Ye Shriram Ka Vachan

(Dr K KAMALAKAR)

I watched Ramayana , Part 1 in Hindi. I thought I need not write a review as the content is known to everyone and in the past 4 days almost everyone who had a penchant for a ‘ pen ‘, penned their views , filling many sites. I was connected to a few things in the movie that others had not mentioned in their writings. If one focuses on the Dialogue, there is a ” bhagya” and a ” vachan”, that Sri Rama keeps referring to , on several occasions. And the role of ” Jatayu” in this Ramayana is noteworthy.

Rama in his childhood, asks his father Dasaratha , as to why there is someone without food and another enjoying palace comforts. Why the Bhagya is different from one to the other. Dasharath does not reply. Probably, Rama’s first Dialogue in the movie. A reference to Bhagya is made during couple of conversations between Rama and Sita also after marriage and before Vanvas. Rama here is shown to be accepting the events in his life as Bhagya ( Destiny) . During Vanwaas, Rama happens to meet Sage Agasthya and asks him what is the purpose of being born as Rama and what he is destined to in future.

Agasthya refers to a few events and says that they were his decisions ( nirnay) not Destiny. The last Dialogue from Rama in this part is also on Destiny. He says that “I will write my own (Bhagya) Destiny”. Coming to ‘ Vachan ‘ , Rama gives a vachan to choti maa , Kaikeyi, vachan to his brothers, vachan to Janaka Maharaj , and the Part 1 ends with Rama’s proclamation that he will bring back Sita. ” Ye Ram ka Vachan hai ” . And now about Jatayu, portrayed as a friend of Dasaratha. When Rama is born Jatayu comes to greet His arrival as son of Dasaratha. Jatayu is shown participating while Sri Rama is practicing the art of Sabdabhedi. Jatayu visits when Rama gets wedded to Sita. Jatayu is also shown shedding tears when Rama performs immersion of Dasaratha’s ashes. And Jatayu plays a major role in trying to save Sita by fiercely attacking Ravan. And Jatayu breathes his last after informing Rama about Sitadevi’s abduction by Ravana to Lanka. Rama says Jatayu also like his father and performs last rites. The fight between Jatayu and Ravana is no doubt of a very high technological standard and the highlight of Part 1. Last but not the least it needs to be mentioned that Dasaratha attributes his eldest son leaving on exile to his Karma. Thus Ramayana Part1, highlights in certain instances Dharma, Karma, Destiny, ………It is this part of the content in the writing, I got connected to , a lot. There is a lot of negative criticism happening in social media predicting the movie’s failure ( or they hope) at Box Office. ” Kadapi na Bhavet ” , to borrow from Sita’s words to Ravana. 💐💐💐JAI SHRIRAM !💐💐💐

(Author is Medical Director of Ramdev Rao Hospital, HYDERABAD)