Rama and Sita
Help! I've Fallen in Love!
Dear Kama and Rati,
As I write this letter my heart is racing! Never before have I had such a wonderful, yet terrifying feeling. Today, Kama and Rati, I met someone that I know I will love for an eternity. The only problem is that I have never talked to this woman. I know it sounds crazy, but we had this moment. This amazing, amazing moment! It all began when I went for a garden stroll with my older brother. This garden was marvelous. It was filled with luscious trees, fragrant flowers, and lively wildlife; we even spotted a peacock! Suddenly, the garden grew curiously quiet. I almost cannot describe it, but all I could hear was the gentle sound of bells. I looked for the source of the sound, when my gaze landed on the most gorgeous maiden I had ever seen. Her dark hair was blowing in the wind, and her eyes said to me, "I have been waiting for you." I tried to call out to her, but she simply smiled and walked away. I know that the heavens brought her to me, but don't know what to do next. I've been told that she is a princess with a strict father. How do I win her love? I cannot imagine my life without this beauty, but how do I prove I am worthy? Please...give me guidance, great gods of love!
Sincerely,
Hopelessly Fallen
Advice From The Love Gods
Dear Hopelessly Fallen,
Well, this is something rare and beautiful. Love at first sight! For once, Rati and I agree perfectly on how to handle this situation. This is one of the few times that we will write a letter together. Consider yourself lucky, young man. True love is powerful, but it is also fragile. Your next steps are crucial, but Rati and Kama are here to guide you.
We are believers in fate. If your heart feels this strongly, do not doubt yourself. Something must have brought you two together. It is now your job to take control of destiny. You mentioned your maiden's father. He is the key! You need to do two things here: win over the father and show your princess a grand gesture. You must prove your worth to both the father and the daughter for this to work. Be on the lookout for courting rituals or competitions held at the kingdom. This time of year they are quite common. Now, this might sound easy, but be aware that these can be extremely competitive. You should begin to train yourself in the fine arts and as a warrior. Brush up on your sword skills, chariot skills, and archery skills. Study classic texts and give offerings to the deities. Do not neglect your appearance either! This will all be worthless if you cannot entice the lady with your handsomeness. In short, be ready for anything and everything. If you work hard and have the gods on your side, you can accomplish the impossible! We are rooting for your success!
Wishing you the best,
Kama and Rati
Note from the Editor (Author's Note):
For this story I wanted to work with a lighthearted subject. Even though I hate how the Rama/Sita drama ends, I loved the fairy tale aspect of their meeting. The author of this letter is Rama, right after he met Sita in the garden. Of course, it was love at first sight! I did change some of the details from the original story. In the original, Rama simply wins because he is Rama. My version offers a reason. After seeing the beautiful Sita, Rama wrote to Kama and Rati for help. Their reply anticipates the challenge that Sita's father uses to find her a prince. Rama followed their advice and trained diligently. Because of this, he was ready for the competition and won over both Sita and her father.
I also got a lot of suggestions to have Kama and Rati agree on a topic, so that's why I tried a combined letter. I wrote as Kama speaking for both of them, but I'm worried that this put Rati on the backburner a little bit. I don't know a way around this issue. I figured it would be weird to have Rati randomly interject in the letter, so I just let Kama take over. Let me know if you all think of a creative way to have Rati and Kama write one response!