19 - Surely you're joking Mr. Raman

Summary

In this episode of 'Stories from India,' host N Monei revisits the character of Tanali Raman, correcting previous misconceptions and delving deeper into his mischievous nature. Raman, a well-educated jester, encounters Goddess Kali who offers him a choice between knowledge and wealth. His greedy decision leads to a life of jesting for profit. Meanwhile, the tale of Pundlik, a reformed goon turned devoted son, captivates with a lesson on the power of devotion, as he unknowingly makes the deity Voba wait on a brick. The episode is a blend of humor and folklore, offering insights into Indian mythology and moral lessons.

Takeaways

• 🎵 The podcast 'Stories from India' explores myths, legends, and folk tales from India, hosted by a character with the gift of eternal life and knowledge.
• 📚 Tanali Raman is a well-educated character who was previously portrayed as a person with questionable ethics, but this episode aims to correct that impression.
• 🏡 Tanali Raman lived in a village named after him, which is common in that region of India, and he was known for his knowledge of multiple languages and extensive reading.
• 💤 Despite his education, Raman was often idle, leading a Rishi to advise him to visit a temple of the Goddess Kali, known for her destructive power.
• 😅 Raman's encounter with Kali included humor and irreverence, showcasing his audacity and wit, even in the face of a powerful deity.
• 🤔 Kali offered Raman a choice between the cup of knowledge and the cup of wealth, which he impulsively consumed both, leading to his punishment and a unique destiny.
• 💼 Raman's decision to visit the court of Krishnadevaraya led to his appointment as a jester, using his wit to expose corruption and gain favor with the king.
• 🏛️ The story of Pundlik, a young man from Maharashtra, illustrates the transformation from a local bully to a devoted son, ultimately earning the respect of the god Vishnu.
• 🙏 Pundlik's devotion to his parents was so strong that he made Vishnu wait on a brick while he attended to them, demonstrating the importance of filial piety in Indian culture.
• 🌐 The podcast provides additional context on the goddess Kali, her significance in Hindu mythology, and her various depictions in art and literature.
• 🎉 The episode concludes with a teaser for the next episode, which will explore the Festival of Holi and its historical and cultural significance.

Q & A

What is the podcast 'Stories from India' about?

The podcast 'Stories from India' is about myths, legends, and folk tales from India. It is hosted by a character named N Monei, who is a traveling musician and storyteller.

What is the main character, Tanali Raman, known for?

Tanali Raman is known for being a well-educated boy who was overqualified for most jobs and often found himself doing nothing. He is also known for his interactions with the goddess Kali and his role as a jester in the court of Krishnadevaraya.

Why did the Rishi advise Tanali Raman to visit the temple of Goddess Kali?

The Rishi advised Tanali Raman to visit the temple of Goddess Kali because he noticed Raman's lazy behavior and believed that the visit would be beneficial for him.

What did Goddess Kali offer Tanali Raman when he visited her temple?

Goddess Kali offered Tanali Raman a choice between the cup of knowledge and the cup of wealth, but he ended up consuming both, leading to his punishment and the title of a jester.

What was the punishment Goddess Kali gave Tanali Raman after he consumed both cups?

Goddess Kali punished Tanali Raman by making him a jester, known for his knowledge but also for his role in making money through humor.

How did Tanali Raman end up in the court of Krishnadevaraya?

Tanali Raman went to Vijaynagaram and managed to enter the court of Krishnadevaraya by bribing the guards and disrupting the court session, which led to him being appointed as the court jester.

What is the significance of Goddess Kali in the script?

Goddess Kali is depicted as a powerful deity with a thousand heads, representing destruction and entropy. She plays a crucial role in the story by offering Tanali Raman a choice and ultimately punishing him.

What is the role of the character Pundrik in the script?

Pundrik is a character from Maharashtra who starts as a local goon but changes his ways after meeting a Rishi. He becomes devoted to serving his parents, which impresses the God Voba, leading to the founding of the town Pandarpur.

What is the significance of the town Pandarpur mentioned in the script?

