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sitproperly on Sep 15th 2008 at 8:27 am Gaudia Vaisnava, Geeky Things

Ramayana Action Figures and cuteness by Kridana!

If you attended the Philly Ratha-yatra, hopefully you took notice of the pretty amazing action figures and plushies of the Ramayana by the newly founded toy company Kridana.

Their first series of action figures includes Rama and Hanuman – but these aren’t your naani’s Rama and Hanuman!

These are pretty tough looking. Especially Hanuman. He looks like he’s ready to take on Lanka all by himself!

One thing that devotees will notice is that Rama is blue. Most Gaudia-Vaisnavas consider Rama to be green. But after Olivia bluntly asked “why is Rama BLUE?!” the nice fellow who co-runs Kridana explained that his grandmother told him that Rama was blue, also that there are many sects of Hinduism that consider Rama to be blue like Krishna. Really, it’s not a big deal.

Each of the two figures come with a mini-comic book that gives some background on just who they are. This will continue into the next series with Ravana and Laksmana.

Because I was limited on funds, I didn’t pick up the action figures. I should and I bet that I will. However, what caught my eye was the cuteness factor of the plushies.

Daka and I hide from the black abyssThere was Hanuman (who was bought by Olivia) and Jatayu (the bird) and another bird who turned out to be Jatayu’s brother Sampati (I wasn’t familiar with Sampati, only Jatayu). And the fellow who caught my eye: Daka, the Indian Palm Squirrel. I wasn’t familiar with him, either, but that hardly mattered.

Daka, it turns out, helped build the bridge to Lanka. He carried small stones and dirt and basically cemented it all up. Go, Daka, GO! To thank him and so that all humankind would remember Daka’s efforts, Rama petted little Daka on the back, giving him three white stripes on his back.

I bought him and he’s sitting right next to me as I type this.

Also, Jambavana is on his way!

Before stumbling upon Kridana, I hadn’t heard of them before. Sure, they’re new, but you’d think some devotees would have picked up on Ramayana action figures! Maybe I’m an early adopter.

We talked to the two people running the table (and, I believe, the company) and they were great. Wonderful folks.

They told me that after they finish with the Ramayana, they’ll move onto the Mahabharata! That’ll be really fun.

Also they told me about a dance contest for children. It’s also up on their website, here.

Here’s quite a large and glowing write up about the action figures and a bit more about the company.

So check them out and give them a bit of support, ok? They’ve got a good thing about to get going.



Related posts:

  1. Binding – after action report
  2. Philly Ratha-Yatra 2008!
  3. Oh My Krishna!
  4. Gita Nagari for me tomorrow?
  5. And now, back to our show!

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14 Comments

Comment by Prema-Rupa ddNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 11:17:25

they only have two action figures so far though! :( What about a Latchman? Or Ravan? The action figures look great, but I would like to see more of them, so I can buy them as a set.

I was also taught that Lord Ram is blue. I still dont get why he’s green.

The squirrel rocks! I think he’s the one that was carrying the little rocks and Hanuman was criticizing him because he couldnt carry the bigger rocks and then Lord Rama chastised Hanuman and told him that any service that is offered to Him with love He will accept it so it doesnt matter that the squirrel was carrying little rocks because he has so much devotion in his little squirrel heart and thats when Lord Ram petted the squirrel. Yay!

Comment by ericNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 11:22:29

So far. They’re coming out with more, including Ravana. Woo!

I’m not sure why he’s green, either. But whatever. Maybe he’s a blue-green. Ouuu compromise!

I’ve heard that story before, but it was a spider, not a squirrel. I’m MUCH more ok with it being a squirrel. Much more. Spiders are icky.

Yay!

Comment by Prema-Rupa ddNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 12:33:17

Someone told me that it was an ant. But I think my husband told me it was a squirrel and it explains the lines on its back. I like squirrels. Far more than ants or spiders at least.

Comment by ericNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 13:08:17

A bunch of animals helped, so it could even have been a scenario that was repeated. But squirrels.. yes.. much better.

