Week 4 Storytelling: My Savior In Ashoka Grove

Ashoka Grove was a beautiful resting ground in the middle of a dark, evil-ridden forest. The flowers ranged from pink, puffy ashoka blossoms, orange lotuses, to beautiful Malobar daffodils, orchids, and magnolias. The aroma was overwhelming and enchanting. It was a scene so serene. The crisp, warm spring breeze would blow and pick up the swirling pool of petals collecting on the ground  in a whirlpool and sweep them up into the air. The whistle of the wind was a harmonious sound to the ears of the grove's visitors; it is a sound so hypnotizing and enticing that the visitors go numb to the razor-sharp teeth of the rakshasas that are sinking into the veins of their warm, fleshy necks and limbs.

For years, Ashoka Grove was a hot attraction. Thousands of visitors would venture across the world to experience such a magnificent wonder of Mother Nature. People from all walks of life could be seen lying down in the mounds of petals on the ground trying to make a "flower angel." There would always be a group in the very back of the grove slurping the intoxicating liquid out of the honeysuckle flowers. However, after a live press conference from the mayor of Ashoka explaining the closing of the Grove due to several "attacks" that left victims bloodless, the Grove became deserted.

Hanuman in Ashoka Grove with Sita. Wikimedia Commons

One day in the grove, there was a “visitor” named Sita. Sita wasn’t really a visitor. She was kidnapped and taken prisoner by her husband’s adversary, Ravana. Sita's husband, Rama, was one of the most powerful businessmen in Ashoka and in the world. Ravana was also one of Rama's well known competitors. After the death of his son, Ravana became filled with hate and was driven by the need to destroy everything Rama possessed. Rama was an accomplice in the death of Ravana's son; however, it was unintentional. Because of Rama's title and influence in the business world, Ravana had to find a way to make his foe suffer in a way that the media could not capture. Ravana knew that Ashoka Grove was the ideal sanctum for the suffering of both his competitor and his wife. Ravana despised the idea of an instantaneous death; he wanted them both to experience the lifelong grief that overshadowed his conscience.

In the corner of the grove, there was a loud sobbing. “Ohhh, ohhh, ohhh.” This wailing had gone on for hours and hours on end. The rakshasas in the Grove were becoming very uneasy and impatient. 

These rakshashas are the culprits in the deaths of several civilians in the Grove and the reason behind its closing. Ravana had discovered these creatures and made a pact. They are now his servants.

The rakshashas began to hiss and encircle Sita. The ear-piercing noises continued and became more audible across the grove. Rama’s wife, Sita, was sobbing in great despair. On this specific day the wind was high and the breeze was so vast that the tree branches and flowers in the beds bowed. Stray petals were sticking to Sita’s tears. "Oh my husband. I need you. Retrieve me from these vile creatures."

Distracted by the flower petals on her face and Mother Nature’s excitement, Sita missed the fuzzy, brown monkey slipping into the trees. The brown figure in the trees swung branch to branch where Sita has been yearning for her husband. Upon the monkey's final grip of a nearby branch, Mother Nature went unearthly still, and Sita immediately knew that there was some presence, evil or good, waiting amongst the flowers with her. With a flash and the quickness of a squirrel, a fuzzy figure darted across the grove into a patch of hydrangeas.

“Who’s there?” Sita shouted. The monkey then appeared. This monkey was her husband's pet, Hanuman.

“Oh,Hanuman, could this really be you? Wait! Get back, you filthy wretch of an imposter. This shan’t be. Ravana cease your schemes, your games, this trickery. I have suffered enough by the hands of your sorcery and darkness driving me to insanity. I’ve watched you and the rest of your rakshashas maul those that wander through the grove.”

The scent of the grove causes hallucinations and Sita believed that she was imagining this occurrence.

“Enough, my darling Sita. I am truly the spirit and person of Hanuman. I have come to sit with thee in thy dear Rama’s absence,” said Hanuman. 

"You can talk?!" exclaimed Sita.

"Yes. There are many animals in your world that possess this supernatural blessing. It is only activated when our masters are in need. Your dear Rama has sent me. Be grateful and remain steadfast."

Sita’s laud,

The time has come, I shall soon have my freedom/

My husband has sent for me, I must prepare myself to flee.

Oh,monkey man, thou art my savior, I could not have waited any later.

Oh, ioyous, spirit ignited inside me, 

the heavens hath removed the troubled spirits  from my psyche.

Author's Note: This story was influenced by the Public Domain Edition of  Ramayana. I chose to twist the chapter about the meeting between Hanuman and Sita. It is during this chapter that Sita believes she is tricked and that Hanuman is Ravana in another form. Sita is very skeptical, because she does not want to be further exiled from her husband. Ravana has been trying to seduce Sita while she's been in captivity. This explains why her levels of anxiety and apprehension are so high. She wants to remain faithful to her husband while being tempted. In my depiction of the story I gave more details about Sita's experience in the garden and used a mythological influence concerning the intoxicating smell of the flowers. This aspect comes from the mythological characters, the Lotus Eaters. Furthermore, I developed the story on the idea that Ravana is avenging his son, Indrajit. This story doesn't give the background of how Indrajit died like it does in the Ramayana. In the Ramayana, Lakshmana kills Indrajit; however, another character, Vibhishana, explains to Rama the ideal place to ambush Indrajit.  At the the end of the story, I gave Sita an opportunity to express her happiness instead of the common lament in the original epic.

Bibliography: Dutt et. al. Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition. Ramayana Online source.