Pandarpur is a town founded by Pundrik, known for its famous temple dedicated to Voba, the God who stood waiting on a brick, symbolizing Pundrik's devotion to his parents.

What is the connection between the goddess Kali and the god Shiva as described in the script?

Goddess Kali, as Shakti, is often depicted standing on Shiva, the god of destruction, symbolizing that Shiva depends on her power and energy to act. In some interpretations, this also signifies that she accidentally stepped on Shiva and stuck out her tongue in embarrassment.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Introduction to Stories from India Podcast

The podcast 'Stories from India' is introduced by the host, N Monei, who is also a mythological character with the ability to live eternally and knowledge of the past, present, and future. Monei is a traveling musician and storyteller. The episode focuses on correcting the previously portrayed negative image of Tanali Raman, who was mistakenly depicted as a person who mistreated animals and others for selfish reasons. The podcast aims to explore more stories about Tanali Raman, revealing his true nature.

05:02

😅 Encounter with Goddess Kali and Her Offer

In this section, the story of Raman's encounter with Goddess Kali is recounted. Raman, who is portrayed as a lazy and overqualified individual, is advised by a Rishi to visit a temple dedicated to Kali. Upon his arrival, Kali appears before him and offers him a choice between the cup of knowledge and the cup of wealth. Raman, in his cunning manner, tastes both, leading to Kali's decision to punish him by making him a jester, known for his humor but also for his lack of respect for authority. This decision reflects Raman's character and his approach to life, prioritizing wealth and knowledge over moral values.

10:04

🏰 Raman's Disruption at the King's Court and His Punishment

Raman travels to Vijaynagaram to seek a reward from the king. He bribes his way into the king's court, disrupting an ongoing performance and drawing the king's attention. The king, initially angered by Raman's disruption, is intrigued by his audacity and listens to his story. Raman cleverly implicates the guards in corruption, leading to their punishment and his appointment as the court jester. This episode highlights Raman's manipulative nature and his ability to turn situations to his advantage, despite his disruptive behavior.

15:05

🏛️ The Story of Pundrik and the Conclusion of the Podcast

The final paragraph introduces the character Pundrik, a young man from Maharashtra who initially was a local bully but changed his ways after meeting a Rishi. Pundrik's devotion to his parents impressed the God Voba, leading to the foundation of the town of Pandarpur and a temple dedicated to Voba. The podcast concludes with a teaser for the next episode, which will explore the Festival of Colors and introduce a historical figure who contributed to the silk industry in India. The host thanks the listeners and provides links to more information and music credits.

Keywords

💡Tanali Raman

Tanali Raman is a historical figure and a central character in the podcast's narrative. He is portrayed as a jester and a storyteller with the gift of eternal life and knowledge of the past, present, and future. His character is used to explore the themes of selfishness and the consequences of one's actions, as seen in the script where he treats others poorly for his own gain.

💡Mythological Character

A mythological character refers to a person or being from myths, legends, or folklore. In the context of the video, the host identifies as a mythological character, which sets the stage for the storytelling aspect of the podcast. This keyword is integral to understanding the podcast's theme of exploring Indian myths and legends.

💡Kali

Kali is a goddess from Hindu mythology, often associated with destruction and chaos. In the script, she is depicted with a thousand heads and is approached by Raman in a temple. The encounter with Kali is a pivotal moment in the narrative, illustrating the theme of the consequences of one's actions and the power of humor to defuse tense situations.

💡Cup of Knowledge

The 'Cup of Knowledge' is a metaphorical item offered by the goddess Kali to Raman, symbolizing the acquisition of wisdom. Raman's decision to taste both the Cup of Knowledge and the Cup of Wealth without restraint reflects his character's greed and the moral lesson about the dangers of unchecked desires.

💡Cup of Wealth

Similarly to the 'Cup of Knowledge,' the 'Cup of Wealth' represents material prosperity. The choice between the two cups presents a moral dilemma in the script, highlighting the theme of the pursuit of wealth versus wisdom and the potential pitfalls of both.

