the palaces, still a clutch of interesting ones in display @ Lalgarh Museum), sleepy pregnant camels in the Camel Farm.

Three moods of Shiva .

Three faces of Shiva.LH – solemn.RH – Rudra. Temple @ Chittorgarh.The details will show lots of emblems .

A monkey and a lion

Monkeys abound the premises of ‘Jayastambha’ @ Chittorgarh. A view of a monkey sitting on the head of a Lion @ 30′ height .

Temples of Rajasthan are opulent. The silver facades, gold ornaments, exquisite clothes make a visit to Rajasthan’s temples an experience out-of-the-ordinary. It is a pity that for security reasons, photography is strictly prohibited in most of the temples. For memory, one has to depend on framed photographs sold outside these Temple complexes.As a positive fall-out of this practice, I found artists of Rajasthan create paintings of Srinathji some of which are work of art.The price, including framing, can be Rs 10,000/- or more.But, the display of artistry is awesome. I hpoe  the reader has enjoyed this introductory part of my ‘visit report ‘ and the few photos from my repertoire.

View of 'Jayastambha', Chittorgarh from a distance.

Face flushed with anticipation,
Arms raised , silent scream on his lips ,
Swollen veins on his throat.

Chasing a mirage.

* * * * * *
Her last evening in sage Valmiki’s hermitage.

This was her dwelling for more than fourteen years…..nowhere else she stayed longer than this in her adult life. A simple cottage , nothing like the palace where she should have been as the queen of Ayodhya. She would bid farewell to this dwelling of hers next morning. She would not return to Sage Valmiki’s hermitage ever in her life !

Sita sighed as she stepped into her cottage and sat in the favourite corner of her own room. From here she could have a glimpse of the ground where Lav-Kush used to practice archery. A small garden across her room filled her cottage with a fragrance she would miss from tomorrow.

Tomorrow , a chariot would come at her doorstep from Ayodhya’s palace. Ram had sent an invitation to the mother of Lav-Kush , an invitation to be present in the royal court of Ayodhya. This afternoon, this evening be would her time for reminiscences.
Her time for decisions.

The three men in her life!

Ram, the handsome young warrior in her father’s court, quiet determination and self-confidence in his body language , easily lifted the bow of Lord Shiva , put the string across and pulled it so hard that it broke. While her father JanakRaj and others applauded, Sita looked at Ram with a pride in her heart . She also sensed that her friends were looking at her with envy. Later, after her marriage with Ram, when she was melting in his embrace, Ram asked her when Sita fell for him : before or after he lifted the bow. She kissed Ram ,first ever kiss from her side, but, did not reply. She was not sure herself.
She could recall vividly all the moments of affection and passion she shared with Ram while she traveled with him through the forests during the period of Ram’s banishment. And also his anxious look when he went out from their cottage in that fateful day to catch the golden deer .
She never found that ‘Ram’ later when they were together after her rescue from Lanka. The boyish charm, the deep, deep love of nature, his joy in sharing the small pleasures of life with Sita. Sita remembered Ram’s attitude when she met him for the first time after Ravana was dead. His face had deep lines and his eyes did not smile. He was rude in front of Lakshman , Hanuman and other characters she never met earlier. Sita decided not to think about the other details of those traumatic moments of her life.
Later on, when in Ayodhya, Ram was a busy King, occupied with the task of running his court .He had a load of social obligations too, commitments to his seniors and dependents. Ram had no time ….and no intention…. to make her forget the humiliation Ram inflicted on her through Agnipariksha.. Though Sita did not realise at that stage, but, now she felt : when alone in their palace, even in the most intimate moments, there was a thorn in Ram’s heart. She never shared this feeling of hers with Valmiki . She thought : let Valmiki write the chronicle his way. She would not influence him at all. The morning of to-morrow would tell the world if she could read Ram’s mind rightly.

JanakRaj, the man who shaped her life. His affectionate smile, the brush of his beard as she hugged him as a child when he returned from the day-long work in the field and in the court. His teachings had been with her in all her difficult moments : interpretation of scripture , telling her about godliness, explaining what ‘OM’ meant . JanakRaj took care that his foster daughter would learn social skills and grace : how to behave in presence of sages, in royal court , among aristocracy and common people. JanakRaj firmly believed that Sita was destined to get married to a great royal family of Aryabarta and that her life would not be that of an ordinary queen. JanakRaj found her companions who were well-versed in the ways of life, possessed superior intelligence and elegance. But, she was not taught how deal with abduction and tackle libidinous Rakshasha Kings.

