Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues, Part B (More Reading)

The second half of this movie is pretty much about Rama's exile of Sita and how devastated she was in the forest. The narrators mentioned that Rama almost always had this element of doubt of Sita's pureness, which I believe was heightened when the people of his kingdom were referring to it with a bad connotation. Therefore, in order to please the people, Rama banished Sita into the forest even though she was pregnant with his twin children. Even though she was banished from the kingdom, Sita prayed for Rama everyday, which I believed showed her unconditional love to him. Throughout the second act of this film, Sita sings the blues for and because of Rama, even up to the point of creating a river of tears. I think it is interesting how the female narrator interpreted Sita singing songs to Rama as her unconditional love to him. However, the two male narrators thought Sita singing songs to Rama was unfair to her because she should not love someone who does not treat her right. I believe that all three narrators are correct...Sita cannot help but love Rama because she has been through so much with him and her devotion to him is pure. However, on the other hand, if Rama has this notion that Sita is bad and contaminated even though she has always proven her true and pure love for him, then let the man go. Sita deserves better than that which she gets at the very end of the movie when it is finaly Sita who is getting her feet rubbed by Rama and not the other way around like at the beginning of the movie. :)

Bibliography: Nina, Paley. Sita Sings the Blues. Link.

Sita Sings the Blues. Wikimedia Commons.

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues, Part A

This film is about the love story of Sita and Rama, and how Sita sings her love and affection for Rama throughout the movie. The scene that I was most captured by, the scene I believe showed just how much Sita loves Rama is when she is defending her and Rama's love to Ravana. Sita tells Ravana that, "I [Sita] belong to Rama as the rays belong to the sun. Your ugly yellow eyes shall fall out of your head as you stare at me so lustfully. The only reason why I haven't reduced you to ashes with my blazing power is because Rama hasn't ordered me to do so." Sita was crying and distraught at her situation. Even though Sita wanted to run away from Ravana's capture and destroy Ravana herself, she did not because "Rama hasn't ordered me to do so." I believe this portrayed her devotion and dedication to her husband that even in weak and tempting moments, Sita was strong.

In the film, soon after Sita sticks up for her and Rama's love to Ravana, Sita sings the song "Mean to Me" which have the words "when you say you'll phone, you don't and I'm left alone. Singing the blues and sighin'...sweetheart I love you, think the world of you..." I believe this song portrays how much Sita truly loves Rama and even though she is away from him and in exile, it is still Rama that she thinks about, wants to please, and is devoted to. Sita sings how much Rama means to her and essentially if that means she has to suffer to be with him, she will.

I think it is interesting that the three narratives mentioned the fact that when Hanuman came to her the first time while she was under the tree that she should have just gone on his back to escape Ravana and to be with Rama. It was like she could have taken the easy way out, but Sita chose not to. It was almost like instead she wanted to glorify Rama through being victorious in battle. Sita chose to suffer in exile for the sake of Rama and if that is not true love, I do not know what is. 

Bibliography: Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues (link)

Sita Sings the Blues. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Comment Wall

Portfolio link to the website! Thank you in advance for all your helpful comments! :) 

Comment Wall. Source: Flickr.

Week 4 Story: Kumbhakarna

*This story is now part of my Portfolio website as Story #1 (link)!*


Delicious deers. Mouthwatering monkeys. Scrumptious human beings. These are just some of the appetizing meals I dreamt about each and everyday. You see, a deep slumber of a curse has befallen me for my love for food. I used to terrorize the whole world from consuming humans to defeating the great and almighty Indra. Therefore, as punishment, Brahma put me to sleep for six months and can be awaken for one day only in which I devour the most amazing meal, which eventually puts me back to sleep.

One day, as I was dreaming about tasting a delicious meal once again, I begin to hear faint noises. I thought that that was just the sound of my own thoughts, but then I feel a woman's soft and gentle hands on my arm and awaken from my slumber.

I was annoyed that I had been awaken and I was about to yell and scream, but then I laid eyes on a long and large dining table filled with goodies that I could not resist. I stomped over to the table and began to fill my stomach with delicious swine, wine, and human beings.

