© 2022 IJRTI | Volume 7, Issue 8 | ISSN: 2456-3315

Selection And Deviation as a Constructive Tool for The

Retelling: A Study of Ashok K Banker’s Ramayana
Series’s Novel Prince of Ayodhya
MOHNEESH GUPTA

Research Scholar,
Department of English,
Gurukul Kangri (Deemed to be University), Haridwar, India

Abstract: India as a land of ancient civilisation produced voluminous literature related to all aspects of life. Indian literature
starts from Vedas and diverse himself through the gradual development of time. Indian literary tradition produced epic
Ramayana and Mahabharata which are considered masterpiece of ancient civilisation. These epics are full of heroic deeds
of great people of ancient time. These epics also provides cultural codes and insights to future generations after their
creation. Cultural and epistemological status of these epics are still relevant because collective Indian psyche take refuge on
them during difficult time. Characters and incidents of Indian epics are considerably more layered and complicated. One
finds solace after reading them as they are away from any judgement about life. They are filled with tales which clearly
shows the unpredictability of life through the events and actions of its characters. Contemporary creative writers retold the
events and incidents of these epics because these epics provides them ample material for their inquisitiveness. Contemporary
creative writers either retell the selective part of the tale or deviated completely from the ur-text of the epic. Selection and
deviation from main narration of the epic construct a new tale which soothes the modern soul and sensibility. Thus, selection
and deviation became constructive tool for the retelling of any tale related to varied human subjects. In the present paper
researcher analysed the Ashok K Banker’s novel Prince of Ayodhya as a constructive tool for the retelling.

Keywords: Selection and Deviation, Ramayana, epic, retelling etc.

Telling the tale is an ancient tradition that extends back to immemorial times. When it comes to construct civilizations, cultures or
even individual identities, humans employ tales and other sorts of narratives for their purposes. Humans are heavily relied on tale-
telling techniques that would help them to connect with each other and give them a better understanding of a complex surroundings.
Every culture sustains through vicissitudes of time because of the tales that are told and retold to their upcoming generations as
these tales are repository of cultural traditions and values. Whenever a generation want to their day-to-day experiences or values to
upcoming generation, they tell a story related to their cultural consciousness. These tales are very frequently told selectively or
deviated from original tale as every reteller of the tale retold the tale according to ideologies of the time. Contemporary writers in
their retellings provides a better explanation and understanding of selective ancient incidents. Thus, selection and deviation became
constructive tool for the retelling of any tale related to varied human subjects.
As regards the epic Ramayana which have several retellings, but it continues to fascinate people and serve as the constructive basis
for new works of literature and art. The creative imagination of every type of genre writers in english always seeks refuge in the
varied content and perspective of the Ramayana. Raja Rao famous novelist, states about the Ramayana-
What could be more glorious, more sacred, more fantastic, a book of books- showing every beauty and treachery of
this our tragic-comic existence, absurd, inhuman, gentle, devout, noble, cruel, yet not altogether felt as of this world,
described for our terror and our joy, and final wisdom than The Ramayana. The book that has filled my imagination
and come to me for years at every crucial point of my life, to interpret and to help, is The Ramayana. (46)
Contemporary authors want to narrate their experience in the framework of the Ramayana. Ashok K Banker is one of them as he
also retells his Ramayana in the form of novels by applying all tactics of retelling. He has selected some episodes and deviated from
the main story to construct his Ramayana series. Each novel is based on the theme and plot of the epic Ramayana. Researcher
chooses one novel Prince of Ayodhya from his Ramayana series to show how the selection and deviation works as constructive tool
for the retelling.
Every retelling follows selection and deviation as these norms helps a reteller to tell a story related to his understandings.
In each retelling a creative reteller selected some events from a known text or history and through deviation he constructs a different
tale. Here one thing is noted that new tale often addressed contemporary issues which are sometimes rooted in past or their solution
is possible through new renderings of text and traditions. Creative writers of every era used selection and deviation as a constructive
tool for their renderings of text and traditions. Contemporary writer Ashok K Banker also used selection and deviation as a
constructive tool for his Ramayana retellings. His novel Prince of Ayodhya chronicles the incidents of Ayodhya. In this novel, he
selects the events of Ayodhya from parent Ramayana and deviated completely in treatment of characters and dialogues. He
manipulates every character and re-creates incidents this leads to conspicuous differences. In Ramayana’s first book Balkanda story
started with the birth of Rama but in Prince of Ayodhya story begins with the dream sequence of Rama. Rama is presented here as
an adolescent boy who has a horrific vision of the misfortune of Ayodhya, ravaging it to nothingness. Later in the narration author
selected the arrival of sage Vishwamitra at Ayodhya. It is completely deviated from original tale of the epic. Sage Vishwamitra
comes Ayodhya and warns King Dasaratha about the impending doom of Ayodhya and the eventual rise of Ravana. But the incident
is narrated in twisted mode as in Ayodhya he faces the imposter Vishwamitra who in reality is a demon named Kalnemi. Everyone

