Ravana, perhaps the most popular Rakshasa in Indian mythology, is known as the villain in the Ramayana and the epic would not have been what it is without this great Rakshasa.
Yet Ravana is much more than a mere abductor. Born out of the union of a Rishi and Rakshasi, a devout Shiv-bhakt and a mighty king, Ravana is no ordinary Rakshasa.
This book attempts to bring out a comprehensive and well-rounded character of Ravana. The various little dots of information about the Rakshasa king as given in Valmiki Ramayana have been picked with care, collated and compared with presentations in several other versions of the Ramayana, and the long, hoary lineage of the demon king painstakingly put together to present this villain of villains as a legend worthy of greater attention.
Review
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
A twisting, intricate tale that puts the spotlight on what made Ravana who he was—a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a scholar, a king and also, an abductor. Ravanaleela is a fascinating journey into the making of this legendary Rakshasa.—AYUSHMANN KHURRANA
Ravana comes alive in this imaginative first novel by Radha Viswanath. I know that Ravanaleela will stay on my book shelf for long.—RANNVIJAY SINGHA
Interesting insight into the lineage of Ravana—the original villain of Indian mythology. You will want to read it again and again.—KARANVIR BOHRA
About the Author
Radha Viswanath was born in Andhra Pradesh and spent most of her life in Delhi. Trained as a teacher, Radha entered journalism late in life. After a distinguished career as a political correspondent spanning three decades, she retired from active journalism. She has the honour of being the first woman journalist to be admitted in the long and distinguished category of parliamentary journalists, in 2006.An avid reader with a keen interest in Hindu mythology, she aims to bring the complexities of the Indian political discourse into intricate and rich mythological narratives