. The story of the Ramayana has been so influential to the Indian society that Jacob Pandian in his book The making of India and Indian Traditions says "Mahatma Ghandi used Ramayana to convey the legitimacy of a free India, which he called Ramarajya (kingdom of Rama)."(125) Ghandi freed India from British rule through the practice of the Hindu religion.If ever there was a hero to the Indian people it would have to be Rama. He represents everything that the Hindu religion encompasses and Sita his wife is the female version of Rama. Sita also exemplifies Hindu thought. She goes to the forest with Rama and is later captured by the ten-headed monster Ravana. She is rescued by Rama, but must leave the kingdom because her chastity is in question by the citizens. She ignores her own desires and thinks about Rama's duty as a king and her own duties as a wife. She maintains dharma (balance) in the kingdom and is swallowed up by her mother, Earth at the end of the tale. In the Indian culture she is considered the loftiest and holiest of creatures that the Hindus have created. She represents, according to Lin Yutang in the book The Wisdom of China and India, "womanly love, womanly truth and womanly devotion."(140)Together they encompass the relationships that a man and a woman in the Indian culture should have. Each one of them understands their dharma and they both fulfill their individual roles as husband and wife. Sita represents the earth; she is the daughter of Earth. Rama, being an incarnated form of Vishnu, represents heaven. So together the two of them achieve balance in the universe and with each other (Kinsley 27). Rama stands for all good things, truthfulness, obedience, and courage to name a few. He continues to be a hero to the people of India. Sita is also a hero to the people of India. They both continue to shape the minds of India. As westerners we fail to realize the impact that this story has had on so many peo...
