More to Ravana that you knew

The finale to graphic novel series Ravanayan will be out in September. We get the story behind protagonist Ravana’s nuanced portrayal

Ravanayan

That the character of Ravana has more dimensions than we have been led to believe by a blinkered retelling of the Ramayana over generations has now been acknowledged. It is precisely these nuances — both honourable and immoral — that artist Vivek Goel and writer Vijayendra Mohanty sought to explore in the 10-part, seven-issue graphic novel series, Ravanayan, that features the ten-headed Ravana as the narrator.

Interestingly, the work took shape after the duo abandoned the idea of developing the character of Duryodhana as the protagonist. “When I started working on Ravanayan, I was determined to break away from the norms that had already been established in the world of Indian comics inspired by mythology,” explains Goel.

This included the realisation that a great character is not one who is simply evil, but has depth and complexities, which contribute to a more realistic story. It also meant drawing him differently. “It is important that characters look different. Ravana is a monarch. I am sure he can afford a daily shave unlike Rama who is in exile,” is Goel’s droll explanation.

In Ravayanan, therefore, Ravana is clean shaven, with gorgeous locks of white hair that symbolise nobility, unlike the moustachioed, ten-headed demon we usually see him as. Realism is important to Goel, who also shows Ram sporting a stubble and a Rastafarian hairdo in the graphic novel, in tune with the hardships he faces during his vanavasa.

“Adapting mythology is not a unique idea, but a narrative from the perspective of the anti-hero is a welcome change. Ravanayan begins with a man who is aware, intelligent and charismatic,” he explains. Inspired by Valmiki’s depiction of Ravana, Goel and Mohanty’s ten-headed ‘demon’ is knowledgeable and a fearless leader, but who ultimately succumbs to insolence that is characteristic of fallen heroes, like Lucifer in Paradise Lost.

“Many people who aren’t familiar with Indian mythology don’t actually know that Ravana is half-sage and half-demon. They are unaware that he has incredible knowledge of the Vedas and Upanishads, and is wise . They only know him as the notorious demon who kidnapped Sita and was defeated by Rama,” rues Goel. People also remain unaware of the fact that

Ravana, originally called Dashanan, was not only christened by Lord Shiva, but was also summoned to perform a yagna that could only be performed by Shiva’s greatest devotee on behalf of Ram and Lakshman before they stormed Lanka.

“When you know of a man who is wise, brave and strong, you need to tell the world about him and set him free from the role of a defeated man who is sheer evil,” feels Goel. In fact, till the sixth book of the series, Goel and Mohanty tell us how Ravana, blessed with a fair share of divine and demonic abilities, was perhaps born to rule the world.

As the series draws to a conclusion this September, the seventh and final episode has a lot to wait for. For starters, Goel has made sure that he has addressed the greatest complaint readers have had so far — the lack of epic battle sequences. “In the final issue, almost 50 pages are dedicated to battles and since they are bloody and gory, I wouldn’t recommend it to very young children. But for the first time, readers will witness a battle of epic proportions between Ravana and Hanuman,” confirms Goel who researched Valmiki’s Ramayana to get accurate character insights. Like in the epic, Goel’s Hanuman also boasts superpowers that can put Superman and The Hulk to shame. Surprises include the appearance of a character who is pivotal in the original epic.

Though told from the perspective of the anti-hero, Ravayanan retains the original ending. But even with that spoiler, it is the build-up to the last page and not the conclusion that makes this story unforgettable.