Week 10 Reading Diary: Sita Sings the Blues

In Nina Paley’s Sita Sings the Blues, I loved this movie which was accompanied by Annette Hanshaw’s beautiful songs including Moanin’ Low, Here We Are, and Mean To Me. I guess I didn't realize that Sita was actually going to be singing the blues! Annette Hanshaw's music adds so much to this film. This movie is based on The Ramayana of Valmiki. I was so impressed with this film. One part I loved was at the beginning when the images of hearts were played quickly. I assumed the god with many heads that kept reappearing in the introduction was the Hindu god Brahma.

Hindu god Brahma. Source: Pinterest.

I thought it was humorous that the main characters of this movie lived in what looked like the same place as Full House was set. Next, I enjoyed the dialogue that explained the story of the Ramayana. It was full of character, which made it easier to watch and understand. I was a bit in shock when Dasharatha’s wife, Kaikeyi, said, “Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out. I guess I just wasn’t expecting that from what looks like a children’s cartoon. I have discussed the symbolism associated with lotus flowers before. This flower really interests me because it just seems so powerful! Just look at the image of Brahma above who holds a lotus flower. It was very interesting when Surpanakha tempts her brother Ravana by comparing Sita's skin, eyes, hands, and breasts to lotuses. From that point on, Ravana is determined to make Sita his. 

I quickly began to see the parallels between Rama and Sita and the characters from San Francisco, where both men in the couples must travel far away while the women wait for them.