Ravana sets fire to Hanuman's tail. With the curse removed, Hanuman recalls all of his powerful heavenly abilities. He is claimed to have shrunk to the size of a mountain and flown to Lanka over the narrow waterway. He sees a city occupied by Lanka's ruler Ravana and his demon minions upon landing and reduces to the size of an ant in order to sneak inside the city. He sees Sita in a forest guarded by demon soldiers after investigating the city. He meets with Sita after they have all fallen asleep and tells how he came to discover her. She says that Ravana abducted her and is attempting to coerce her into marrying him. He offers to rescue her, but Sita declines, explaining that it must be done by her husband (a belief from the time of ancient India). [52] [53]
Hanuman is a popular Hindu deity. He is well-known for rescuing Rama from Ravana and reuniting him with his family in Lanka. Although the figure has been shown as a monkey, there are several accounts about him being a human born in the Himalayas. This epic story was penned in 200 AD by Indian playwright Valmiki and has been translated into other languages around the world. It is believed that this narrative spread across India due to its resemblance to other stories already in existence. In Hindu mythology, Hanuman is the heavenly monkey that assists Rama in his fight with Ravana.
