"Ravanisation": The Revitalisation of Ravana among Sinhalese Buddhists in Post-War Sri Lanka

Author: Deborah de Koning
Publisher: LIT Verlag
Total Pages: 422
Release: 2022-01-05
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 3643965044

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This book discusses Ravanisation: the revitalisation of Ravana among Sinhalese Buddhists in post-war (after 2009) Sri Lanka. The Hindu Ramayana generally portrays Ravana as a cruel king. How and why, then, has Ravana gained the interest of Sinhalese Buddhists? This study takes an ethnographic perspective to answer these questions. The book discusses multiple Ravana representations that have emerged at an urban Buddhist site (the Sri Devram Maha Viharaya) and a rural site (Lakegala), and discloses how Ravanisation relates to Sinhalese Buddhist ethno-nationalism. In addition, the material, ritual, and spatial perspectives offer unique insights in the personal and local relevance of Ravana. Dr. Deborah de Koning holds a PhD degree in Religious Studies (Tilburg University, research funded by the Dutch Research Council) and currently works as lecturer Intercultural Communication and Hinduism and Buddhism at the Christian University of Applied Sciences (CHE, The Netherlands).

The Many Faces of Murukan

The Many Faces of Murukan
Author: Fred W. Clothey
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2019-05-20
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 3110804107

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The series Religion and Society (RS) contributes to the exploration of religions as social systems - both in Western and non-Western societies; in particular, it examines religions in their differentiation from, and intersection with, other cultural systems, such as art, economy, law and politics. Due attention is given to paradigmatic case or comparative studies that exhibit a clear theoretical orientation with the empirical and historical data of religion and such aspects of religion as ritual, the religious imagination, constructions of tradition, iconography, or media. In addition, the formation of religious communities, their construction of identity, and their relation to society and the wider public are key issues of this series.

Ravana

Ravana
Author: StoryBuddiesPlay
Publisher: StoryBuddiesPlay
Total Pages: 53
Release: 2024-05-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

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Delve into the multifaceted character of Ravana, the iconic antagonist of the Ramayana. Beyond his villainous portrayal, discover the scholar, ruler, and devotee who harbored an insatiable ambition that ultimately led to his tragic downfall. This comprehensive analysis explores the complexities of Ravana's motivations, justifications, and the moral ambiguity surrounding his actions. Uncover the corrupting influence of power, the dangers of hubris, and the enduring themes of the Ramayana that resonate across cultures and generations. Learn valuable lessons from Ravana's story, including the importance of humility, self-control, and the unwavering commitment to ethical principles. Gain insights into the potential pitfalls of human nature and the ultimate triumph of righteousness over unchecked ambition. Whether you're a student of mythology, a lover of epic tales, or simply curious about the complexities of human nature, this exploration of Ravana offers a deeper understanding of a character who continues to fascinate audiences worldwide.

The Many Faces of Ravana

The Many Faces of Ravana
Author: Deborah de Koning
Publisher:
Total Pages: 407
Release: 2021
Genre:
ISBN:

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The Ramayana

The Ramayana
Author: Bulbul Sharma
Publisher: Penguin Books India
Total Pages: 148
Release: 2008-01-09
Genre: Epic literature, Indic
ISBN: 9780143330318

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Retold specially for children.

Asura : Tale of the Vanquished

Asura : Tale of the Vanquished
Author: Anand Neelakantan
Publisher: One Point Six Technology Pvt Ltd
Total Pages: 452
Release: 2012-04-12
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 938157605X

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The epic tale of victory and defeat... The story of the Ramayana had been told innumerable times. The enthralling story of Rama, the incarnation of God, who slew Ravana, the evil demon of darkness, is known to every Indian. And in the pages of history, as always, it is the version told by the victors, that lives on. The voice of the vanquished remains lost in silence. But what if Ravana and his people had a different story to tell? The story of the Ravanayana had never been told. Asura is the epic tale of the vanquished Asura people, a story that has been cherished by the oppressed outcastes of India for 3000 years. Until now, no Asura has dared to tell the tale. But perhaps the time has come for the dead and the defeated to speak. "For thousands of years, I have been vilified and my death is celebrated year after year in every corner of India. Why? Was it because I challenged the Gods for the sake of my daughter? Was it because I freed a race from the yoke of caste-based Deva rule? You have heard the victor's tale, the Ramayana. Now hear the Ravanayana, for I am Ravana, the Asura, and my story is the tale of the vanquished." "I am a non-entity-invisible, powerless and negligible. No epics will ever be written about me. I have suffered both Ravana and Rama - the hero and the villain or the villain and the hero. When the stories of great men are told, my voice maybe too feeble to be heard. Yet, spare me a moment and hear my story, for I am Bhadra, the Asura, and my life is the tale of the loser." The ancient Asura empire lay shattered into many warring petty kingdoms reeling under the heel of the Devas. In desperation, the Asuras look up to a young saviour-Ravana. Believing that a better world awaits them under Ravana, common men like Bhadra decide to follow the young leader. With a will of iron and a fiery ambition to succeed, Ravana leads his people from victory to victory and carves out a vast empire from the Devas. But even when Ravana succeeds spectacularly, the poor Asuras find that nothing much has changed for them. It is when that Ravana, by one action, changes the history of the world.