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is astonished to see two Vishwamitra and King Dasaratha also does not believe at the impossible sight. After seeing much confusion
Guru Vasishta steps forward and utters a Mantra, in a moment the first Vishwamitra reveals himself as a demon from the
netherworld. Soon Sage Vashishta and Sage Vishwamitra send the demon into dungeons of Ayodhya with the help of Brahman
power. Every person exalts both seer mages and King Dasaratha also shows his veneration for both seer mages. Vishwamitra blessed
the king and demanded Rama for his mission and further told the king that his mission would also save Ayodhya. King Dasaratha
after hearing this odd demand, denied instantly. Then sage Vishwamitra told king Dasaratha-
All these years while the Arya nations have enjoyed peace and prosperity, while your armies have grown soft and
gentle with inactivity, while the pursuits of culture and civilisation have occupied you rather than the bloody arts of
warfare and mayhem, your enemies have been marshalling their forces. Today, the Lord of Lanka has an army twenty
times greater than the combined forces of all the Arya nations.
(Prince of Ayodhya 161 hereafter POA)
Vishwamitra further told king Dasaratha that he made an ancient mistake by judging an asura in human standards. Whether twenty
days or twenty years from now, the asuras will invade as it is the only goal of their existence and every breath they take is dedicated
to this purpose and this purpose alone. They wanted to ravage the Arya nations and their goal is total and uncompromising genocide.
Sage Vishwamitra also told king Dasaratha that though asuras or mortals will remain to walk on the earth, but both species will no
longer co-exist. King Dasaratha, became worried but still showed his obduration to sage’s demand. At that moment Rama reached
the assembly hall and asked the whole matter then king told him the whole story and this made him perplexed so he reminded his
father the Kshatriya code. Then king Dasaratha told Rama that he was not away from his Kshatriya code as he already offered him
the services of his best warriors, Purana wafadar battalion and entire army. Yet the Brahmarishi rejected all his offers and insisted
on his own choice of protector. Though, he knows all about the demons as they had the capability to demolish a whole army. King
Dasaratha further told Rama that sage demanded him for his cause. Hearing this, Rama said firmly that he would be happy to go
with sage Vishwamitra, but Dasaratha denied again. Brahmarishi Vasishta intervened and reminded about the first king of Kosala,
lawmaker Manu who founded this mighty kingdom and made some laws at that time by which he governed the state. Hearing this
Rama spoke the laws -
The first law is to obey dharma at all costs. 'For dharma is the moral code by which the pillar of Arya character stands
upright.' He paused, seeing the destination of the guru's argument even before he spoke the words. 'The second law
is that the maharaja rules not for himself, his dynasty, clan, varna or family. He rules for the people. If he takes a
decision that affects the people, then it must meet with the people's consent.
(POA 228)
After hearing the laws, there was complete silence as everyone knew the implication of the second rule. However, king Dasaratha
was still adamant to sage’s demand, so he told him that Maharajas of Ayodhya always ruled for the sake of the people and their
behest. Therefore, he must ask his people about the demand of sage Vishwamitra. Let the people of Ayodhya decide what they
should do. In the evening king Dasaratha asked this question in front of the people of Ayodhya in Mela ground as people of Ayodhya
were celebrating the Holi festival. King told them whole story and the demand of the sage Vishwamitra as he wanted his eldest son,
Rama. After this sage Vishwamitra faced the citizens of Ayodhya and presented a picture of possible threat in near future.
Vishwamitra with the help of Mantras showed them a dreadful picture of asura invasion. Seeing the brutality of asura forces, the
whole Ayodhyan people’s faces became frightened. After giving his audience time to recover, Vishwamitra assured Ayodhyan
people that it was an illusion but in future it would be a harsh reality. He told the Ayodhyans that destruction was near and one
person was destined to stop it. Hearing this Ayodhyan asked a question to sage Vishwamitra, how one person could deal with such
mighty forces. Then sage told them that he would accompany Rama in every situation, and he would infuse him with the power of
the most potent Mantras, which were created for martial combat a millennia ago. With this statement, sage Vishwamitra waited for
the answer, but there was none. A dhobi was sitting there with his wife, suddenly his wife said that 'God forbid that the prince
should come to any harm. But even if he were to die fighting the demons, it would be a noble sacrifice for a good cause.' (256)
Dhobi turned his face towards his wife and, dissatisfied with her words, threatened to slap her. However, he soon realised the truth
and raised his hand, expressing what others were unable to say “If a son of Ayodhya must go, better it should be our proudest son.
If Maharaja Dasaratha agrees to send his own scion, then no father in the Arya nations will hesitate to send his own heirs into battle
against the asuras.” (POA 256) Dhobi's logic was unassailable, if the king refused now, then every parent of the kingdom would
not send his sons to the battle against rakshas. The whole citizen of Ayodhya shouted,'‘yatha raja tatha praja’' as does the king, so
shall the people. Rama must go. After this, Lakshman insisted that he also wanted to go with Rama. The king and sage Vishwamitra
permitted him and they left the palace and reached the lip of Bhayanak van or woods. Here they came across with the soldiers of
Ayodhya who were sent by the king for the assistance of Rama. Sage needed no assistance as he had different plan to counter the
demons, so he denied them. After travelling across the forest, they reached their destination, the Kama's grove. Here sage
Vishwamitra gives them two powers known as Bala and Atibala. Both boys received the vidya with grace, and transformed
themselves into something more than human or lethal in almost every aspect. After this, they reached a place called Anang ashram.
Here all young rishis welcomed sage Vishwamitra and his acolytes. Sage Vishwamitra introduced Rama and Lakshmana to
everyone. When Rama saw the ambiance of Anang ashram, he thought how a place in the centre of Bhayanak van might be so calm
and beautiful. Then Rishi Adhrang reminds Rama that he might hear in brief from his Guru Vashishta about the Kama ashrama and
a tale of Kama's folly. Hearing this, Lakshmana said he heard the story but it is a myth, then Rishi Adhrang said-
Indeed, Rajkumar Lakshman. Over time, truth becomes fact, fact is rewritten as history, history fades to legend, and
eventually, legend remains as myth. Yet you are blessed. For you live in the Treta-Yuga, the Age of Reason. Not as
blessed as the Satya-Yuga or Age of Truth, but close enough that you may still tread the same sites where Devas once
lived and loved and fought, and those tales you call myths were once living events as real as your own actions. Over
time even these tales will fade from memory, and by the coming of the Kali-Yuga or Age of Darkness, they will be

