Prof. Dr. Satya Vrat Shastri's Thai Ramayana 11. Kaikeyi wants Rama to go on exile.

To take vengeance for the previous injury, the hunch-backed lady, burning in her heart, taking it as the right opportunity went quickly to Kaikeyi and said, 'The son of your co-wife is being coronated the king. Even having come to know of this why are you, confused in thoughts, not thinking of  a remedy? What will be the condition of yourself and that of Bharata? Make haste. It is of no use to dig a well when the house is on fire. O good lady, if your intellect does not work properly, take resort to mine.' 

She then reminds Kaikeyi that on saving her husband from trouble by risking her own life, she had been given two boons. Tells her that it is just the time to redeem her boons. 'If you do not manage this quickly, time will certainly take away their charm. You ask your husband to exile Rama for fourteen years and install Bharata on the throne.'

'So be it.' replied Kaikeyi and went to her husband and said, 'Grant me the two boons which you had promised.'

The two boons, like a stroke of thunderbolt took away the life of the king. Rama along with Sita went into exile to keep the word of the father. Roaming in the forests he spent time with the company of Lakshmana. But sufferings did not leave him. Misfortune comes in where there is a weakness.

That was quick, no drama here. Valmiki Ramayana creates a dramatic picture of a happy family, a celebrating city practically brought down on its knees because of one person. The feelings and reactions of all those affected is graphically described. I am sure as Lava and Kusha sang this portion of the epic there would not be a single dry eye in the audience.

Why did Mantara dislike Rama so much? Valmiki has no explanation! But the tamil Kambhar Ramayana describes an incidence similar to Thai Ramayana. Another view is that as Manthara was from another country, she had no emotional link to Rama and only thought of protecting her lady's interest.

I would have been happy if Manthara was a not a hunchback, I remember that  Manthara being ugly and a hunchback did not go well with us when we read the story as kids. What is it about evil and ugly?