Dr.Shilpa Kabra,Assistant Professor,Marathwada Mitra Mandals College of Commerce Pune.

Ravana is symbolic, in modern culture, as the misunderstood hero in Ramayana. In Ravana: Roar of the Demon King, Abhimanyu Singh Sisodia portrays this demonic King as caught between the mortals and the Gods.

His birth-parents embody both the holiest of human beings and pure demonic evil. With such a complex origin, he is described as one who starts humbly at a hermitage but moves on to conquer the world and more. Although worshipped as a God-like figure by his people, he is an absolute menace for his enemies.

The book narrates Ravana’s action as he does what his heart desires and fears no mortals or Gods. However, he makes one major folly— abducting Sita, Lord Rama’s wife. Exiled from Ayodhya, Rama, his wife and his brother, Lakshmana wandered through the forests. However, with Sita’s abduction, not only does Ravana challenge her husband but the divine ruler, Rama.

Far from being depicted a malicious evil beast, Ravana embodies all the characteristics of good and evil which make him a relatable character for the readers. The pertinent question to ask is whether at the end of the novel Ravana is symbolic of good or evil. Does good triumph over evil? These are some of the themes that the novel explores through this modernized ancient narrative.