Characters in Ramayan

 

Ahalya = Wife of sage Gautam ; Mother of sage Shatananda, chief priest of king Janak (father of Sita) ; Duped into having sex with Indra and cursed as a result ; Rama rehabilitates her and turns her from shalya (stone) to Ahalya.

 

Angad = Son of Vali ; Heir to the kingdom of Kishkindha

Ansuya = Wife of sage Attri ; Mother of sages Datta, Soma and Durvasa

 

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Bharat = Son of king Dashrath and Kaikaiye

 

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Dasharath = King of Ayodhya ; Father of Rama, Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan ; Husband to Kaushalya, Kaikaiye, Sumitra and a number of other queens ; Scion of the Solar dynasty and descendant of great kings like Raghu, Ajmeedh, Bhagirath and many others.

 

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Hanuman = God Shiva’s avatar ; Undefeated hero of many battles ; Often depicted as a monkey faced god, though he can take any form he chooses ; Son of Vayu (God of Wind) and Anjali

 

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Kaushalya = Mother of Rama ; Chief amongst the many queens of king Dashrath

  

Kaikaiye = Mother of Bharat ; Princess of the kingdom of Kaikaiy ; Favourite wife of Dashrath ; Infamous for having exiled Rama to the forest so that her son Bharat can become the king. 

 

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Jambavan = Richha (bear) leader / minister of Sugriva 

 

Janak = King of Mithila ; Father of Sita

 

Jatau = Vulture who tries to stop Ravan from kidnapping Sita and dies in the attempt ;  With his dying breath, he tells Rama that Ravan has kidnapped Sita ; Younger brother of Sampati 

 

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Lakshman = Son of king Dashrath and Sumitra ; Follows Rama to the forest ; Brave warrior who defeats several demons during the great battle at Lanka

 

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Mandodari = Chief wife of king Ravan ; Mother of Meghnada / Indrajit

 

Marich = Son of demoness Tadaka ; Maternal uncle of Ravan ; Defeated by Rama in his first battle ; Deceives Rama by taking the form of a golden deer to lure him away from the hermitage so Ravan can kidnap Sita.

 

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Parashurama = 6th  Avatar of Vishnu ; Axe yielding Rama who killed many generations of Kshtriyas ; Son of sage Jamadagni and Renuka ; Nephew of sage Vishvamitra

 

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Rama = God Vishnu’s seventh avatar ; Son of king Dashrath and Kaushalya ; Eldest prince of Ayodhya ; Brave warrior ; Husband of Sita ; Tragic Hero of

 

Ravan = Rakshaha king of Lanka ; Conqueror of many kingdoms ; Lustful person with a roving eye for beautiful ladies ; Kidnapper of Sita ; Husband of Mandodari ; Father of several great warriors including Meghnada ; Brother of Kumbhakara, Vibhishan and Shurpankha ; Step-brother of heavenly treasurer Kuber ; Owner of many wonderful things including the flying viman ; Lord of the Golden city of Lanka

 

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Sampati = Vulture who lost his wings because he flew too close to the Sun ; Elder brother of Jatau ; Points out where Sita is held captive then Hanuman and his companions are at the Southern shore

 

Shabri = devotee of Shri Rama who famously feeds him wild berries

 

Shatrughan = Son of Dashrath and Sumitra

 

Shurpankha = Sister of Ravan ; Fell in love with Rama and tried to hurt Sita, which made Lakshman cut off her nose and ears ; She instigated Ravan to kidnap Sita

 

Sita = Daughter of king Janak ; Princess of Mithila ; Dutiful & beautiful wife of Rama ; Mother to the twins Lav (Love) and Kush

 

Subahu = Son of demoness Tadaka ; Killed by Rama in his first battle

 

Sugriva = Vanar king of Kishkindha in South India ; Son of the Sun God ; Younger brother of Vali

 

Sumitra = Mother of Lakshman and Shatrughna 

 

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Tadaka = Demoness who controlled a region south of Avadh (Rama's) kingdom ; Maternal grandmother of Ravana ; Mother of Marich and Subahu ; First evil person Rama kills

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Vali = Vanar king of Kishkindha in South India, Son of Indra ; Elder brother of Sugriva

 

Valmiki Rishi = Author of Ramayan ; Seer of profound insight ; Creator of the first poetic meter – Shardul-vikridit

 

Vashishtha Rishi = Official Guru and royal perceptor of Rama's dynasty

 

Vishwamitra Rishi = Sage who teaches Rama use of divine weapons ; King of Kaushik dynasty who later became a rishi / sage ; Takes Rama to Janak's court where Rama marries Sita

 

Vibhishan = Brother of Ravan ; Friend of Rama ; KinVishvamitra = Sage and teacher of divine weapons to Rama and Lakshman ; King who became a sage of the Kaushik dynasty

 

 

 

My analysis of Ramayan –

Why did sage Valmiki write the story of Rama and Sita

What does the Ramayan say about the society of the time.

How has Ramayan impacted lives of Indians through the centuries.

How does Ramayan continue to impact us today.

Sita, the gentle face of the goddess

Rama, why did he abandon Sita ?

Sita, why did she stay so silent though she was abandoned ?

Some of the reasons why we still adore Rama.

Rama Rajya, can it ever come back ?

Characters of Ramayan 

 

 

 

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