Against the Current: Sita and Her Foils in - Bad Request

According to Kavanasarma, both Surpanakha and Sita suffer as a result of the
conflict between Rama and Ravana. In the modern Telugu author’s telling, unlike in the
authoritative ones however, the competition between the two men plays itself out in the
realm of business, rather than kingship. Ravanarao, who owns a long-established business
in town, resents the efforts of newcomer Ramaraju to muscle his way into Ravanarao’s
market niche. 33 After gaining proof of Ramaraju’s crooked transactions, Ravanarao
reports the irregularities to the income tax office but Ramaraju’s uncle, who has political
clout, gets the court to dismiss the case. Still rumors begin circulating about Ramaraju’s
corruption, so he puts distance between himself and his business affairs by building and
moving to a hermitage at the edge of town.
The forest provides the backdrop against which the two men play out their anger
towards each other by abusing women. Ravanarao vows to take revenge on Ramaraju for
evading legal punishment, so he disguises himself as a holy man and comes to dwell in
Ramaraju’s forest. As soon as Rama leaves on an errand, the holy man abducts Sita. 34
When Ramaraju discovers what has transpired, he worries not about his abducted wife’s
safety but that “people might laugh at him for being so effeminate and doing nothing
while his enemy had a good time with his wife.” Ramaraju decides to retaliate by
mistreating Ravanarao’s sister for, “[o]nly then would his manliness have any value.”
Ramaraju now invites her to visit him. When she arrives, he locks her inside the house,
has his brother mutilate her, and then sends her to her brother. Ravanarao files a
complaint with the police and gets Ramaraju arrested, but Ramaraju is acquitted.
The climax of Kavanasarma’s story comes when Surpanakha perceives a larger
pattern emerging out of Sita’s experience and her own: men too cowardly settle their
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