Mandodari (A Mythological Novel on the Life of Mandodari, Wife of Ravana)

Mondodari is a mythological novel based on Ravana's wife. Probably Assamese version of Mandodari is the first novel on Rakshas's dynasty written in any of the languages of India. The author is quite successful in expressing Mandodri's mixed feelings, sometimes proud of being the daughter-in-law of Rakshasa's dynasty and sometimes her sadness and helplessness being Ravana's wife. Although Mandodari loved and respected her husband much, yet she was against certain deeds performed by Ravana. She couldn't accept Ravana's unsocial activities which he considered as observable conduct of Rakshasa religion of acquiring good things forcibly. Mandodari supported Bibhishana . But she could not agree to his surrender to Rama even though Bibhishana was badly insulted by his brother Ravana. Mandodari felt that Ravana had many good qualities except his anger, instability, pride and weakness for women. Otherwise, there would have been no other more eminent person than Ravana in the three worlds.

Dr Malinee is the pen name of Dr Neelima Saikia who was a prominent scientist of North-East Institute of Science & Technology Jorhat, Assam. She has a vast experience in the area of soil microbiology and bioremediation of crude oil contaminated soil. She has developed several technologies for socio-economic improvement. There are more than fifty research papers and six patents to her credit. Presently she is the secretary of The Epic Study Centre, Assam.

Her work relies mostly on her extensive and profound research on the Indian epics and mythology. Dr Malinee's literature works have attracted the attention of a wide number of readers. Some of the stories and novels written by the author are Moroha Phulor Subas (1997), Brityar Paridhir Bahirot (2001), Natun Yugar Sushana (2003), Romanthan (2005), Yajnaseni (2007), Bideh Nandani (2009), Agony of Sita (2010, English version of Bideh Nandani), Kashi Kanya Amba (2010), Agony of Draupodi (20ll,English version of Yajriaseni), Dr Malinee's Swanirbachita Golpa(20ll), Mandodari (2012), Amba: Princess of Kashi (English version of Kashi Kanya Amba 2013), Raj-Rishi Kanya( 2014).

She is the receiver of several awards and honours. Dr Malinee is the recipient of three National Award (1999, 2001 & 2004), Children literature award (2012), Kumar Kishore literature award (2013). Byaspati Award (2013), Vidya Sagar Sanman(2014) and Dr M.F. Husain International Award for Environment (2014). So far there are 30 books to her credit.

I always had a plan to write a novel on Ravana's wife Mandodari. The great poet Valmiki in his Uttarakand chapter beautifully narrated Mandodari's mental agony, pain, sufferings and happiness of being Ravana's wife and daughter-in-law of the Rakshas dynasty. In fact, Uttarakand Chapter is full of Ravana's glory, victory, valour, influence, erudition, proficiency, love, responsibility, planning, oppression, cruelty, immoral conduct, etc. Mandodari's character is a manifestation of both joy and distress.

While writing the novel I placed myself into Mandodari's character and tried to understand her feelings and emotions as deep as I could. I analysed each and every other character of the Rakshasa dynasty. Although Mandodari loved and respected her husband much, yet she was very much against her husband's misdeeds. She couldn't accept Ravana's unsocial activities which he considered as an observable conduct of Rakshasa religion and that is to acquire things that he had a likeness for with force and violence if the necessity arises.

Mandodari supported Bibhishana. But she never appreciated the fact that Bibhisana surrendered himself to Ram even though Bibhishana was badly insulted by his brother Ravana. She felt that since Bibhishana was a pious person, he could have kept himself aloof from the war rather than going against the nation. According to her, he should have been busy performing some religious rituals, meditation or penance or reading scriptures.

Many people think that the Rakshasa dynasty originated from the great sage Vishrava. But before that clan arose, Rakshasas ruled in Lanka. It was lord Vishnu who threw them away from Lanka to Roshatal for their unsocial and oppressive deeds. For better understanding of what I have just mentioned, a chronology of the Rakshasa dynasty is given below.