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mere race-memories, dismissed as mythology or fantasy by those who believe themselves rational and scientific. Yet
to us who live here and now, these are scientific and rational tales. For they obey the scientific rules of our world
without exception. All you need is a proper knowledge of our science. Or, as we Aryas name it, vidya.
(POA 356)
Rishi Adhrang further says that he is the follower of lord Shiva and Katha-vidya, or the science of tale-telling, is an important and
precious part of their tradition. Rishi Adhrang then talks about the Anang ashram and tells a story which goes back millennia ago.
He tells about the satyuga which soon came after the creation of lord Brahma had been completed. On the earth, Devas lived their
lives unburdened by the responsibilities of governing creation. Only a few mortals had been created, and not all asuras had yet
declared their hostility against the gods. In this period Rudra, whom we now know as lord Shiva, a simple mendicant who took
pleasure in meditating in cremation grounds and in passing his time in the company of spirits, ghouls, goblins, and the like, took
into his heart a desire to wed the beautiful Sati, daughter of lord Daksha, Seed Spreader. Sati also desired to mate with Rudra but
Daksha was against this relation as he saw Rudra unruly, dishevelled, homeless young mendicant who rode the black buffalo of the
lord of Death, Yamaraj, and wore a serpent as a necklace entwined around his neck, drank poison as an intoxicant and went around
clad in a chain of human skulls and a barely modest swatch of uncured leopard's skin. Daksha wanted that his daughter should
marry a much better stock than this strange one. However, Sati's love for Rudra was too strong, so she defied her father and was
married with Rudra. Once Rudra became his son-in-law, Daksha was compelled by Deva tradition to include him in all family
rituals and affairs. But Daksha had a great proud and uncompromising attitude. He knew that despite his wild appearance and
peculiar habits, Rudra had a great sense of dignity. Daksha thought that if he insulted his new son-in-law publicly, he would leave
Sati alone and return to his wild bachelor ways. So, Daksha organised a great yagna and consciously neglected to invite Rudra
while making sure that Sati herself was present. Sati soon realised her father’s coarse action against her husband and became
Devastated. She blamed her father for dishonouring her husband and threw herself bodily into the same yagna havan. Her name
became a synonym for self-sacrifice and Shiva, went into deep meditation after this incident. As everybody knows, when Shiva
meditates, the world may end without his knowledge, because in his grief, he loses all awareness of his surroundings. “Aeons
passed. The morning of the first day of Brahma grew closer to noon. Civilisations rose and fell. Great empires were raised and
collapsed. The eternal battle between Devas and asuras began in earnest. Millennia passed like the water of sacred Ganges.” (POA
361) After this, sage related the Shiva story to Tatka. This story is wholly contrary to parent epic. The story that was told by Rishi
Adhrang in this novel is an amalgam or pastiche work of known stories. The story goes in this way-