That brought the memory of the third man of her life to her mind : Ravana.
Strong, sophisticated yet impatient, lustful. Eloquent he was , talking about his triumphs, his wealth, his invincibility and his virility. Ravana thought he was the most desirable man in the universe and would become abusive when ignored. She witnessed that proud and arrogant person losing the treasures of his life ….one by one….. because of his infatuation , his blind desire to possess her. In spite of his knowing that Sita was beholden to Ram for ever. During the last few dark nights at her Ashokban cottage, Sita would realise that Ravana was facing defeat and very likely death in this battle which was raging beyond the boundary of that city of palaces. Shrieks and sobs of women, who lost their sons and husbands and brothers, would stab her ears , her heart , her cocoon every night. How hard it was to live in hope of early end of her captivity yet among the people whose nemesis she was, waiting for the death of her captor.

Long after the sunset, Sita sat in her room without getting up to light a lamp. Her mind was wandering, perhaps in a vacuum, when Shruti, a young girl from the hermitage brought a tray containing a few lamps and flowers. Deferentially, she bowed to Sita, placed the flowers and a lamp in the corner where she meditated daily after sunset. Then, she proceeded to leave a lamp in each of the other rooms and spaces . She then noticed a blank look on the face of Sita. She enquired ,’ Devi, is everything alright?’ Sita replied, in her composed voice, ’Yes ,my dear. Why do you think it is otherwise ?’

Sita got up , washed herself, changed her dress and mediated. She chanted the mantras Janakraj had taught her for a long time. Then she asked herself : what would happen to-morrow in the court.
Sita believed she could guess the answer. Sita believed, Ram would stand, once again, on high moral pedestal. His climb to this pedestal started when he killed Ravana. Or perhaps, when he signed a treaty with Sugriva and agreed to eliminate Bali , without an encounter. To Ram , royalty and his public image were very important .

Sita decided that she had suffered enough for a lifetime She had suffered . the horror of abduction and anguish of a life of isolation in Ashokaban of Ravana’s palace. And the humiliation of suspicion of her husband and a section of his subjects till the other day !
Another question or even one dark hint about her character in the royal court and she would move away from Ayodhya , far from her dear sons, Sage Valmiki’s hermitage and Ram’s court.

Will Ram be able to conquer the shadow of Ravana during her lifetime ?

* * * * * *

The meet was disappointing. And, in line with Sita’s premonition .

Next day, as Ram said, ‘If Sita is pure, let my affection for her be blessed’, Sita , inspite of all the mental preparation she had, she felt crestfallen. What a cold and impersonal address, devoid of emotion, spirit of welcome ! Ram did not meet her eyes, he did not convey one word of regret about her sufferings or her raising their sons single-handed!!

All the kind words of Valmiki, Agastya and other honourable persons present in the court did not reach reach Sita’s ears. Time to go away far from Ram’s life, from royal court and palace of Ayodhya was here. She folded her arms and asked Ram, Oh King! I have but only one submission.’
Ram was surprised by the tone of this question . He replied : ’You have just to mention it.’
Sita stared at Ram’s face. She found age, power of royalty and politics le ft a mark on his personality and posture. She was calm and composed, her voice dignified : ‘I know you do not disappoint a person who comes to this court with a wish. My wish is a life away from this court, in the lap of Mother Earth from where I emanated. I would request you to grant me a chariot, bare essentials and two guards to escort me to the boundary of your kingdom. Please do not ever try to invite me to your court , your life. ‘

Sita then turned to Lav-Kush : ‘Bless you, my sons. I will not hug you. Then I will be weak. When you grow older , you will understand what I went through in my life. You will realise why I am walking away, without giving you two the last hug .’

As the court heard her in stunned silence, Sita looked at Valmiki, her eyes red yet dry , very much unlike the many descriptions of her penned by him. ‘You have penned me as a soft woman, always tearful. From to-day, I shall not shed any more tears. Oh great Poet, let that Sita face her end at this court. Stories about the other Sita would be written by future generations beyond this ‘Treta Yuga’. Please bless me from your heart !’

Sita raised her head , looked around the court taking in , absorbing all the details , murmured ‘Adieu’ when her eyes met Ram’s for the one last time and then walked away……into a legend .
And …..into our heart.

