How does one react to the omission of a learned essay from
the Curriculum and its publication by the publisher feeling intimidated by the
protests of intolerant-fundamentalist elements? Here is one small answer. Put
it on the web site, translate it in to other languages and quench the curiosity
of concerned readers. In case of celebrated essay ‘Three Hundred Ramayans’,
this is what has been attempted. While some put it on web, translating it into
Hindi has been done by Jaiswal and its publication by Vani Prakashan. Both
deserve appreciation in the light of the fact that when Oxford University Press(OUP) decided to pull
off this essay, from future publications, the bringing this out in Hindi is a
laudable attempt.
This essay was part of the syllabus of graduate course of
History Department of Delhi University. In 2008, the RSS affiliates, Shiksha
Bachao Andolan (Movement to Save Education) and the student wing of RSS created
ruckus against this essay by saying that it hurts Hindu sentiments. The matter
went to high Court, which ruled that since the issue relates to Academia, Delhi
University (DU) should take the final call. DU formed a four member team, which
opined that the essay is an exemplary piece of scholarship worth being read by
students. However one of the team members added a rider, asking students and teachers
can handle its depth of this essay. DU decided to withdraw it from the
curriculum and OUP decided to stop publishing it.
Dhaval Jaiswal has done a remarkable job in translating it.
The quality of translation is very high and simple enough. It is well edited
and introduced by Apoorvanand, who places the book in the proper perspective
and gives instances of some lovely mythological traditions. This book, Tin Sau
Ramayan, is by Ramanujan, a scholar-translator of exceptional caliber, who has
pieced together the concept behind the prevalence of many Ram stories. Even
before the noted Valmiki Ramayan, there was a prevalence of many versions of
Jataka Ramayans. One such version of Jataka Ramayan had come under attack
earlier also when in one of the panels of exhibition by SAHMAT, it showed Ram
and Sita to be siblings. The diverse
versions of Ramayan are also well revealed by one version of Ramayan itself
where at one point in one of the Ramayan tales, Sita tells Ram, that she will
also come with him to the forest. When Ram opposes this she goes on to say that
in most of the Ramayan tales Sita has accompanied Ram, so why are you denying
my coming with you to forest!
The essay of Ramanujan begins with a beautiful narration
about different reincarnations of Ram, with each reincarnation Ram drops a
ring, which falls in to the Pata lok (below the Earth) . All these rings are
indistinguishable from each other. The
way of looking at Ram differs from each other as per the time and the values of
narrator. The birth of Sita, the death of Sita has so many gripping
interpretations and Ramanujan brings it out in a masterly fashion. Similarly
there are subtle nuances in the story of Ahalya, who is turned in to a black
stone due to the curse of Gautam Rishi.
The local pattern also gets reflected in the particular
tellings of the Ram story. In Kamban Ramayan, Ram is a Tamil hero. His turning
Ahalya into a human-form from the stone symbolizes the freedom from the
suffering of this world. Kamban’s narration formed the base of Thai version
where the names of different characters are not in Sanskrit but in Tamil. Thai
version, Ramkirti and Ramakiyen, is another major presentation. This telling of
Ram story has a deep impact on Thai society. Here Ram is regarded as the
reincarnation of Shiva and not Vishnu. Their Buddha Viharas are painted with
events from the Lords life on their walls. Hanuman is very popular there.
Unlike the celibate person of Valmiki version here Hanuman is shown to be fond
of the company of women and does not mind peeping in to the bedrooms of others.
Jain version shows Ravan in a very positive light of being a great scholar, and
follower of Jain Munis (Sages). In this version of Ram Story, even Ram is a
great follower of Jain values and in this reincarnation of his life he does not
kill anybody. Ravan is killed, in this telling, by Laxman, who has to go to
hell for this.
In tune with the wont of fundamentalists, such works promoting a genuine respect for popular versions and traditions is not acceptable. They want to selectively cull out the version suitable for their present politics and impose those constructed Histories on the present scene. This is where Ramanujan essay is a big obstacle to the communal politics. The publishers and translator deserve all the praise for the bold venture to disseminate the true knowledge and diversity to the readers of Hindi. The bibliography at the end tells us the rich scholarship on the subject in English does exist, Hindi world does need an exposure to that and a book summarizing in Hindi, the important arguments of the main references at the end can be the best tribute to the genius of Ramanujan.