Surpanakha

'Shurpanakha' by Harisankar Jaladas is a powerful mythological fiction novel that reimagines the Ramayana through the eyes of one of its most misunderstood characters—Shurpanakha.

The mighty king of Lanka, Ravan, deeply loves his sister Shurpanakha and marries her off to Vidyutjihva, a prince of the demon clan. In that love, she finds peace—until Ravan himself kills her husband. Why did he do it? Was there a hidden motive behind the murder?

Crushed by loss, Shurpanakha is torn between grief and vengeance. Why was she drawn to the exiled prince Ram? What made her provoke Ravan with vivid descriptions of Sita’s beauty—setting off the chain of events that led to war? And as Lanka mourned its fallen king, why did Shurpanakha feel triumph instead of sorrow?

This Ramayana-inspired retelling dives deep into the emotional and psychological landscape of Shurpanakha—offering a bold, feminist re-examination of her role in the epic.

From acclaimed author Harisankar Jaladas, known for his gripping and historically rooted storytelling, Shurpanakha is a thought-provoking novel that challenges conventional interpretations of mythology and breathes new life into ancient legend.