Reading Notes: Devee's Promila and Sakuntala

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Burning Man Festival Display
Image Source: Trey Ratcliff

The story of Promila, wife of Indrajit, eldest and greatest son of Ravana, and the story of Sakuntala, daughter of Menaka and Bishwamitra, were infinitely more satisfying than Sita's story in the Ramayana. These are women who, unlike Sita, actively pursued their goals. Promila shows so much nerve and determination, even threatening to fight the troops of Rama in her goal to see her husband during the Rama-Ravana war, and choosing to die on the funeral pyre of her husband. Ravana himself is moved by her dedication when she dies, so much so that he erects a giant empty tomb (cenotaph) and the site of her death is made holy forever. Promila strikes me as a strong and independent woman, who allows no room for fear within her heart; this feels very different from Devee's depiction of Sita, who seems timid and frail in comparison. This could be in part due to the family she married into, as Ravana's family does have a reputation for headstrong action. I particularly enjoyed reading a story which uses Ravana's kin as the hero and heroine, and I hope there are other stories which relate events from the viewpoint of Ravana's family. 

The story of Sakuntala has a passing similarity to Sita's tale: both women are of supernatural origin (Sita from the furrows of the earth, Sakuntala from the child of the holiest man alive and the most beautiful of the celestial fairies) wind up spending many years in a deserted forest with hermits raising children of men who have abandoned them. However, Sakuntala embraces her life when Sita despaired of it. The joy of Sakuntala and her child, Bharat, is such that upon her successful reunion with her forgetful husband, she pleads with him to actually remain in the jungle (tapovan) as she knows she prefers it there. Sita's languish during her exile culminates in her absolute misery, begging the earth to swallow her up, even after she reunites with Rama. While the two women share similar conditions, their response to life's unfairness is wildly different. 

This was definitely welcome reading following Sita and Rama's tragic ending. A fun take on this week's reading could be to setup a scene where the women of a village are arguing over which was truly the ideal woman, and which virtues are truly the best and most desirable. Promila embodies courage, while Sita and Sakuntala both show patience, loyalty, and kindness. 

Bibleography
Nine Ideal Indian Women, Sunity Devee




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