Tataka's atrocities soon grew too terrible for the Devas to ignore. A day came when the extent of her Devastation
compelled an outcry on Prithvi and mortals began to appeal to the Devas to intervene and put an end to her reign of
terror. The Devas sent the oldest and greatest of the Seven Seers, the great sage Narada himself, to investigate Tataka's
misdeeds. He returned quickly with a terrifying report. When the Devas heard it, they unanimously decided that
Tataka must be stopped. 'But before anyone could take action, the Devas were besieged by hordes of asura armies
led by the Lord of Lanka, Ravana himself. After many wars and battles in which the asuras lost as much ground as
they gained, their disparate races finally united under the banner of Ravana. And his ambition was as great as the
asura host he led. He sought to invade the very cities of the gods. The shining cities of Amravati and Vaikunta were
both besieged, and mighty Indra, leader of the Devas, as well as Kartikeya and Ganesha, senapatis of the armies of
the Devas, were hard-pressed to defend those mighty domains. Not a single Deva could be spared to go down to the
realm of Prithvi and deal with the intolerable menace of Tataka.
(POA 371)
Shiva was the only person in the universe who could stop the Tataka by opening his third eye and Tataka would cease to exist in
her present form. But there was a problem that Shiva was deeply engrossed in his meditation, so it was decided by the Devas that
an emissary should be sent to awaken him from his meditation. When sage Narada refused to do proposed action then Devas sent
the beauteous Parvati, an incarnation of Sati herself, Shiva's lost wife. Sati had chosen to be reborn once again to re-consummate
her relationship with her beloved mate. So, she tried to awaken Shiva with her presence but failed. Then Devas sent the god of
desire, Kama, to help Parvati and awaken Shiva. Kama’s act angered Shiva and he opened his third eye and blasted Lord Kama into
ashes. ‘BhasamkardiyaKamadev ko.’ (POA 374) Kama was left bodiless. An-anga. He who has no physical body. Due to this reason
this hermitage is called Anang ashrama. Hearing the news of her husband’s death Rati, wife of Kama, ran to Brahma moaning
inconsolably over the loss of her husband. Then lord Brahma, promised Rati that Kama would be restored to his body when Shiva
and Parvati were married. Time passed on and Parvati did strict penance following Shiva's austerity laws. When, Parvati was nearly
nothing, Shiva appeared and accepted her as his wife. Together they danced the tandav a great and terrible dance of procreation and
awakened the entire universe with their tantric sexuality. At the moment of their joining, by using the formidable energies unleashed
by their union, Lord Brahma was able to restore the Kama to his body. After some time, Parvati gave birth a son named Kartikeya
who went forth to put an end to the scourge of Tataka. Here it is seen that though author shows Tataka killed earlier with the hand
of Kartikeya, but she was still alive. For this, he gave us a reason that though Tataka was killed by Kartikeya. “But as you know,
matter can never truly be destroyed, only transformed. So, when she died, she only left this mortal plane and was sent to the next
plane, where she now belonged.” (POA 425) After this Rama and Lakshman with sage moved to Bhayanak van which was haunted
by the deeds of Tatka and her fellow miscreants. They reached that place where Tataka lived. Rama and Lakshman got a bloody
welcome by the Tataka's morphed creatures. Rama and Lakshman killed the scores in a minute as their bows behaved like rain from
the sky. After some time, Tataka came in front of Rama, but her description is given by the novelist in a different manner as Rama's
assistant Vajra captain Bejoo remarks. -