Sita's happy days in Ram's court in Ayodhya : Terra cotta work in Pratapeswat Temple @ Kalna,WB,India.

Ravana on his chariot: Panel from Ramchandra temple,Guptipara,WB,India.

This was the afternoon of an autumn day millenniums ago. The ground was littered with dead bodies of soldiers and carcasses of elephants and horses. Scattered were the skeletons of chariots which carried proud heroes of those days. Sunset and the dark night of new moon were a few hours away.

Yet, Ravana realized another kind of darkness was descending from the sky, slowly, to envelope his chariot and his being . He noticed, far off , Matali, who was driving Rama’s chariot at the behest of his master Indra, the king of the gods, turned back to whisper something to Ram. Ram nodded and then picked up a deadly weapon from his quiver and aimed at him.

Ravana now knew his end was near. He would not give up….he searched for the harshest arrow from the few he was left with and waited for Ram to decide on the course of the projectile his weapon would take. All this while, snatches from his life floated in front of his eyes….

His mother Kaikasi, talking to young Ravana, then known as Dasagriva, about his half-brother Kubera’s wealth, thus kindling the first fire of ambition in his heart which propelled him to this position of strength and wealth ….. The anger of Lord Shiva , when he disturbed His privacy when He was with Parvati in His abode at Mount Kailash and the crushing pain he was subjected to by Shiva as punishment …….. Indra’s humiliated face as his soldiers took away the prized possessions from the Heaven to Lanka……His first night with Mandodari, the woman from far off land with rare grace and beauty……..Young Indrajit, his dear son who left this world because of his own obsession with Sita…… and Sita whom he could not win over ……

Ravana suddenly realized Ram had released the weapon of Death towards him. Its bulk was propelled by the Lord of wind .It was emitting fire and there was a silence among his soldiers, as if they were wondering if a countermove by him would be possible and more importantly effective. Ravana’ lips muttered ‘Oh!Lord Shiva’ as he released his arrow, determined to go down fighting…. .

Ravana did not watch the feeble resistance his arrow offered to the projectile of Death that was approaching his chariot He had a dark canvass in front of his eyes, with Sita in its centre, as beautiful and desirable as he saw her for the first time in Dandakaranya , repeating the curse of Vedabati .As he extended his hands ….asking for an embrace or forgiveness….we shall never know, Death struck his chariot .

History would commemorate that moment of victory of Ram and end of the life and regime of King Ravana as victory of good over evil. In parallel lore, however, Ravana would be remembered as a great, scholarly and valiant ruler. All the women of his life, except for Mandodary and Sita, would go into oblivion.

After suffering the horror of abduction and anguish of a life of isolation in Ashokaban of Ravana’s palace, Sita had to suffer humiliation of suspicion of her husband and a section of his subjects till the end of her life. Ram would not be able to conquer the shadow of Ravana during his lifetime too .

Ravana in his court: Panel from Radheshyam temple,Bishnupur,WB,India.

It was another tranquil evening in Dankaranya. After the sunset, birds were quiet…. the forest did not betray any movement. Mild fragrance of wild flowers hung heavy among the trees . The river Godavari was flowing as usual. Stars were shining on the sky above. Neither the river nor the sky betrayed any fore-bidding of an epoch of the millennium which would have its first act unfolding next morning in this forest .

This evening , a young woman was reclining on a flower decorated divan. placed on a raised platform adjacent to the river’s bank. Her supple athletic body betrayed slight tension. Her companions had lit up the platform with decorative lamps and placed incense sticks in its four corners . One of them was playing a stringed instrument softly. Her favourite masseur was ready with lukewarm oil, mixed with herbal ingredients and bowls of warm water, waiting slightly impatiently for the touch of her sensuous body his deft fingers would get during this chore and the pain of his ever-unfulfilled arousal. Her favourite snacks and drink were ready on a silver platter placed near her divan. A perfect set-up for relaxation of this special woman who spent the day riding through the forest on horse-back and hunting.

One of her companions came near her with slow-burning camphor, soaked in aphrodisiacs. She informed her that three young satraps of this forest were waiting in her pavilion …….invited to join her for a sumptuous dinner and later a session of wild revelry and dance to the tune of orgasmic drum-beats .

