Reading Notes: Ramayana, Sita Sings the Blues, Part A

Reading Notes: Ramayana, Sita Sings the Blues, Part A

Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley

• -         Dasharatha – had three wives (Kausalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi)

• -         Kausalya’s son was Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya

• -         Sumitra’s son was Laxman and Shatrughna

• -         Kaikeyi’s son was Bharat

• -         Rama was adamant that Sita must not come to the fourteen-year exile

• -         Sita wanted to go to exile with Rama because her place was right next to her husband,                        Rama

• -         In a scene, it shows Rama killing all the Rakshasas while in exile

• -         Ravana was the King of Lanka, and he kidnapped Sita

• -         He prayed to all the gods, and he devoted Shiva and played the veena

• -         Ravana’s sister encourages Ravana to kidnap Sita from Rama, and make her his wife                        against her wish

• -         Sita wanted the golden deer, but Rama insisted that it might be a trap

• -         Rama goes to capture the golden deer, while Ravana sneaks up on her

• -         In a scene it shows the love Sita has for Rama

• -         Then immediately Ravana kidnaps Sita and takes her away in his chariot

• -         Sita drops here jewelry and it led all the way to Lanka

• -         Hanuman is born with a purpose to help Rama save Sita from Ravana

• -         Sita is seen crying under a tree

• -         Ravana says that she must love him, and Sita warns him that Rama will save her

• -         The Rakshasas will kill her if she doesn’t abide to Ravana’s wish

• -         Sita does not do anything because Rama did not tell her to do anything

• -         Sita wanted Rama to save her – her Rama was the best

• -         Rama battles the Rakshasas and Ravana to save Sita

• -         Rama told Sita that he is unfit to be his wife – since she lived in another mans house

• -         She said that she will step into a fire, and she was protected by the fire god – Agni

• -         Sita forgave Rama for testing her purity

• -         They returned to Ayodhya after their fourteen-year exile

BiBibliography: Nina Paley's 2008 Sita Sings the Blues

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