Great question raised upon Indian mythological heroes

Great thoughtful question raised! 

Well done this is how we've to learn to question of mythological heroes to whom 80% Indian and 81% Nepalese believe as Maryada Purush, Lord and God just because they have been told by their ancestors, priests and preachers which are documented in scripture by archaic mindset as per their imagination capacity. Believing is soothing. Questing is challenging.   

Anyway, if I would have question like this then I would be punished by Hindus accusing me saying you are Christian working for dollar  and against Hindus. 

This morning I woke up and opened my facebook and I got to read the status posted by Sanal Edamaruku who is an author and rationalist, and the founder-president of Rationalist International stating, 

I appreciate film maker Ram Gopal Varma for his tweet on Ram and Ravana, the two mythological heroes of Indian epic Ramayana. A section of Hindus consider the fictional epic Ramayana a religious book, or as pure history.

The tweet raised serious discussion about Ram and Ravana, the two mighty characters in Ramayana, about whom I have already expressed my views earlier.

Ram's approach to women was not dignified.

When Ravana's sister Shoorpankha desires Ram's brother, he becomes furious and chop off her nose and breasts. What an arrogance!

While Sita, his wife, was in the custody of Ravana, after his abduction of her, he never touched her, as he did not have the consent of her for that. I consider it a dignified behaviour.

One version of Ramayana says that Ravana did not touch Sita as there was a doom curse on him if he touched a woman without her consent.

If so, logically "god" Ram would have known this. Still, upon return, he wanted Sita to walk over fire to "prove" her "purity".

As per Ramayana story, she did it. Still the pregnant Sita was thrown away to a forest upon Ram's order, as there were rumours about her fidelity! She, a noble person, on the other side, earlier accompanied Ram leaving all comforts of the palace to the forest for 14 years. There was no value for truth or justice in the eyes of Ram.

The myth of woman's purity as a "protection shied" of the fighting man was seen dominant in the Ramayana war. Mandodari's "purity" was tarnished with Ram's knowledge by an image of Ravana (Maya Ravana) to ensure his destruction. Quite an unethical act!!

Ravana, as per the story, knew that Sita was "god" Ram's wife and abduction of her would mean his doom. He loved her and desired her; so he decided to take the biggest risk of his life for her. What a love!

As per Ramayana, Ravana was a great scholar and a worshipper of god Shiva. And Ram was the incarnation of god Vishnu. When one co-relates this to the centuries long actual conflict between Shaivites (Shiva worshippers) and Vaishnavaites (Vishnu worshippers), one could sense the story as a legend to establish the ultimate dominance of Vaishnavites over Shaivites.

A mythological story is open for interpretation by any reader. That is part of Freedom of Expression. The opposition that some radical and fanatic groups have raised against the tweet of Ram Gopal Varma is not in the spirit of tolerance that Hinduism tries to be proud of.

Reference

Sanal Edamaruku's facebook account https://www.facebook.com/edamaruku?fref=photo