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Manthara
Manthara
Manthara
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Manthara
Ramayana character
Painting of Manthara (left) with Kaikeyi
In-universe information
GenderFemale
OccupationServant

Manthara (Sanskrit: मन्थरा; lit: "humpbacked") is a character in the Hindu epic Ramayana. In the epic, she is described to have convinced Queen Kaikeyi that the throne of Ayodhya belonged to her son Bharata and that her step-son—crown-prince Rama (the protagonist of the Ramayana)—should be exiled from the kingdom.[1] She is portrayed as a mother-figure to Kaikeyi and her twin Yudhajit, following the banishment of their mother. She accompanied Kaikeyi to Ayodhya after her marriage to Dasharatha.

Influence on Kaikeyi

[edit]

As family servant of Kaikeyi, Manthara lived with her from the time of her birth. When she hears that King Dasharatha is planning to make his eldest son, Rama, prince regent (rather than Bharata, his child by Kaikeyi), she flies into a rage and reports the news to Kaikeyi. Kaikeyi is initially pleased and hands Manthara a pearl necklace.[1]

Dasharatha promises to banish Rama per Kaikeyi's wishes. A folio from Ayodhya Kand manuscript

Manthara reminds Kaikeyi of the two boons Dasharatha had given her when she had once saved his life in a celestial battle. Kaikeyi had kept these boons for later and Manthara declares that this is the right time to ask for them. She advises Kaikeyi to lie in her room wearing soiled clothes and no ornaments. She should weep and cry, pretending anger. When Dasharatha would come to console her, she should immediately ask for the boons. The first boon would be that Bharata would be made the king. The second boon would be that Rama should be sent into the forest for exile for fourteen years. Manthara reckons that the fourteen-year banishment would be long enough for Bharata to consolidate his position in the Empire and weave his way into people's hearts.[1]

Rebuked by Shatrughna

[edit]

Manthara appears only once in the Ramayana after Rama's banishment. Having been rewarded by Kaikeyi with costly clothing and jewels, she is walking in the palace gardens when Bharata and his half-brother Shatrughna come upon her. Seeing her, Shatrughna flies into a violent rage over Rama's banishment and assaults her murderously. Kaikeyi begs Bharata to save her, telling Shatrughna that it is a sin to kill a woman and that Rama would be furious with them both if he does such a thing. He relents and the brothers leave, while Kaikeyi attempts to comfort Manthara.

After Rama's coronation

[edit]

When Rama came to Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshmana after 14 years of exile,[2] Rama was made the king of Ayodhya.[3] After coronation of Rama, Rama and Sita gifted jewels and clothes to their servants. Then, Rama asked Kaikeyi that where is Manthara. Then, Kaikeyi is told that Manthara is very sorry for her act and for 14 years she has been waiting for Rama to apologize to him. Rama went to a dark room where Manthara was lying on the floor. Seeing Lakshmana, Sita and Rama, she apologized for her treachery and Rama forgave her.

Appearance in other versions

[edit]
Dasharatha being asked in court to banish Rama by Kaikeyi and her humpbacked female slave Manthara
  • The Telugu version Sri Ranganatha Ramayanam mentioned a small story involving young Rama and Manthara in Balakanda. When Rama was playing with a ball and a stick, suddenly Manthara threw the ball far away from Rama. In anger, Rama struck her on the knee with the stick and her knee was broken. This message was conveyed to king Dasharatha by Kaikeyi. The king decides to send Rama and his other sons to school. This incident makes the king think about his responsibility of educating his sons, so that they can learn and become wise. Manthara had developed a kind of antagonism towards Rama and was waiting for an opportunity to take revenge against him due to that incident. It is also said that during Rama's childhood Kaikeyi loved Rama more than Bharata and spend more time with him. This made Manthara jealous of Rama.
  • The 2015 Amish Tripathi's novel Ram: Scion of Ikshvaku (first book of Ram Chandra Series) portrayed Manthara as a rich woman in Sapt Sindhu who was a friend of Kaikeyi.[4]
  • In Ramanand Sagar's television series Ramayan, Manthara is played by veteran character actress Lalita Pawar. In this TV series, it is shown that when Rama returns to Ayodhya after exile, he goes to meet Manthara, who has been imprisoned in a dark room. Seeing Rama, Manthara falls onto his feet and apologizes for all her sins, following which Rama forgives her.