 
 
 
 
Comment by carucandra dasaNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 11:49:21

these figures have been out for almost a year… a friend of mine saw an add for them in the subway in new york and i ordered them right away. they sit on the window sill of my shop for all to see.

Comment by ericNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 11:52:49

Oh cool. I guess it’s just the plushies that are new. It’s a great idea and I hope they do more (of both).

Comment by carucandra dasaNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 12:03:39

yeah, i didnt even know they had the plushies, and i was on their site a couple months ago, to they are as fresh as can be… i cant wait to get the plush hanuman.

 
 
 
Comment by RatiNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 13:13:27

Very cool! I remember years ago I was staying with Krsna-kumari in NY and she was working on a beautiful Hanuman doll to go with a book by a devotee (I forget his name). At first I thought this might be it, but this is very cool as well.
Yeah, I’ve also heard the story with a spider, as well as a squirrel. At one point we had the spider servants club. For those of us who can’t do big things, but just try to keep on with what we can.
I’m so glad you had a great time in Philly!

Comment by ericNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 13:15:01

It really shook my faith when I learned that spiders were auspicious. I mean… what kind of cruel god allows THAT?!

:)

Comment by Prema-Rupa ddNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 21:44:01

wait, wait…what?! Spiders are what? Auspicious? Since when? And WHY?! Thats weird.

If only squirrels were auspicious- I have one that lives in a tree outside of my house and I feed him. His name is Fredrick Squirrel.

Comment by ericNo Gravatar
2008-09-15 22:29:51

I don’t remember where I heard it, but I definitely remember that I *did* hear it. Doesn’t mean it’s true, but .. well… I’ll check on it.

–

Ok, I couldn’t find anything on Vedabase, but I did find this from a Back to Godhead article from 1968. It was written (or more than likely, spoken) by Srila Prabhupada:

When Lord Ramacandra was constructing a bridge over the Indian Ocean to approach the kingdom of Ravana, Hanuman and the other big monkeys were bringing big stones, and a spider also concluded, “Why not serve Ramacandra?” They were trying to construct a bridge, and the spider thought, “What can I do?” So he started rubbing his legs in the dust and throwing bits of dust into the ocean. Hanuman said, “What nonsense are you doing?” The spider replied, “I am doing some service.” And Ramacandra said, “He is doing as good as you are. You are throwing big stones, but he has no power to bring big stones. He is doing whatever he has the power to do, so he is doing as well as you.” This shows that God does not require any service from us. He is complete, but He wants to see our existence engaged in giving pleasure to the Supreme.

–

I’m pretty sure the “spiders are auspicious” thing came from this. And I’m nearly 100% sure that I heard it at New Vrndavana. Everything from NV is bonafide.

Incidentally, the squirrel story isn’t in Vedabase. However, Sridhara Swami (from ISKCON) says in a vyasa-puja offering from 1991 that Prabhupada told him about the squirrel who helped Lord Rama.

Believe it… Or not…

 
 
 
 
Comment by Akunthita dasiNo Gravatar
2008-09-16 11:24:09

Hari Hari,

Yes these have been out for awhile they are now even being sold at the gift shop at Radha Govinda Mandir. My husband bought them over a year ago and we’ve been anxiously awaiting the Ravana, Sita and Laksman. Incidentally my husband spoke with the people at the booth and they said they should be coming out in January or February of 2009. The plushies are new and are still unavailable on the website. They still say coming soon. But this was my husband’s desire because he was big on action figures as a child and we have three boys. Suffice it to say, he’s all over it!

 
Comment by RatiNo Gravatar
2008-09-16 19:12:23

Hey Eric, you know that if “somebody prabhu” said it, particularly in class, it must be true…kind of like the cow thing. Heehee

 
Comment by AM I A HINDU?No Gravatar
2008-09-25 07:55:30

I am impressed with what “Kridana” is doing, especially their project of the very first dance and writing contest based on Ramayana for kids of all ages.

 

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