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The Yakshi was neither ugly nor malformed. On the contrary, she was . . . 'Ateesundar,' he whispered aloud, as if
speaking the words could help him believe the fact. Beautiful beyond comparison. So beautiful that it took an effort
to wrench his eyes away and glance around the clearing. His men were as baffled as he was. Their weapons were
raised and ready for battle, every last one of them willing to fight the asura to the death, however impossible or futile.
But what they were not prepared for was this unexpected reversal. How could an evil demoness be as stunningly
beautiful as one of Indra's apsaras?
(POA 470)
Rama also became surprised after seeing the feminine appearance of Tatka and became confused as he was unable to decide what
to do. Seeing the confusion of Rama Sage Vishwamitra warned him against the beauty and feminity of demoness as she assumed
this bhes-bhav only to confuse him. He must remember her atrocities which were seen by him earlier. Rama looked at the giantess,
then said that he did not want to violate dharma by killing a woman. Then Vishwamitra told Rama that dharma is a duty performed
for the greater good. This duty he must perform for the welfare of all the four castes, for the sake of all mortal kind. Even if it seems
unrighteous and distasteful, a king must do what serves his subjects best, for such is his dharma. So, he must suppress his pity, and
take up his bow and kill Tataka while the sun approaches its zenith. Rama was still motionless, then sage showed him an object on
the ground. There was a body of his brother reduced to a heap of shattered bones and tattered flesh. Rama rushed and tried to collect
the heap of gristle and bones that was all that remained of his brother in arms. He raised his brother's body and walked, carrying his
brother's mangled body in his arms, kneeled before the sage and lowered the remains. Rama bent and touched his forehead to the
ground and said to sage that he was supreme in knowledge, so he must resurrect his brother. Vishwamitra told Rama that lord of
death Yama keeps accurate accounts. His scales are perfect and every spell that alters the balance of life and death, has a cost
without any exceptions. So, Rama must pay the price if he wants the restoration of his brother Lakshman. Hearing this, Rama said
he would sacrifice himself for the life of his brother. Vishwamitra said that other souls are unable to satisfy lord Yama. The god of
death will only accept one life in exchange of his brother's. Then Vishwamitra raised his hand and said, “kill Tataka, and he will
bring his brother's life back from Death.” Rama followed the command of the sage and lost the arrow, but it made no impact on the
Yakshi. After this Rama scratched his own skin, tiny drops of blood emerge. Rama dipped the point of arrows with his blood and
shot directly at the belly of Yakshi Tataka. She screamed and her wounds started burning. Soon Tataka died and Rama succeeded
in restoring the peace in the woods. Sage Vishwamitra started his yagna. The first six days and night were spent peacefully however
on the seventh day yagna was attacked by Mareech and Subhau. Rama killed Subhau and expelled Mareech from the land. After
completing the yagna sage Vishwamitra gifted both princes some divine astras of Devas.