References

[edit]
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Manthara

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from Grokipedia
Manthara is a pivotal character in the ancient epic , attributed to the sage , serving as the hunchbacked maidservant and confidante of Queen , one of King Dasharatha's wives in the kingdom of . She is best known for her manipulative counsel that incites Kaikeyi to demand Rama's fourteen-year to the forest and the elevation of her son Bharata to the throne, thereby sparking the epic's central narrative of exile, duty, and familial conflict. This intervention transforms a moment of royal celebration into tragedy, highlighting themes of intrigue, loyalty, and the consequences of envy within the royal household. Appearing prominently in the Ayodhya Kanda (Book II) of the , Manthara is described as a with a prominent hunchback likened to the apex of a , yet endowed with an alluring physique including lofty breasts, a slender waist, long thighs, and a radiant face resembling the . Her origins are tied to Kaikeyi's early life, having accompanied the queen from her parental home and residing as a lifelong attendant in the palace, where she is noted for her expertise in . Despite her physical , she adorns herself elegantly with a garment and golden belt, embodying a paradoxical blend of and aberration that underscores her complex portrayal. Manthara's actions unfold when she overhears preparations for Rama's while ascending a palace balcony; filled with foreboding, she interprets the festivities as a threat to and Bharata's future, prompting her to urgently warn her mistress of impending ruin for their household. In a calculated , she reminds Kaikeyi of two long-forgotten boons from —granted in gratitude for the queen's aid during a past battle—and urges her to invoke them strategically: to banish and crown Bharata instead. Portrayed as harboring sinful intentions (paapadarshinii), Manthara's discourse exploits Kaikeyi's vulnerabilities, leading the queen to dishevel herself, retreat to the chamber of , and refuse until her demands are met. Through her influence, Manthara embodies the of the scheming advisor in Indian epic literature, her motivations rooted in , devotion to , and a perceived need to secure Bharata's position amid court politics. Later in the epic, her role diminishes after the exile is enacted, but her initial catalyst endures as a symbol of how personal counsel can alter dynastic destinies, influencing interpretations of power dynamics and in the .

Background

Etymology

The name Manthara (Sanskrit: मन्थरा) is derived from the adjective manthara, which primarily denotes "bent," "curved," "crooked," or "humpbacked," a description that aligns with her portrayal as a physically deformed character in the epic. This etymological root, traced to the verbal base (related to churning or twisting), evokes imagery of distortion, serving as a narrative device to symbolize or psychological crookedness. In classical lexicons, the term also carries connotations of slowness, laziness, or tardiness, potentially alluding to a deliberate, ponderous demeanor associated with scheming. Linguistically, manthara appears in post-Vedic , including epic and Puranic texts, where it functions both as an adjective for physical or behavioral traits and occasionally as a . However, its usage as a character name is predominantly confined to the , with rare attestations elsewhere in epic corpora like the , where similar terms describe sluggishness or deformity in minor contexts. This specificity underscores the term's symbolic adaptation in Valmiki's composition, distinguishing it from broader Vedic applications of related roots like mand (slow) that predate the epics but do not directly employ manthara.

Identity and Court Role

Manthara originated from the kingdom and accompanied to upon her marriage to King Dasharatha, serving as her trusted attendant from an early age. In Valmiki's , she is depicted as an elderly hunchbacked maidservant, physically deformed with a prominent hump, a trait emphasized in her introduction during the events in . This portrayal underscores her role as a longstanding figure in 's personal life, having resided with her since Kaikeyi's birth. As a confidential servant confined to the inner chambers of the royal palace, Manthara enjoyed privileged access to private royal matters and secrets, which reinforced her deep, exclusive loyalty to rather than to the wider court or the king. Her position allowed her intimate involvement in Kaikeyi's daily affairs, positioning her as a key influencer within the queen's secluded world.