💡Jester

A jester is a person who tells jokes and provides entertainment, often in the court of a king. In the script, Raman is cursed to be known as a jester, which ties into the theme of the podcast about the role of humor and wit in storytelling and the consequences of one's actions.

💡Vijayanagaram

Vijayanagaram refers to a historical kingdom in South India. In the script, Raman travels to the court of Krishnadevaraya, the king of Vijayanagaram, to seek a reward. This setting provides a backdrop for the exploration of themes such as corruption, power, and the use of wit to navigate social hierarchies.

💡Court Jester

A court jester is a role that involves entertaining the court with jokes and humorous observations. Raman's appointment as a court jester by the king of Vijayanagaram is a turning point in the narrative, illustrating the theme of how one's reputation and role in society can be shaped by their actions and the perceptions of others.

💡Pundik

Pundik is a character from the western state of Maharashtra who undergoes a transformation from a local goon to a devoted son, serving as an example of moral reformation. His story in the script contrasts with Raman's, providing a counterpoint to the themes of selfishness and the power of devotion in changing one's destiny.

💡Vishnu

Vishnu is a major deity in Hinduism, known for his role as the preserver and protector of the universe. In the script, Vishnu appears in the form of Voba, who tests Pundik's devotion. This keyword is important for understanding the religious and cultural context of the story and the theme of divine testing of human virtues.

💡Pandarpur

Pandarpur is a town in Maharashtra, India, known for its temple dedicated to Voba, a form of Vishnu. The mention of Pandarpur in the script serves to illustrate the lasting impact of Pundik's transformation and devotion, tying into the theme of how personal change can have far-reaching effects on a community.

Highlights

Introduction to the podcast 'Stories from India' focusing on myths, legends, and folk tales.

Host N Monei's introduction as a mythological character with the gift of eternal life and knowledge of the past, present, and future.

Clarification of a previous misconception about Tanali Raman's character, revealing his true nature in the stories.

The story of Tanali Raman's encounter with the Goddess Kali, highlighting his audacious behavior.

Raman's humorous reasoning for laughing at Kali's thousand heads, relating it to managing a cold.

Kali's offer of two choices: the cup of knowledge and the cup of wealth, leading to Raman's impulsive decision.

Raman's justification for tasting both cups, comparing the decision to choosing ice cream flavors.

The consequences of Raman's actions, being labeled a jester and the impact on his future.

Raman's journey to Vijaynagaram and his unconventional method of gaining entry to the king's court.

The king's reaction to Raman's disruptive entrance and the unexpected appointment as a court jester.

The story of Pundik, a local goon turned devoted son, as told by a Rishi.

Pundik's encounter with the God Voba, demonstrating his devotion to his parents.

The establishment of the Pundarpur temple and its significance in honoring Pundik's story.

Description of Goddess Kali's appearance and symbolism in Hindu mythology.

The humorous anecdote of Kali stepping on Shiva by accident and her embarrassed reaction.

Invitation for listeners to explore images of Kali and Pundik's story on the podcast's website.

Teaser for the next episode, hinting at the Festival of Holi and its historical significance.

Introduction of the next character, a historical figure with a connection to the silk industry in India.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