By the Sabarmati

By the Sabarmati
Author: Esther David
Publisher: Penguin Books India
Total Pages: 204
Release: 1999
Genre: Ahmadābād (India)
ISBN: 9780140278439

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Twenty-Two Extraordinary Stories From The Lives Of Women We Have Always Known. What Happens When Women Decide To Shed Their Inhibitions And Speak Out About Their Deepest Feelings? What Stories Lie Behind Their Closed Doors In The Slums And Pols Of Ahmedabad? This Sparkling Collection Tells Us About The Dreams And Aspirations, The Victories And Defeats Of Women We Have Met Every Day-On The Streets, At Home, In Our Neighbourhoods. In Simple Unadorned Prose Esther David Recounts The Stories Of Maya Desai, Tormented By The Knowledge Of Her Beauty And Driven To Suicide By A World Which Refuses To Recognize Her True Self; Of Vesti, Who Meets An Unlikely Saviour After Being Branded As A Witch; Of Amina, Who Never Steps Beyond The Threshold Of Her House, But When Her Family Begins To Fall Apart, Proves To Be A Tower Of Strength; And Of Vidya, The Wife Of An Itinerant Performer, Who Comes Across A Strange Apparition In The Course Of A Somnolent Afternoon. There Are Young Women And Old, Struggling Against Disappointment, Failed Love And The Death Of Near Ones. At Times Funny, At Times Disturbing, These Stories Are A Testament To Their Heroic And Moving Endeavour To Rise Above Their Limitations. The Cover Shows A Detail From A Painting By Amit Ambalal

Souls in Exile: The Return of Ravana Boo

Souls in Exile: The Return of Ravana Boo
Author: David Hair
Publisher: Penguin Books India
Total Pages: 321
Release: 2011-08
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0143331434

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Bollywood actress Sunita Ashoka's reality show Swayamvara Live has ended in bloodshed and disaster. Vikram, Amanjit and Rasita are on the run, accused of the actress murder. Exiled like the heroes of the Ramayana, they are seemingly beset by the same perils, especially when Vikram encounters an unlikely temptress. Then another tragedy, also foretold in the Ramayana, forces Vikram into the open. But there is hope: Amanjit's skills as a warrior are returning, Rasita is beginning to remember her own past lives, and Deepika is awakening to powers undreamt. But the Enemy, Ravindra, has also found allies?the nightmarish Rakshasa army. Memories and legends are coming alive all over India, from the bloodied sands of Ullal and the fortress of Jhansi to secret places in Mumbai, Pushkar and Varanasi. The fight to the finish has begun . . .

The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume VI

The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume VI
Author:
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 1674
Release: 2017-01-24
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0691173982

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The sixth book of the Ramayana of Valmiki, the Yuddhakanda, recounts the final dramatic war between the forces of good led by the exiled prince Rama, and the forces of evil commanded by the arch demon Ravana. The hero Rama's primary purpose in the battle is to rescue the abducted princess Sita and destroy the demon king. However, the confrontation also marks the turning point for the divine mission of the Ramavatara, the incarnation of Lord Visnu as a human prince, who will restore righteousness to a world on the brink of chaos. The book ends with the gods' revelation to Rama of his true divine nature, his emotional reunion with his beloved wife, his long-delayed consecration as king of Kosala, and his restoration of a utopian age. The Yuddhakanda contains some of the most extraordinary events and larger-than-life characters to be found anywhere in world literature. This sixth volume in the critical edition and translation of the Valmiki Ramayana includes an extensive introduction, exhaustive notes, and a comprehensive bibliography.

Midnight's Children

Midnight's Children
Author: Salman Rushdie
Publisher: Random House
Total Pages: 599
Release: 2010-08-26
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0307744116

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The iconic masterpiece of India that introduced the world to “a glittering novelist—one with startling imaginative and intellectual resources, a master of perpetual storytelling” (The New Yorker) WINNER OF THE BEST OF THE BOOKERS • SOON TO BE A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time • The fortieth anniversary edition, featuring a new introduction by the author Saleem Sinai is born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the very moment of India’s independence. Greeted by fireworks displays, cheering crowds, and Prime Minister Nehru himself, Saleem grows up to learn the ominous consequences of this coincidence. His every act is mirrored and magnified in events that sway the course of national affairs; his health and well-being are inextricably bound to those of his nation; his life is inseparable, at times indistinguishable, from the history of his country. Perhaps most remarkable are the telepathic powers linking him with India’s 1,000 other “midnight’s children,” all born in that initial hour and endowed with magical gifts. This novel is at once a fascinating family saga and an astonishing evocation of a vast land and its people–a brilliant incarnation of the universal human comedy. Forty years after its publication, Midnight’s Children stands apart as both an epochal work of fiction and a brilliant performance by one of the great literary voices of our time.