Role in Valmiki's

Relationship with Kaikeyi

Manthara served as 's nursemaid from her birth in the kingdom of , functioning as a surrogate figure to Kaikeyi amid the challenges of her early life in a frontier realm known for its martial culture. In the Ramayana, Manthara is explicitly described as a servant attached to Kaikeyi since infancy, providing maternal care and guidance in the absence of other familial influences during Kaikeyi's upbringing. This role extended when Manthara accompanied Kaikeyi to upon her marriage to King Dasharatha, maintaining her position as a trusted attendant in the royal court. The bond between Manthara and evolved into a profound emotional dependency, with Manthara acting as Kaikeyi's primary confidante and advisor, fostering a that often blurred into subtle manipulation. portrays Manthara addressing Kaikeyi with maternal concern, declaring her actions driven by a desire for the queen's , much like a ("mātreva hitakāmyayā"). Kaikeyi, in turn, demonstrated her reliance by gifting Manthara valuables and seeking her counsel on personal matters, underscoring the depth of their interpersonal trust. In the cultural milieu of ancient Indian epics like the , relationships between queens and their maidservants often embodied intimate spheres of influence, where servants wielded significant sway over private decisions due to their proximity and shared histories. These dynamics highlighted themes of loyalty and emotional interdependence in royal households, with maidservants like Manthara serving not only practical roles but also as extensions of familial bonds in the secluded world of the inner quarters (antarapur). Such ties reflected broader societal norms where personal advisors could shape queens' perspectives, emphasizing trust over formal hierarchy.

Influence on Kaikeyi

Upon hearing the news of Rama's impending as , Manthara, 's devoted maidservant, experienced intense , fearing that the elevation of Kausalya's son would diminish Kaikeyi's status and her own position in the royal household. Standing on the palace balcony amid the city's jubilant celebrations—streets adorned with flowers, flags waving, and citizens rejoicing—Manthara viewed the events as a personal catastrophe for Kaikeyi and Bharata, prompting her to hasten to her mistress with feigned sorrow to sow discord. This jealousy stemmed from her deep loyalty to Kaikeyi, positioning herself as a protector of her mistress's interests against the perceived favoritism toward Kausalya's family. Initially delighted by the announcement, rewarded Manthara with a jewel and dismissed any concerns, viewing and Bharata as equals in affection. Manthara, however, persisted in her , employing to to Kaikeyi's and maternal instincts while subtly shifting her mood from joy to unease. She portrayed as a cunning threat who would exile or eliminate Bharata to secure his rule unchallenged, exploiting Kaikeyi's insecurities about her son's precarious future and the potential dominance of Kausalya as queen mother. Through rhetorical arguments rooted in political rivalry and past slights—such as Dasaratha's alleged prejudice—Manthara convinced Kaikeyi that inaction would lead to her and Bharata's humiliation and ruin under 's reign. In a pivotal escalation, Manthara reminded of the two boons granted by Dasaratha during a fierce battle between celestials and demons, where she had heroically driven his chariot and saved his life after he was wounded by the demon . Urging immediate action, Manthara advised Kaikeyi to invoke these boons specifically: the installation of Bharata on the throne and the exile of to the forest for fourteen years. To ensure compliance, she instructed Kaikeyi to enter the "chamber of wrath," divest herself of ornaments, don soiled garments, lie on the bare floor, and refuse discourse with Dasaratha until he yielded, a tactic designed to evoke pity and compel the king's promise. Influenced by this cunning counsel, Kaikeyi's emotions transformed into burning anger and resolve; she praised Manthara's wisdom, cast aside her finery, and prostrated herself in preparation to demand the exile.

Rebuke by Shatrughna

Upon returning to and learning of the turmoil caused by Rama's exile and King Dasharatha's death, , the younger brother of Bharata, immediately identifies Manthara as the primary instigator of the events. Overcome with righteous fury, he seizes the hunchbacked maidservant with his powerful grip, dragging her violently across the palace floor and scattering her ornaments like stars in the night sky. This act symbolizes the swift retribution against those who undermine within the royal family, as declares her the "sinful and cruel woman" responsible for Rama's forest dwelling and the king's demise. In his rage, rebukes Manthara harshly, causing her to shriek in terror as he threatens severe punishment, while also verbally castigating for her role in the scheme. The confrontation underscores the limits of a servant's influence in royal affairs, with Manthara's pleas falling on deaf ears amid the chaos; she is forcibly delivered to him by the door-keepers, who affirm her culpability in prompting the exile demands. The palace women, fearing 's wrath, flee for refuge with Queen Kausalya, highlighting the immediate emotional toll on the court. Manthara, trembling and weeping piteously, eventually collapses at Kaikeyi's feet in , but the episode emphasizes the theme of , as Shatrughna's actions reflect the family's collective outrage against betrayal. Though Bharata intervenes to halt further violence, citing the prohibition against harming women, the rebuke serves as a pivotal moment of within the narrative of familial duty.

