Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

Shabri played by veteran actress Sarita Devi was an elderly lady with low vision who waits for the visit of Rama as told by her guru at her hut in the jungle. Each day she goes to the wild and collects berry fruits to offer Rama. She would bite the fruit and keep the sweet berries aside and throw away the bitter ones. One day finally, Rama and Lakshmana visit the old Shabri at her hut.  Shabri could not hide her joy and offers her half eaten berries to which Rama smiles and eats.   Lakshmana becomes skeptics and says to Rama, the food is spoiled as it is half eaten. To which Rama says he would accept anything offered with such devotion. It was Shabri who tell Rama to meet Sugriva. Shabri is known for her patience of devotion in awaiting Rama which she finally attains. Born in 1925, Sarita Devi stated her film career in 1953 with Jeewan Jyoti that lasted till late 80s; an overall of 200 movies and four TV series. She was part of popular hindi films like Devdas (...

If the artistes portraying King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya were real time husband wife, we have the Rajda family of Mulraj and Sameer sharing the Ramayan Television series as King Janak and Prince Shatrughna. They were the father-son duo. Mulraj Rajda was an actor and writer in Gujrati theatre and films. He wrote the screenplay of Mitti Aur Sona in 1989 and Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar in 1973. Apart from that he also wrote and directed Gujrati tv serials. He passed away in 2012. His son, Sameer Rajda is one of a popular actor in Guajarati films. King Janaka was the adopted father of Sita whom he found on the field while ploughing at the time of terrible famine. Shatrughna was one of the two sons of Queen Sumitra; Lakshmana was his half-brother. Shatrughna was married to Shrutakirti and had two sons - Shatrughati and Subahu. With Rama in exile for 14 years, Prince Bharata also lived a life of a hermit at Nandigramam and ruled Ayodhya from there. It was Prince Shatrughna who ...

Jatayu, the white feathered vulture bird who fights Ravana while trying to save Sita has many first to his credits. He is the first person to fight against terror that even PM Modi had mentioned. Another interesting fact reveals Jatayu was the first one to fight for women rights.  Rama, Sita and Laxmana had met this bird while moving in the forest where they came to know he was the friend of King Dasratha. Jatayu tries to protect Sita but his feathered wing is cut by Ravana. It was he who reveals that Sita was abducted by Ravana and breathe his last moments on the arms of Rama. Chadayamangalam in Kerala and Lepakshi in Andhara Pradesh attributes to its connection to Jatayu when the old bird falls at the ground. I tried my best to the find the actor’s name but nothing is mentioned at the any pages of internet

Until this hour I never knew that the characters of Sugriva and Vali were performed by one man and he was Shyam Sundar Kalani. Sad to say, he passed away ten days back but due to lock-down this sad demise was mourned today by Arun Govil and Sunil Lahari in their twitter account. He was suffering from cancer for long time. Kalani’s film life never took off but he shall always be known for his dual role as Sugriva and Vali. Sugriva with his vanar sena had aided Rama in bringing back Sita from the hands of Ravana. This help was in response of getting back his wife Ruma who was taken away by his brother Vali following the conflict between the two brothers. Rama kills Vali and Sugriva is made King and also get backs his wife.