As I was finishing up my meal I asked Ravana and the rest of the rakshasas, "Why have you awaken me from my deep slumber?"

Ravana replied to me, "The mighty Rama and his great monkey army have invaded our city and we need your might and strength to kill them."

I pouted for a while for this was the reason that my brother woke me up; however, I finally mounted my chariot and went forth to battle Rama and his army. As soon as I saw my brother's enemies, my eyes feasted on the appetizing monkeys that were trembling with fear at the sight of me. I was still quite hungry and the monkeys looked extremely yummy that I ate them by the handful, destroying Hanuman and Sugriva along the way.

It was I was enjoying my meal that I felt a sharp and piercing pain at the back of my neck. I turned around and I saw Rama shooting flaming arrows at my direction. The next thing I knew, before I could attack Rama, I witness my head detached from my body. I screamed from the piercing pain and stumbled to the ground. With my last breath and moment of consciousness, I witness Rama smiling from ear to ear at the sight of my death.

(409 Words)

Author's Note: I told this story from the perspective of Kumbhakarna but in the original story it is about how Ravana and the rakshasas were running out of ideas on how to defeat Rama and his army so they decided to wake up the great Kumbhakarna, the brother of Ravana. A curse had fallen upon Kumbhakarna as punishment for terrorizing the whole world. His punishment was that he slept for six months and only woke up for one day only. During that one day, he devours as much food as he can eat and falls back to sleep. The rakshasas woke him up to defeat Rama but not after first feeding him. Rama's army was scared of the great Kumbhakarna for he ate their fellow monkey army men, seized Sugriva, and defeated Hanuman. Finally, it was Rama who finally destroys Kumbhakarna as he detaches his head from his body. Kumbhakarna falls to the earth and dies.

Bibliography: Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (link)

Kumbhakarna. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: PDE, Part D

Reading Notes for Part D: As soon as Rama killed Ravana once and for all, Rama asked that Hanuman bring Sita to him adorned in beautiful clothing and jewels. Therefore, Hanuman did as he was told and brought Sita to Rama. Rama did have one more request though and that was that Sita be brought to him by foot and not on a palanquin. The new king of Lanka, Vibhishana, cast down at that rebuke and brought Sita to Rama. Once they were together, Rama did not embrace her but instead told her that he has brought honor to his name and to the family, but Sita had stained her honor. Sita could not believe what she was hearing and was heartbroken. Sita could not believe that Rama was accusing her for loving someone else. Therefore, to prove her innocence and to defend her honor, Sita prayed that the fire-god, Agni, consume her and be of witness to her true fidelity to Rama. With sorrowful eyes, Sita asked Lakshmana to start the fire for her and he did so but not without giving Rama a mean look first. The gods came down and asked Rama what he was doing. The gods and the people were all filled with grief and lamenting what was about to take place. However, Rama stood his ground and let Sita prove herself. Sita was then consumed by the fire and while Brahma was chanting, the fire rose to the sky with Sita on his lap and proved her sweet innocence and fidelity to Rama. After a few silent minutes, Rama rejoiced for he knew his wife's innocence but he had to prove to the people that he was not just guided by desire. Rama then ran to Sita and finally regained his beautiful bride.


Bibliography: Public Domain Edition of the Ramayana by Laura Gibbs (Chapters 73-74 - link)

Sita's Fire Test. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: PDE, Part C

