Reclaiming Ramayana's Kaikeyi: The Story You Weren't Told

Around the festive months, we all immerse ourselves in the lights and celebrations. As good prevails over evil, the mythological stories are sung yet again to remember the importance of Karma and Dharma in our lives. Dussehra and Deepawali bring in the Hindu epic Ramayana, which almost all of us have grown up hearing. The story celebrates the righteousness of Lord Rama, the sacrifice of Goddess Sita, the devotion of Lord Lakshmana, and the benevolence of Lord Hanumana.

But the Ramayana had many characters whose stories haven't been celebrated enough. In today's world, we may call them 'underrated' characters without whom the story of the Ramayana is incomplete. One of these characters was Devi Kaikeyi.

Devi Kaikeyi was the consort of King Dasharatha and one of the queens of Kosala. She was the stepmother of Lord Rama and probably one of the characters we consider to be an antagonist. But the beauty of stories like the Ramayana makes us believe that there is no fine line between good and bad. It is our righteous principles that make us good individuals.

The Warrior Princess Of Kekeya

Kaikeyi was the daughter of King Ashvapati of Kekeya. Her mother was exiled from the kingdom shortly after her birth, and she grew up alongside her seven brothers under the guidance of her nursemaid, Manthara. This also explains the influence Manthara held in her life, which became a turning point in history.

Often, when watching the Ramayana, the scene where Kaikeyi asks Dasharatha to fulfil the two boons he had granted her is shown. But why was the boon granted to her in the first place?

During a battle between the devas and asuras, a bolt on Dasharatha's chariot wheel came loose. Kaikeyi quickly used her thumb to hold the wheel in place, saving the chariot. She also bravely rescued an unconscious Dasharatha from the battlefield. Impressed by her bravery, the king offered her two boons, which she chose to save for a later time.

When Kaikeyi Was Branded As The 'Evil Stepmother'

When King Dashratha of Ayodhya wanted to marry Kaikeyi, he already had his queens, Kaushalya and Sumitra. Even though he had no heirs to his throne, Kaikeyi's father, King Ashvapati, agreed to the union on one condition: only the son born to Kaikeyi would be the rightful heir to the throne of Kosala. Dashratha agreed to the condition, and she became one of his queens.

Years later, when the queens were blessed with the princes Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughana, mythology depicts the maternal love the queens held for all the princes. The mythology also records the maternal affection Kaikeyi held for Rama, considering him no less than her own son, Bharata.

After Rama's marriage to Sita, Kaikeyi, as a symbol of her affection, gifted the couple Kanak Bhawan (the Golden Palace). This palace, which still exists in Ayodhya in its full glory, was the private residence of Rama and Sita before their exile. When Rama was announced as the rightful heir of Kosala, Kaikeyi was overjoyed, and as happy as she would have been had it been her own son's coronation.

However, Manthara, worried that Kaikeyi would lose her power once Rama became king and his mother, Kaushalya, became queen mother, tried to make Kaikeyi jealous. She argued that Rama's coronation would make Kaushalya the most important queen and would ruin Bharata's chance to ever be king.

What transpired next is what we all know. Rama was exiled, a grief-stricken Dashratha passed away, and Bharata cursed Kaikeyi for exiling his brother and refused to call her his mother. He also swore never to ascend the throne, as it was his older brother's birthright.

Even today, people are named after characters from the Ramayana, except for Kaikeyi. She is often seen as an antagonist for securing her son's future and protecting his inheritance, a right she was always promised. The boons granted to her were for her bravery on the battlefield, an act that is not celebrated as much as other wars led by men in history.

Kaikeyi acted out of passion and rage, yet history remembered only her moment of defiance. Her story is a powerful and tragic testament to how society can misunderstand women who are ambitious, assertive, or protective of their families. Her tale leaves us with a timeless question: Why are we so quick to label women as villains for simply asserting their rights?

Views expressed by the author are their own.