Hampi Blog Articles

The Brothers

Vali was a Vanara (Monkey) who ruled over the kingdom of Kishkindha. Vali (also spelt as Bali after whom the popular Indonesian tourist island gets its name) was an incarnation of Indra – King of Gods. He was mighty powerful and never shied away from taking on any adversary in a one-to-one battle or a full-scale war. He looked after the wellbeing of Kishkindha and his subjects.

His younger brother Sugriva was an incarnation of Sun God Surya. He was blessed with equal strength as Vali and the intellect that made the crown prince Sugriva strategic and diplomatic in nature. In the Epic Ramayana, the battle between these two Vanara brothers Vali and Sugriva stands as a significant event that changed the course of story and paved way forward.

The Boon

Vali was a Vanara of immense strength. He also had a boon that he would gain half of his opponents’ strength whomever he got into a duel with. This was working to his advantage, and he was headstrong for the same reason, never hesitated or shied away from a battle or a war. However, he was not the one who would go on waging wars against other kingdoms just because of this boon, he was balanced and used it to protect his kingdom and his subjects from demons and other ills.

This boon was also the reason why he was able to defeat the powerful king Ravana who in a fit of arrogance and quest to be labelled as the most powerful fighter had come to Kishkindha and challenged Vali into a duel. Vali had beaten the pulp out of Ravana, tied Ravana with his tail and taken him prisoner. Ravana realized his folly, apologized to Vali and sought his forgiveness and friendship. Vali had forgiven Ravana and accepted his friendship before sending him back to Lanka. This episode takes a full circle when Vali’s son Angada visits Lanka as a peace diplomat and suggests that Ravana return Sita and surrender to Lord Rama.

The Bitterness

The conflict between Vali and Sugriva originated from a misunderstanding. Once, a demon named Mayavi cried at Vali for a duel. Vali valiantly pursued the shape-shifting demon into a deep cave. Before entering, Vali instructed Sugriva to guard the entrance and not let the demon escape, promising to return shortly.

Time passed, days became weeks, weeks became months but there was no sign of Vali’s return while Sugriva stood guard at the mouth of the cave. Almost a year passed and with a lot of agonizing cries, blood started to flow out of the cave. Suspecting the worst that blood belonged to Vali, and he succumbed in the battle, Sugriva moved a large boulder and covered the mouth of the cave. He returned to Kishkindha and ascended the throne as the new king.

The Battle

Meanwhile, in the cave, Vali had in fact slain the demon and emerged victorious in the duel. Upon realizing that his brother had assumed his defeat and death, Vali is filled with rage. This rage is fueled further when Vali returns to Kishkindha and finds Sugriva on the throne. Vali challenges Sugriva’s authority over the kingdom. Sugriva on the other hand is delighted to see his brother alive and offers to step down and have Vali’s rule reinstated. Vali however challenges Sugriva to a battle and Sugriva knowing very well that he stood no chance against Vali’s strength and combat prowess escapes to Rishyamukha mountain knowing very well about a curse Vali had from Sage Matanga that he would perish if he ever stepped foot on the mountain.

Sugriva continues to live on Rishyamukha mountain accompanied by his friends and well-wishers – Hanuman, Jambavantha and several others. In due course of time, Hanuman encounters Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana who come to the edge of Kishkindha in search of Sita Devi. There, they exchange pleasantries and Hanuman takes both Rama and Lakshmana to meet Sugriva. Upon learning about Rama’s quest to find Sita, Sugriva agrees to extend his help and put Kishkindha’s entire army at Rama’s service if only Rama can help resolve the matter between Vali & Sugriva and get justice to Sugriva.

Lord Rama promises to help Sugriva. Knowing the might of his brother Vali, Sugriva doubts Rama’s capabilities. So, to prove himself, Rama shoots an arrow and feels an array of trees in a single shot. Sugriva also informs Rama about Vali’s boon. Convinced that Rama should not engage directly with Vali, a plan is hatched where Sugriva would call out Vali for a duel, when the battle ensues, Rama from a hiding spot would shoot an arrow and kill Vali.

Emboldened with this plan, Sugriva calls Vali for a duel. When their battle starts, only then Rama realizes that he can’t distinguish between the two warring monkeys which among them is Vali and which one Sugriva. The fight ends with Vali beating the pulp out of Sugriva and Sugriva escaping while he still can.

When Sugriva confronts Lord Rama later, Rama explains the predicament he was in during the fight. He encourages Sugriva to challenge Vali once again and this time, Rama places a garland around Sugriva’s neck to be able to differentiate him from Vali. Sugriva invites Vali for another fight to settle the matter once and for all. Vali’s wife Tara realizing that Sugriva had come back for a fight even before he could recover from previous beating senses danger to Vali and warns him. She still insists that the two brothers put aside their differences and make up but Vali is not in a position to list. He follows Sugriva and engages in the fight.

Rama this time is clearly able to differentiate between Vali & Sugriva. With one arrow, Rama fells Vali and the fight comes to an end. This episode is part of the Kishkindha Kanda in Ramayana and much of the Vanara empire, their ancestry, their valor is covered in detail.

Depicted above in the picture is a stone pillar with carving of two fighting monkeys. Upon detailed observation, both monkeys are found to be similar looking, wearing crown, armlets, earrings, and other paraphernalia. This pillar can be found in Hazara Rama Temple, Hampi where hundreds if not thousands of such tales from different episodes of Ramayana.