Tea Break - Darjeeling

My dear Patti is no more. She passed away quite peacefully three days back, surrounded by loved ones. While I continue to miss her, I have a repository of wonderful memories from childhood of Patti.

It was, along with my Dad, my Patti who induced in me the love of stories from a very impressionable age. While my Dad would read everyday to me, Patti told me tale after tale every night. It was almost always a tiniest branch of the two great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharatha. Not the main story, but really interesting titbits and side stories that all added up to the grandness of the Epics and made sense in a big, special way that is only possible with her enrapturing story-telling methods. And the best part of it was that she never ever repeated her stories!

So every night, dinner in hand, I would sit beside her and coax her to take me into that mythical realm where good always defeated the bad. And if good did fail, there was a good reason behind it and hence, another story!

When my brother sent around a recorded rendition of one of Patti's many stories, it brought back fresh memories of the story she told me long long ago. Patti's different takes on Ramayana and Mahabharatha always amazed me. They were such stark  twists to the version we know and made you ponder a lot. I guess she just read and read and read so many versions of them that she kind of was like a satnav for the Epics, knowing every single twist and bend and even the unlisted side roads! Here's one such story.

Rama had finally defeated Ravana and decapitated all his heads but one. Ravana lay on the ground, all hands cut off, unable to move. He looks at Rama and wants to touch his feet. Unable to do so, he remains helpless and desolate. Rama looks at Lakshmana and asks him to go and get Upadesam from Ravana. Lakshmana (probably snorts!) asks Rama why in the world would he even go near such a lecherous person who went after Sita like he did. He obeys his brother nevertheless as he knows Rama is always right.

Lakshmana lifts Ravana up in his lap and Ravana starts talking. He first asks for forgiveness from him and says "Lakshmana. I never lusted after Sita. You see, Sita is my daughter. When she was born, I was told that Lanka would burn and I would die because of her. So I sent her away in a little basket, along with the Shivadhanush".

Lakshmana again sniggers and says " It is indeed unbelievable to hear that you, who shamelessly proclaim yourself to be the King of Kings, were afraid of a small helpless child and threw her away so you could save yourself and your kingdom".

Ravana says " There, you are wrong. I sent her away not because I was a coward or I hated the child. I did so because I knew the eventuality. That Lanka would perish. But I did not want my precious child to perish with it. I loved her from the minute I saw her divine smile and knew she was the Goddess herself"

"I had to make sure she would have an able protector, so I sent the Shivadhanush with her. Rama broke it and married Sita, and then I knew she was in safe hands. Fate still played through, and I was taken by a very great desire to have my child back with me. So I carried her all the way to Lanka in my lap and even then, just like how a father would. While here, I tried to please her and pleaded with her to stay with me in Lanka. But she is a perfect "Pathivratha", as pure and chaste as my wife Mandodhari. She would only be by the side of her dear husband. And that minute I knew the prophecy was coming true, because the great Lord himself would be coming to take what belonged to him. And that I would be vanquished by the only person who can protect my dear daughter for eternity, thus attaining salvation"

"My duties in this world are over now and I am at peace".

Lakshmana realized why Rama wanted him to listen to Ravana. He bowed down before a father's love that was so great it gave it's own life to save the daughter.

This different take portrays Ravana in a completely new light, and even makes you love the character and feel for him. It makes me think of my Dad so much. The very same sacrificing, selfless, unconditional person ready to turn the world upside down, fight every single obstacle and give up everything, and I mean literally everything, just so his daughters were safe and happy.

This is one time where I find myself taking the side of Ravana. No matter what he was to the world, to a daughter, he will be a hero. Forever.

Patti, this very minute, I miss you, I love you, I thank you and yes. I will always remember you and all our very special story times when we were both so lost in a totally different world, beyond time and space. May your beloved soul rest in peace.