Maricha

Not to be confused with Marichi.

Rama shoot the deer with arrow and it resumed back to its original form as Maricha. Bas-relief of 9th century Prambanan Trimurti temple, Java, Indonesia.

Maricha or Mareecha (Sanskrit: मारीच Mārīcha, Indonesian: Marica, Malay: Martanja, Tamil: Marichan, Thai: มารีจ Mareet) was a rakshasa who played a small but important part in the Indian Ramayana epic. He was thrown into a remote island by the arrow of Lord Rama when he tried to interrupt Sage Vishwamitra's yagna. After that he became very afraid of the very mention of the name Rama. (Rama is described as Maareechaadini paataka Ram in the Nama Ramayana, a Sanskrit verse eulogising Rama )

Later in the epic, Ravana strives to kidnap Sita and so asks for Maricha's help. Maricha turns himself into a golden deer. The golden lustre of the deer lures Sita, causing her to ask Rama to catch the deer for her. While Rama understands that the deer is unnatural, and hence potentially dangerous, Sita insists on having it. Rama asks Lakshmana to take care of Sita while he goes for hunting the deer.

While chasing the deer, Rama concludes from its behaviour that it is indeed unnatural and evil. Therefore he decides to kill it rather than capture it alive for Sita. After a long chase, he shoots it down with an arrow; but in its death, the deer cries out to Sita and Lakshmana for help, mimicking Rama's voice. Sita falls prey to the ruse and asks Lakshmana to go on a search for Rama. When Lakshmana insists that no one can harm Rama, Sita, still very much worried, implores and then orders Lakshmana to go. When Lakshmana reluctantly leaves to look for Rama, Ravana succeeds in kidnapping Sita.

Maricha was the son of Suketu in Valmiki's version. He also had a sister named Tataka. In some versions, he was said to be Tataka's son.

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