The Rama Archetype — Decoding India’s Obsession with Struggle Stories
Before its politicization, Jay Shri Ram held a different significance. The phrase merely meant Victory to Lord Rama and his greater-than-life struggles. In his epic, Rama departs a crown prince, but returns as a God. Calling him the Maryada Purshottam i.e., the epitome of masculine morality is a topic for contemporary debate. But regardless of your reverence (or lack thereof) for Rama, you can agree he makes an interesting archetype. An archetype is a pattern a specific person behaves and represents. Rama’s struggles begin with him losing everything, and end with him reclaiming his rightful place as King. This character arc sells well in the emotional market — a truth exercised repeatedly in politics, media and other powerful fronts.
I call this the Rama archetype
The idea of giving up something for the greater good is not just noble, but the right to passage for any messiah. However, the Rama archetype is slightly different. Rama’s struggle was not against material wealth. He didn’t choose his sacrifices. He was a merely a victim of his destiny — much like you and me.
In many ways, Mahatma Gandhi is the Rama archetype. Gandhi was born with a silver spoon — an aristocratic family, foreign education and the whole privilege package. Yet he chose to take on a dramatic journey for Indian independence. Gandhi’s civil disobedience was much like the Ramayana war — illegal but necessary. Mahatma Gandhi led a life of simplicity and a prolonged faith in the goodness of others. Incidentally even Mahatma Gandhi’s morality is a topic for contemporary debate. Calling Gandhi’s fellow satyagrahis as an army of monkeys may not be appropriate. But the parallels between Lord Rama and Mahatma Gandhi do explain their popularity amongst the Indian masses.
Success can be a consequence of supportive families, wealthy upbringing and good education. But do all success stories need over-the-top struggles, like the Ramayana? Many elitist stories seem to think so. And honestly, I find them exceedingly cringy.
For instance, Ananya Pandey calls her father not coming on a time-pass talk show to be a struggle. In another, Ranveer Singh’s family struggled to save money for one foreign trip every year. Recently, an industrialist’s childhood 3Bhk homes in a gated society was called small and humble. I just don’t get it. Do you?
Why is India so obsessed with struggle stories?
Did failing your fourth standard painting exam really inspire you to become an investment banker?
Did your hot pilot ex-fiancé really say you will never become a successful statistician, because you are not pretty enough? How did such a conversation even occur? Please elaborate more on that. It won’t inspire me, but I sure could use the mindless entertainment.
Sharing genuine struggle stories is important. But overdoing the pain is unnecessary and harmful.
You got that coveted manager job through sheer talent, hard work and family support. It’s the truth. And I respect you for it. But please don’t try to seduce me with your misery. Don’t tell me not having a ₹2 coin while buying onions from your local Kirana store (on a rainy day) was your life’s turning point. Does success really demand this much glory drama? You tell me!
I think the answer to all this lies in the Rama archetype. We are imprinted with the idea that glory comes only with dramatic twists and turns. Making it natural to mimic the Ramayana in every Indian success journey.
Throughout his life, Rama only played idealist (read near-impossible) roles. The blindly obedient son, monogamous husband, pacifist military commander, dutybound brother and such. The essence of the Ramayana is simple. If Rama can make it through, so can you. By celebrating him, you are hoping you too will be victorious. And Rama’s homecoming struggle implies you too will reach your rightful place someday.
The Ramayana says — your miseries make you. But does that mean you have to make up miseries to claim glory?
That’d be one strange interpretation of the epic.
On that note, I say Jay Shri Ram!
