Ravi Varma was hardcore.
So I'm making a reference to Ravi Varma prints in the current story, and I wanted to share this one. Because, dood.
Sita is of course fair and Ravana dark; that level of racism is inherent in the mythology, really. But Ravi Varma's sort of interesting on this front 'cause he used South Indian women as models for goddesses, and not the taller fairer Northie women who are much more the country's standard of beauty.
Also, Ravana is clearly a badass.
And even though he abducts Sita and wants her for a wife, he waits on her consent. Which of course she doesn't give. But that always made him a more sympathetic character to me than douchebag who fights a war with major casualties to get her back, then sends her away because she'd slept under another man's roof...
Sita is of course fair and Ravana dark; that level of racism is inherent in the mythology, really. But Ravi Varma's sort of interesting on this front 'cause he used South Indian women as models for goddesses, and not the taller fairer Northie women who are much more the country's standard of beauty.
Also, Ravana is clearly a badass.
And even though he abducts Sita and wants her for a wife, he waits on her consent. Which of course she doesn't give. But that always made him a more sympathetic character to me than douchebag who fights a war with major casualties to get her back, then sends her away because she'd slept under another man's roof...