Retelling’s constructive tool selection and deviation again found in the novel when Banker introduces Manthara as vile and an
enemy of Ayodhya. She works as a spy in the palace of Ayodhya for Ravana. Here she is not presented as an ordinary servant of
Queen Kaikeyi but depicted by the Banker as a much powerful sorceress. She manipulates Kaikeyi and worships the dark-lord
demon king Ravana. Manthara is so shrewd in her activities that her secret pooja chamber is still not captured by the watchful eyes
of Ayodhyan soldiers. To appease the dark god Ravana, she often offers him the sacrifice of a Brahmin child.
She turned to the man. ‘Do you have what I need?’ ‘And yet you made sure he was a born Brahmin, with his naming
ceremony and thread ceremony performed correctly, as well as his coming-of-age ceremony performed in the past
week, just like the other boys before him.
(POA 32)
Here Ravana was introduced early as an innate enemy of Rama who with the help of his sorcerous power desired to control
everything in the realm of all three worlds. In every bad incident of Ayodhya, Ravana is the only man behind that incident.
Everything happens either according to his plan or the consequences of his plans. He threatened Rama in his sleep with the use of
asura sorcery. He sent Kalnemi as a disguise of Vishwamitra to kill Rama, but real Vishwamitra reached in time and saved everyone.
Another deviation from the main story is the episode of king Dasaratha’s palace. Here he shows the rival relationship contrary to
parent epic where queens are lived in a lovely and docile manner. In this novel Banker narrates the events of the chamber of the
first queen Kausalya when king Dasaratha visits queen after so much long time. When queen Kaikeyi heard that Dasaratha was in
the chamber of Kausalya, she became outraged and talked with Kausalya in a mean and impudent manner-
You hussy! I know what you’re up to. You won’t succeed. You temptress. Seductress. Like a cheap devdasi you lured
my husband away from my chamber and into your clutches. Did you think I wouldn’t know, witch? Did you think
I’d give him up without a fight?
(POA 97)

Thus, in the novel Prince of Ayodhya Banker, chronicles the incidents of Ayodhya, selectively. He takes all liberty to narrate the
deviated story by manipulating every character. It is noteworthy that the differences in this novel are not subtle but conspicuous.
After analysing the novel Prince of Ayodhya, it is seen that author brilliantly used selection and deviation as a constructive tool for
a new retelling of a known tale.

REFERENCES
Banker, Ashok. Prince of Ayodhya. New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2005.
Rao, Raja. Books which have Influenced me: Aspects of indian writing in english. Ed. M K. Naik. Madras: Macmillan, 1979.

Web Source:
Ashok, Banker. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashok_Banker. Accessed 11 Jan. 2021.

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