Rama used to drink all afternoon with Sita: Writer Bhagawan stirs row again

MANDYA: Writer and retired professor K S Bhagawan, known for his controversial statements on Lord Rama, has stoked a fresh controversy stating that he was no ideal and used to drink all afternoon along with his wife Sita.

Speaking after releasing seven books authored by N M Thimme Gowda at KR Pet in Mandya district on Thursday, Bhagawan said, “There is talk about building a Rama Rajya and it was Mahatma Gandhi who was responsible for propagating this idea. If one reads the Uttara Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, it will be come evident that Rama was not an ideal. He did not rule for 11,000 years, but only for 11 years. He used to spend the forenoon chatting with some priests and in the afternoon, he would sit with Sita and they both would spend the rest of the day drinking.”

Writer K S Bhagawan and others released seven books authored by N M Thimme Gowda.

Further, Bhagawan said, “Three major incidents happened during the eleven years of Rama’s reign. Believing what someone said, he sent his wife Sita into the forest and did not even bother about her till the fight with Luv and Kush. The boys would have been about 16-18 years old by then and Rama did not bother about his wife all the while”.

“In another instance, Rama was having a discussion with someone and had forbade Lakshmana from allowing anyone inside. Sage Durvasa comes there and asks to see Rama, to which Lakshmana refuses. When the sage threatens to curse the entire family and destroy the kingdom, Lakshmana lets him in. But Rama sends Lakshmana into exile for defying him and Lakshmana dies on the banks of the Saryu river in depression”, he claimed.

The audience at the book release event.

Citing another incident, Bhagawan said Rama chopped off the head of Shambuka, a Shudra, who was sitting in penance under a tree near a lake. “How can such a person be an ideal? People don’t know about all this and name their children after Rama and women also chant ‘Rama, Rama”, he remarked.