Long ago in the far off land of Ayodha a boy was born. His name was Rama, son of
King Dasartha. As he was growing up he met a young girl.
The first time he saw
her he was stunned by her beauty; it was love at first sight. Her name was Sita.
The ended up getting married; there was a big elaborate ceremony. The person who
married her had to bend a bow.
Not only did Rama Bend it but he broke it. As the
years went by they had a happy life King Dasaratha was getting old and wanted to
chooses his son Rama as his heir. His wife Kaikeyi asks that he appoint another
son Bharata, instead. Kaikeyi pleads that he owes her two favors, and she feels
that something bad would happen to her if he doesn't crown Bharata king and send
Rama to the forest for fourteen years.
The king hesitated but agreed, so Rama
goes with his beautiful wife, Sita, and his brother Laksmana, leaving their
riches to live a simple life. In the forest the three meet the demoness
Surpanakha who falls in love with Rama. Rama doesnt pay attention to her
advances and Laksmana hurts her. She runs away to her brother Ravana, ruler of
the island kingdom of Lanka. After hearing Surpanakha's report of the beauty of
Sita, Ravana decides that he wants Sita as his own wife and changes himself into
in wandering holy man to find her in the forest.
When Rama and Laksmana are not
paying attention, Ravana carries Sita off to Lanka. Sita cries and wishes for
Rama in Ravana's garden in Lanka, while Rama and Laksmana try to get the help of
Hanuman, the monkey king, to help them find her. Hanuman, able to make himself
big or small, starts his search for Sita by taking a giant step to the Island of
Lanka. Carrying Rama's ring he finds Sita and tells her he is Rama's messenger.
Sita is very happy, but Hanuman is caught and Ravana sets Hanuman's tail on
fire.
Hanuman escapes and sets the island of Lanka on fire. Rama, Laksmana,
Hanuman, and his monkey army start a battle in Lanka. The monkeys make a bridge
to Lanka by holding themselves together. The battle was big horrible battle with
spears, bows and arrows.
Many people died. Rama eventually kills Ravana. Sita,
however, when Rama finds her he wants to know if she stayed true to him. When he
asks her to take the test by fire; she agrees. Proving her loyalty by remaining
unscathed by the fire, she goes back to Rama.
Later, Rama abandons her to
maintain the sanctity of public opinion and she goes to live in the temple of
sage Valmiki and has twin sons Lava and Kusa, who as young men became reunited
with their father, the god-king Rama.