hello and welcome to stories from India

a podcast where we talk about myths

Legends and folk tales from India I'm

your host n monei and I'm a mythological

character

myself I have the gift of ET etal life

and knowledge of the past the present

and the

future by profession I'm a traveling

musician and a Storyteller so the way

I'm doing my job is by

podcast this week we'll talk about

tanali

Raman we have previously covered tanali

Raman in episodes 2 and three where I

may have given the impression that he

was a horrible person who treated

animals poorly for purely selfish

reasons it's time to correct that

impression so we'll cover two more

stories

today these will show you that tanali

Raman was in fact a horrible person who

treated everyone not just animals people

and goddesses too he treated them poorly

and for purely selfish

reasons the character this week is

someone who made a god weight on a brick

while he tended to other more important

things like helping his

parents let's dive in tenali Raman lived

in a little village called

tenali not by

coincidence and the village wasn't named

after him it was the other way

around it was and remains common

practice for people in that region of

India to often borrow part of their name

from their village town or

city Tali Raman was a well educated boy

he knew several languages and had read

many

books unfortunately for him this meant

he was overqualified for most

jobs and instead of starting at the

bottom of some small scale firm and

using his education to propagate

Enterprise wide

Transformations he did

nothing yeah

most days he just lay in the meadow

dreaming of

nothing periodically cashing in his

Social Security

checks one day a Rishi was passing

by noticing this lazy Behavior he told

tanali

off I mean he told the boy off not the

village you know I'm just going to call

him Ramen in this

story The Rishi strongly advised Raman

to visit a nearby

Temple it was a temple of the Goddess

Khali and by advice I really mean an

order listening to the advice of an

elder was pretty much non-negotiable in

those

days and why am I going to visit the

goddess of death again as

Roman the Rishi was not used to having

his orders or advice

question she's not the goddess of death

she's more like entropy but yeah she

does get angry easily and destroys

things so try to please her say her name

a million times before you reach the

temple but the temple is right there I

can't do a

million all right do 100,000 said the

Rishi that's still a lot lot replied

Ramen the Rishi said then you better get

started hadn't

you Raman grumbled but he did go to the

temple as he reached the place oddly

enough he was the only one

there this does not happen often in

Indian temples today and it didn't

happen often back then

either Ramen was just

lucky in a Flash and a puff of smoke

kie appeared before

him Tada she said but Ramen merely

yawned he was

religious but not a

siant Raman said David Copperfield does

it without the

smoke seeing goddess khi beginning to

frown he quickly added but I bet he was

inspired by

you kie decided to give him the benefit

fit of Doubt for

now as the smoke began to clear away

Ramen saw that she had a thousand

heads and he began to

chuckle which you might think is a

surprising reaction to seeing the

goddess of Destruction with a thousand

heads Khali was tempted to destroy this

insolent boy right

there but but being generous as well she

gave him a chance to slide out of it

gracefully if he

wanted you're laughing thinking of

something else aren't

you but Ramen wasn't having any of

it I am laughing at your appearance your

thousand heads he

said seeing K raising her weapons he

quickly

added I was thinking to myself when

Ordinary People catch a a cold they have

trouble enough managing it with two

hands and a single nose how do you

manage it when you have a cold with just

two hands but a thousand

noses that does not sound funny to me to

be honest but kie saw the humor in that

maybe I have been around many headed

gods and goddesses for too

long even my dad has

foreheads she said all right this is

what I can offer you another poof and a

little cup appeared in each

hand in my left hand is the cup of

knowledge and in my right is the cup of

wealth you must choose one said

Kali Raman

asked how can I make a good decision

unless I taste each of

them no one has asked such a question

before but you're right of course I mean

when people walk into an ice cream

parlor they get these tiny spoonfuls to

taste before they lock in on a

choice and this is arguably a much more

important decision than ice cream we

don't have those adorable little spoons

here and we don't have

sprinkles I'm a goddess I can show magic

some up but whatever I'm just going to

be completely Reckless and let you taste

directly out of the

cups this is what Ramen was hoping

for he grabbed the cups and quickly

emptied them both before K could stop

him this time you asked for it she said

raising her weapon a second

time wait said Raman I had a really good

reason to uh-huh said

khi yes money without knowledge is

dangerous and knowledge without money is

useless then my dear boy why didn't you

ask for half a cup

each Raman hadn't thought of that of

course he was stumped

silent now continued KH the gods and

goddesses guidelines rules and

regulations chapter 4 section 3.1

strictly requires that I punish you but

luckily for you subsection

2.13 allows me to maybe go easy on you

somewhat

