Ramayana from Sitas perspective gets epic Malayalam retelling

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ever heard of a lyrical retelling of Ramayana from Goddess Sitas perspective? A Sita, who even while bemoaning her fate as an orphan and a castaway, chose to walk into Mother Earths bosom, rather than return to take her rightful place as the Queen of Ayodhya. Chandrabati Ramayana, a 16th century work by Bengals first woman poet Chandrabati is one of the first versions of the epic that retells it from Sitas point of view. And now, it is available in Malayalam, as Chandrabati Ramayanam, thanks to writer Geethanjali Krishnan, who learnt Bengali and translated the work directly to Malayalam. In Geethanjalis own words, it took her almost three years, one to learn the language including the alphabets, and another two to translate. By 2024 end, I completed the work. Learning Bengali was not very difficult, as it shares similarities with Hindi and Malayalam. Bengali, Malayalam and Sanskrit have many Pali words, she said. In accordance with the erstwhile oral poetic traditions handed down generations and cutting across native tongues, Chandrabati Ramayana captures life through the female gaze, and reflects upon the trials and tribulations rural women were so accustomed to at the time. Chandrabatis take on Sita is in stark contrast with the widely-popular version. That this Ramayana hardly contains any reference to the battles waged in the course of Lord Rams life makes it unlike Valmikis rendition. I felt it needed to be retold in other languages, says Geethanjali Inspired by it, Geethanjali took it upon herself to translate Chandrabatis work into Malayalam. While many others have translated Bengali works to Malayalam, its the first direct translation of Chandrabati Ramayana to Malayalam. Being the first female Ramayanam, I felt it needed to be retold in other languages. Its one of the few such tales told from Sitas perspective. In many such tales, she is Ravanas daughter, she said. Geethanjalis translation has a foreword by translator Sunil Naliyath as well as elaborate notes by academic and writer, late Nabaneeta Deb Sen, and independent Bangla filmaker N Rashed Chowdhury. Poet K Jayakumar released the book in the state capital last week.