Reading Notes for Part C: When Hanuman finally finds Sita, he makes a ruckus to try to save her. Ravana gets his servant, Jambumali, to kill Hanuman but Hanuman comes out victorious. To try to save Sita, Hanuman battles many rakshasas and comes out victorious until he battles Indrajit were he captures Hanuman. The rakshasas tie him up with two layers of cords and bark, but instead of tying him up tighter, the rakshasas actually loosen the cords on Hanuman but he did not tell them that. Hanuman is then brought to Ravana in which Hanuman tells Ravana the reason why he was in Lanka in the first place. Ravana, furious, decides to set Hanuman's tail on fire. As the rakshasas set his tail on fire, Hanuman asked to be shown around the city. As Hanuman was lead around Lanka, Sita heard about the fact that Hanuman's tail was set on fire and she to heal him, she prayed to the Fire and the flame subsided. As the fire began to die down, Hanuman devised and succeeded with the plan of burning down Lanka. After Hanuman burned down Lanka, he searched for Sita to make sure she was safe. Hanuman found her safe near a tree and told her that Rama was going to save her. Hanuman returned to King Sugriva and Rama with good news and insight on the city of Lanka. With this insight, King Sugriva and Rama led an army to march to Lanka to save the beautiful Sita. As Ravana waits for Rama, he debates on whether on not he should battle Rama or just give Sita back to him to avoid battle. Ravana's court advises him to battle Rama, but it is Ravana's younger brother, Vibhishana, that goes against the majority. Ravana becomes mad at Vibhishana which makes Vibhishana leave Lanka to join forces with the great Rama.


Bibliography: Public Domain Edition of the Ramayana by Laura Gibbs (Chapters 55-60 - link)

Hanuman and Ravana fighting. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Topic Research

Come to find out that Arjuna has four wives instead of only two, Ulupi and Chitrangada. Therefore, I thought it could be interesting to write about the four wives of Arjuna.

Ulupi/Uloopi (link): Ulupi is known as the "Naga Princess" who was the daughter of Kouravya, the ruler of the serpents who lived in the water. It was because of a curse that Ulupi became his second wife. Ulupi was instantly attracted to Arjuna and pretty much forced and seduced him to take her as his wife. Arjuna gives in even though he is still married to Draupadi. Ulupi and Arjuna have a son named Iravan together. As mentioned earlier, Arjuna has a curse on him but it is Ulupi who ultimately saves his life and frees him of the curse. Therefore, in the end, should not Arjuna be thankful for Ulupi and that she forced him to be her husband?! Haha:)

Draupadi (link): Draupadi is a beautiful woman who becomes the first wife of Arjuna. In all actually, I believe that Draupadi is actually the common wife among the Arjuna and his four brothers. Arjuna was the one who actually won the Draupadi's hand in marriage, but it was Arjuna's mother that told him to share his blessings and therefore he shared his wife among his brothers. Draupadi had a total of five sons, one from each of her husbands. There is mention of a man by the name of Duryodhana who hated Draupadi and a mention of a war. If I were to write this story, my original goal was to talk about the marriage of Draupadi and Arjuna so I was not going to mention anything that did not pertain to the marriage.

Subhadra (link): Subhadra is another one of Arjuna's wife who is also the sister of Arjuna's best friend, Krishna. When Arjuna first meets Subhadra, he is smitten by her beautiful looks that Krishna basically encourges Arjuna to take his sister as his wife. Arjuna listens to him and they devise a plan to kidnap Subhadra. There is a quote that states, "...a forcible abduction for purposes of marriage is applauded." This quote is intriguing and this story could be fascinating to read and do a retelling about.

Chitrangada (link): I know we were only suppose to mention three possible stories, but I did not want to leave out Arjuna's fourth wife. Therefore, I wrote a teeny bit about her for a possible story. Chitrangada correlates to Ulupi through a battle between Chitrangada's son and Arjuna. While on his exile, Arjuna meets Chitrangada, who is the daughter of the king of Manipur. Arjuna falls in love with her but in exchange for her hand in marriage, Arjuna must not take away Arjuna or any of their children away from Manipur, as they are the ones next in line for the thrown. Arjuna promises, they have a child together, but along the way Chitrangada believes that Arjuna is involved in adultery so she makes a vow to herself that her son will battle Arjuna some day. Fast forward many years and the intertwining of the lives of Arjuna, Ulupi, Chitrangada, and Babruvahana (the son of Arjuna and Chitrangada). The story could be interesting to write about a love triangle with a secret revenge.

Arjuna. Source: Wikimedia Commons