Hanuman Burns Lanka

After finding Sita in the Ashoka Vatika and offering her Lord Rama’s ring, Hanuman allowed himself to be captured by Ravana’s son, Indrajit, to gain an audience with the demon king. In the magnificent court of Lanka, Hanuman demanded Sita’s release, warning Ravana of Rama’s inevitable victory. Enraged by the monkey’s insolence, Ravana ordered his execution, but his brother Vibhishana intervened, noting that messengers should not be killed. Instead, Ravana ordered that Hanuman’s tail—a monkey’s pride—be wrapped in oil-soaked cloths and set ablaze. As the fire roared, Hanuman used his divine powers to shrink, slipping out of his bonds, and then grew to a massive size. He leaped from rooftop to rooftop across the golden city, his flaming tail acting as a torch. The dry thatch and opulent palaces of Lanka were soon engulfed in an uncontrollable inferno. Only the Ashoka Vatika, where Sita was held, remained untouched. Having demonstrated Rama's terrifying power and leaving the golden city in ruins, Hanuman extinguished his tail in the sea and returned to Rama with news of Sita's whereabouts.