But, her mind was wandering far away from this set-up and another evening of heightened pleasure. She was staring at the flicker of light coming from a distance through trees of this forest. She was intrigued by the dwellers of the sprawling cottage where the light was coming from. This cottage came up after she last visited this favourite hunting place of hers . She was , therefore, naturally curious about the dwellers of this cottage. She found there were three persons in this cottage. Two young men, one practicing archery and the other repairing the thatching of the cottage….. and a veiled beauty, humming and watering the creepers on the fencing. One thing she noticed : They were so different from all the people she knew in the power circle she belonged to.

This woman was no ordinary person. Her father was a very respected sage, her eldest brother a very powerful king, dreaded for his exploits of kingdoms and women, and her half-brother the richest person of the universe. Enlightened and sophisticated woman she was, with huge resources placed at her disposal. Her prowess has attracted many virile men to her inner circle. But, for the first time in her life, she felt attracted to a man, in a way she could not fathom herself.

These three persons staying at the distant cottage were no ordinary persons either. But, they were busy with their lives, having no idea what would befall upon them the next morning , when their neighbour would walk into their cottage with an unexpected request. The course of event would change not only their lives for ever but those of thousands whose existence they were not yet aware of.

This was the night before the start of a war Gods would watch with trepidation. One of the greatest poets of India will write an Epic based on this war . Can you guess who this woman is ?

She is Soopananakha, grand-daughter of sage Pulastya, daughter of Visrava and Kaikasee, sister of Ravana and half-sister of Kuber. Next morning, she would put on her best dress, jewelry and demeanour , and offer herself to the archer she saw from a distance. The other young man , the archer’s younger brother, would jeer at her dark skin , taunt her for her amorous advances and throw her out of their cottage . Losing her cool, she would turn blind with rage and create a ruckus. In a cruel act of retribution by the younger brother, she would be disfigured permanently .Her bodyguards would be killed. Soon, her eldest brother Ravana would abduct the veiled beauty to avenge this insult. A devastating battle would engulf her country bringing in immense tragedy into the lives of the all the valiant relatives of Soorpanakha as well as to the person she wanted to allure into her life.

This is a tale of India millenniums ago. To-day , Anurag Kashyap finds her heroine carrying a bed-roll to the shade of a tree and inviting her lover Dev D to have sex with her. Dev D disappoints Paro and the audience . Tragedy follows but, of a different kind and scale !

Veronica Lario now retaliated by having a painting of her, similarly clothed, in an exhibition and the Internet……she too appears as a beautiful angel. (http://www.galloimmenso.com/images/blog/lario_quadro.jpg)

The matter did not end there. Veronica will very likely divorce her husband,19 years her senior , since she has run out of patience with Berlusconi’s ways with beautiful women, whom she calls ‘the emperor’.

Yet, Berlusconi is very popular in his country as well among the neighbouring states because of his capability and charisma, which is aided by his ‘high libido’. Our society and history have idolized Rulers and Kings who had insatiable thirst for expansion and at the same time, kept a large harem engaged. We do not have emperors any more, but, we have our John F Kennedy, Bill Clinton and Berlusconi.

History has not been kind to one such King, whose testosterone level was his nemesis. He is Ravana , a King who was learned, a good ruler, well-respected by his subjects and possessed excellent military skill. As we find from the laments of his wives and other women whom he brought into his bed and his palace, after his fall at the hand of Ram, he was loved by his women. Among the major negatives of his character, his uncontrollable sexual urge was the single largest cause of his and his regime’s downfall.

Ravana in flame of passion

In a way, Valmiki Ramayana and many other version of this epic story have not been fair to this great King. His positives have been mentioned in passing while his negatives have been highlighted. But, there are others in South India, Michael Madhusudan in Bengal and presently several historians/Internet communities in Sri Lanka, who have viewed and portrayed King Ravana in positive light. I am not aware if anyone doubted about his over-active libido.

A moment before Ravana abducts Sita.

Had he remained satisfied with the women he married and later on ‘conquered’, his life would have been different. But, he raped Vedabati and forcibly took the paramour of his step-brother Kuber’s son to his bed ( strictly speaking, this is not incest, but, very nearly so). I found there is at least one more high-profile woman’s rape and complaint have been recorded in the chronicle. There must have been many more ! Finally, his death came because he abducted Sita , a woman whose beauty and sexual attraction kept his mind engaged for months while the consequent string of tragic events devastated his family and regime.

Ravana prays - terra cotta temple @ Guptipara,WB,India.

Someday, a poet , as great and capable as Michael Madhusaudan, will write a ballad on Ravana’s fatal attraction for Sita.