Hanuman Nataka (critical study)

by Nurima Yeasmin | 2015 | 41,386 words

This page relates ‘Innovations made by the Dramatist’ of the English study on the Hanuman-nataka written by Shri Damodara Mishra in the 11th century. The Hanumannataka is a Mahanataka—a fourteen-act Sanskrit drama dealing with the story of Rama and Hanumat (Hanuman) and presents the events in the lifes of Rama, Sita, Ravana and Hanuman (the son of Anjana and Vayu—the God of the Winds) based on the Ramayana story.

Innovations made by the Dramatist

Śrī Dāmodara Miśra has made some innovations in his Hanumannāṭaka These innovations appear attractive while considering from the dramatic perspectives.

In the 2nd Act of the Hanumannāṭaka, there is the description of Rāma and Sītā’s love-sports. The whole Act is full of description of love and physical feelings of Rāma and Sītā. But in the Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki such descriptions are not available to that extent. This is probably done for presenting the hero endowed with more human emotions.

In the Hanumannāṭaka, it is shown that Rāvaṇa is attracted towards Sītā and got over passionate in love. This innovative colour to Rāvaṇa’s character is added to have more dramatic effect.

In the 11th Act, the dramatist of Hanumannāṭaka has given a description of Prabhañjanī Rākṣaṣī which is not found in the Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki. It has been added to impose more dramatic turn of the events under context.

 

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