Fate and Aftermath

Immediate Consequences

Following Rama's departure into , King , overwhelmed by profound grief at the separation from his beloved son, succumbed to shock and sorrow, with his death directly stemming from the traumatic demands imposed by under Manthara's pernicious influence. This immediate tragedy in the royal household was attributed in the epic to the cascade of events initiated by Manthara's counsel, exacerbating Dasharatha's emotional torment to a fatal degree. Upon receiving news of his father's demise and Rama's banishment while in , Bharata hastened back to , where he vehemently rejected the throne bequeathed to him by , denouncing the scheme that had uprooted the kingdom's harmony and indirectly implicating Manthara's role in the familial discord. Bharata's refusal to accept the crown, opting instead to install Rama's sandals as a symbol of legitimate rule, underscored the moral repudiation of the intrigue, positioning Manthara's manipulations as the insidious origin of the crisis. Manthara narrowly escaped death when Shatrughna, in a fit of rage upon his return with Bharata, seized and beat her severely for her part in the catastrophe, though Bharata intervened to spare her life, citing the impropriety of slaying a woman. Despite the violence, Manthara was consoled by , who led her away, allowing her to survive as her attendant amid the court's disdain. She became reviled by the palace inhabitants and guards as the primary architect of the tragedy that had claimed the king's life and exiled . Her once-influential status was diminished, reflecting the swift social repercussions within Ayodhya's elite circles, though her bond with persisted.

Mentions After Rama's Coronation

Manthara does not appear in any of the kandas following the Kanda, where the narrative focuses on Rama's forest life, Sita's abduction, the alliance with and , and the war against . Her absence underscores her limited role, confined entirely to the events precipitating the exile. Upon Rama's return to and his coronation at the conclusion of the Yuddha Kanda, Manthara receives no further mention in the Uttara Kanda, the epic's concluding book that details the later years of Rama's reign, family matters, and eventual ascension. She remains in narrative obscurity, with the text offering no details on her continued service to or any personal fate beyond the initial . In Valmiki's , Manthara's intrigue functions solely as the catalyst that initiates Rama's 14-year exile, testing his adherence to through trials of separation, combat, and kingship, but the epic provides neither redemption for her nor additional punishment following Shatrughna's rebuke. This lack of resolution highlights her as a peripheral figure whose influence wanes completely after sparking the central conflict.

Variations and Interpretations

Differences in Regional Versions

In ' Ramcharitmanas, a 16th-century Awadhi retelling of the , Manthara is depicted with heightened demonic traits, portrayed as an embodiment of whose insidious counsel to disrupts cosmic order and serves as an instrument of fate to test Rama's . Her physical deformity and malevolent intent are emphasized more starkly than in Valmiki's version, positioning her as a clear whose actions embody moral corruption and opposition to . South Indian adaptations, such as Kamban's 12th-century Tamil Ramayanam (Kambaramayanam), present a somewhat softer portrayal of Manthara, framing her as a misguided confidante rather than an irredeemably evil figure. In this version, initially rebukes Manthara's poisonous suggestions against Rama's , showing indignation and loyalty to the royal family before being gradually persuaded, which humanizes the dynamic and reduces Manthara's villainy to persistent envy rather than innate malice. Jain retellings, such as Vimalasuri's Paumachariya (1st century CE) and Hemachandra's Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Charitra (12th century CE), alter or omit Manthara entirely to align with non-violent principles and reduce emphasis on interpersonal villainy, portraying events through the lens of karma without her instigating role. Similarly, Buddhist versions like the (c. 4th century BCE) exclude Manthara, having the second queen directly request the princes' exile due to her own attachment, thereby emphasizing themes of non-attachment and moral testing without a scheming intermediary influenced by base desires.