you will have knowledge no

doubt however you will be known as a

Jester and that's how you will make

money Ramen thought a bit and asked so

what's the catch

then Ki thought this was Raman

attempting humor she just ignored him

and

disappeared but the question had not

been in

chest Raman did not share the morals of

the rest of of 16th century India and

thought anything was an acceptable

profession as long as it made

money Raman decided to go to Vijay

nagaram to the court of Krishna

deara it was a few days walk but when he

got there he wasn't allowed

in the guard outside the palace stopped

him do you have your

papers papers asked ran what are those

the guard repeated with practice te

certified means of identification from a

regulated government Authority a

passport a chariot driving license or a

press pass if you're a

journalist I don't have any said

Ramen then come back when you do said

the

guard wait but I can make it worth your

while said

Ramen I'm here to receive a big reward

from your king let me in and I'll give

you half

okay said the guard bribery wasn't a

very serious crime anyway back in those

days the same thing happened at the door

to the court which was

closed because the court was in session

Raman promised the court guard half of

his reward

too when he went

inside there was some performance art or

the other going on for the king and the

rest of the Court never mind

what Raman disrupted it he boldly

strolled right in the middle and was

generally loud and well he was generally

himself the king who had been having a

good time was really angry with

Roman guards he roed give this man a 100

lashes with a

whip wait said

Raman I can't accept this generous

reward for

myself why not said the king because I

promis to give half to the Palace guard

and the rest to the guard at the door

said

Raman curious now the king had him

explain

everything the guards were punished for

being

corrupt and the king who could see that

Raman had been disruptive only for the

sake of bringing corruption to

attention appointed Raman as his

courtchester he couldn't have been more

wrong about raman's motives but we've

seen some of that in the earlier

episodes 2 and three animal

hater and we'll see this theme continue

in other stories as well as we cover

them in future

episodes that's it for today a few notes

on the

show The namesake place where ran was

from is about a 10 days walk from humpy

the capital of the kingdom of

vagram the godess Kali is another Avatar

of Shakti whom we have previously

encountered as Parvati in episode 6.5

All in the Family and as the character

of the week bramar in episode 14 Of Mice

and

Men she also makes a cameo in the

Mahabharat but more on that when we get

to the

Mahabharat she's often shown with her

tongue sticking out wearing a skirt made

made of human hands and wearing a

necklace of human

heads if that's not gruesome enough for

you she also often carries a human

head the human heads on the necklace

symbolize letters in the Sanskrit

alphabet Khali is often shown standing

with her foot on Shiva the destroyer in

the Holy

Trinity one interpretation of this is

that since Khali as shaki represents

power and energy and Shiva is the God of

destruction he depends on Power and

energy in order to

act without her help he's well

helpless in some eastern states though

Khali stepped on Shiva by

accident and when she realized it she

stuck out her tongue in

embarrassment I've posted some pictures

of kie on the website

if you're interested to see what she

looks

like the character this week is

pundik pundik was a young lad in the

western state of Maharashtra who started

off as a local goon or

Gunda he cared nothing about anyone else

and used to find ways to harass

people his life changed completely when

he met a Rishi or a wise man who taught

him a few

things pundik then decided to be a

better better

person the Rishi advised him that the

best way to do this was to serve his

parents and so pundik

did even The God voba Who was a form of

Vishnu or Krishna heard about pik's

devotion and decided to see for

himself he knocked on the door but

pundik wouldn't

answer because he was busy taking care

of his parents just

then he me nearly threw a brick outside

and asked whoever it was that was

knocking to wait patiently on the

brick and wi did

that later when pundik stepped out and

saw who it was he was surprised far from

being angry at having been made to wait

voba was impressed by pik's Devotion to

his

parents the town that pundik founded is

called pandarpur it has a very famous

temple

dedicated to voba the God who stands

waiting on a

brick I've linked a few pictures of the

punderpur temple and some artwork

related to pundik check them

out that's all for this week if you have

comments or suggestions please leave a

comment or a review on the site sfip

podcast.com or tweet at SFI

podcast you can also find me on

Instagram and on

Facebook be sure to subscribe to the

show to get notified

automatically thanks to my family and

friends and each of you listeners for

all your continued

support the music is from purple

planet.com that's

purple-planet.com

next week we'll learn why we celebrate

the Festival of holy which is just

around the

corner does it have anything to do do

with colors let's find out next week the

character next week is a legend he was a

real historical

figure and was also a

tiger amongst other things he helped

grow the silk industry in

India curious tune in next

[Music]

week