The Cultural Image Of Ramayanas By A. K. Suryavanshis

The course of history is continuously re-written through the respective perspective of its individual historian. The legends and the myths, which often form part of this history, is also not free from this transformation. Hence a conflict between the traditional and the modern perspective is witnessed in every historical as well as mythological text. This paper seeks to analyse the cultural image of Shiva depicted in Amish Tripati’s Shiva trilogy that inspired the non-Suryavanshis to join forces with him, in the light of Samuel Huntington’s concept of the clash of civilisations. Samuel Huntington’s concept of the clash of civilisations states that the major source of conflict in the post-cold war period is the religious and the cultural differences.
The conflict between perspectives can be witnessed even in the religious texts that are to persuade the devotees to think that their religion is more appropriate than the other religions and hence inspire them to stand together. A significant example of this controversy is the existence of three hundred Ramayanas by A. K. Ramanujan. Certain Ramayana among them pose Ravan as the virtuous hero in contrast to the existing idea of him being the villain. A contemporary instance of this conflict of perspectives is the presentation of the image of Shiva in different versions of the Shiva mythology; recorded, fictionalised and televised. In the serialised version of the Shiva mythology, Har Har Mahadev, Shiva is portrayed as a cold and distinct character, an impartial God in his extremes, who can see into the future and control his emotions to keep promises but mostly remain composed until he opens his third eye. The expression of love is controlled and not channelled to one person. The calm and composed Lord Shiva cannot bring about destruction and needs the aid of Veerbhadra, who appears with the opening of the third eye, to bring about the downfall. However, the visualisation of Lord Shiva is more human and gentle in the serialised version of Hanuman mythology, Sankat Mochan Mahabali Hanumaan. In the fictionalised version of the Shiva
Samuel Huntington’s concept of the clash of civilisations states that the major source of conflict in the post-cold war period is the religious and the cultural differences. The Shiva trilogy of Amish Tripati belongs to the post-cold war era in terms of its production and its reception. Though the themes dealt in the book is from the ancient myths and the mythologies of Shiva, mainly the Sivapurana, the themes are conceived in a modern sense. The book conceives of a world devoid of God, a world in which everyone is a God. Even Shiva or the Neelkanth who is addressed as a God is in a state of dilemma if he himself is the Mahadev. Unlike the puranas, Shiva and Veerbhadra are two distinct individuals. The Neelkanth executes the destruction of Meluha in the end and not Veerbhadra. The conception of Sati is far above the picture portrayed by the puranas. Lady Sati in the trilogy is bolder than the lady envisaged by the puranas though she does not display any knowledge of being the Adi Shakthi. Therefore, the objective of