Modern Depictions and Symbolism

In 20th- and 21st-century adaptations of the , Manthara is frequently depicted as a scheming whose physical underscores her villainy. In Ramanand Sagar's influential 1987 television series Ramayan, actress portrayed Manthara as a cunning maidservant with exaggerated features of ugliness, including a prominent hunchback, emphasizing her role in manipulating to disrupt Rama's coronation. This visual trope, drawing from traditional descriptions, reinforced her as a symbol of malice in popular Indian media, influencing subsequent films and serials where her influence is central to dramatic tension. Feminist reinterpretations in modern literature and theater have reframed Manthara beyond mere villainy, positioning her as a voice for marginalized women within patriarchal structures. In Sara Joseph's Stories (1999), Manthara's perspective highlights the doubly oppressed status of subaltern women, portraying her counsel to as an act of amid systemic exclusion rather than pure jealousy. Similarly, in Vaishnavi Patel's novel (2022) and its theatrical adaptations, Manthara emerges as a maternal figure nurturing Kaikeyi's agency, challenging traditional narratives by emphasizing their shared vulnerabilities as women in a royal that silences lower-class voices. These works underscore Manthara's complexity, transforming her from a toxic advisor into a critique of and class . Manthara's character also symbolizes jealousy and manipulative influence in broader cultural discourse, often invoked as an for destructive counsel in interpersonal dynamics. In contemporary and management discussions, her illustrates how envy-driven advice can undermine harmony in families or workplaces, serving as a against "poisoning the mind" through negative . Within , her depiction as a hunchback has drawn critiques for perpetuating ableist tropes that link physical difference to . Recent scholarship reexamines Manthara as a multifaceted disabled figure whose agency challenges stereotypes, highlighting her intellectual prowess and loyalty despite societal marginalization in ancient texts. This perspective positions her as a precursor to modern narratives of disabled resilience, urging reinterpretations that dismantle associations between impairment and villainy.

References

  1. http://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/ayodhya/sarga7/ayodhyaroman7.htm
  2. http://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/ayodhya/sarga9/ayodhyaroman9.htm
  3. http://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/ayodhya/sarga10/ayodhyaroman10.htm
  4. https://sanskritdictionary.com/?q=manthara
  5. https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/manthara
  6. https://prakashan.vrmvk.org/stories/ramayana-darshanam/kaikeyi-mind-poisoned-by-manthara
  7. https://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/ayodhya/sarga7/ayodhyaroman7.htm
  8. https://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/ayodhya/sarga7/ayodhya_7_prose.htm
  9. https://www.valmiki.iitk.ac.in/sloka?field_kanda_tid=2&language=dv&field_sarga_value=7
  10. https://english.rutgers.edu/images/documents/faculty/mangharam-rama-2011.pdf
  11. https://digitalcommons.hollins.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1049&context=ughonors
  12. https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/ayodhya/sarga7/ayodhya_7_prose.htm
  13. https://www.wisdomlib.org/history/compilation/triveni-journal/d/doc71208.html
  14. https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/ayodhya/sarga8/ayodhya_8_prose.htm
  15. https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/ayodhya/sarga9/ayodhya_9_prose.htm
  16. https://www.valmikiramayan.net/ayodhya/sarga78/ayodhya_78_prose.htm
  17. https://www.valmiki.iitk.ac.in/summary?field_kanda_tid=2&field_sarga_value=78
  18. https://www.ijfmr.com/papers/2025/3/45739.pdf
  19. http://www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/kamba.pdf
  20. https://www.storiesbyarpit.com/2024/01/the-jain-ramayan-life-of-shri-ram.html
  21. https://sacred-texts.com/bud/j4/j4025.htm
  22. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/ramayan-hanuman-aka-dara-singh-to-manthara-aka-lalitha-pawar-popular-characters-from-the-show-who-are-not-with-us-anymore/photostory/75231479.cms
  23. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268093/fullcredits/
  24. https://shikshansanshodhan.researchculturesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/SS202206004.pdf
  25. https://borderlessmag.org/2023/03/08/vaishnavi-patel-kaikeyi-hindu-india/
  26. https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/religion/faith-the-case-of-manthara/article8552233.ece
  27. https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/110882/1/Unit-6.pdf
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