Thataka

Thataka was a beautiful Yaksha princess who turned into demoness in the epic Ramayana. Thataka was the daughter and only child of the Yaksha king Suketu. Thataka had a romance with Asura king Sumali. She had two sons with Sumali, Subahu and Mareecha and a daughter Kaikesi. Thataka and Sumali decided to marry their daughter to the sage Vishrava so that she could have the progeny that would be omnipotent and ruler of the three worlds. They organized a meeting between Kaikesi and Vishrava , in a way that it seemed to be a `chance encounter` and the Rishi, who was already married could fell in love with Kaikesi. Kaikesi and Vishrava had three sons namely Ravana, Vibhishana and Kumbhakarna and a daughter named Soorpanakha.

Rishi Agastya cursed both Suketu and Sumali to death. Thataka took the curse on herself through her son Subahu to take revenge on the sage. As a result sage Agastya was enraged and cursed Thataka that she will lose her beautiful physique and both Thataka and her son Subahu would be transformed to horrific demonic creatures with cruel, cannibalistic nature.

Tathaka and Subahu became revengeful on sages and they attempted to harass as many rishis as they could by destroying their Yagnas (sacrifice) with rains of flesh and blood. Brahmarishi Vishwamitra was especially the goal of Thataka. Vishwamitra could bear no more Thataka`s harassment. He finally approached King Dasaratha and sought his help.The King send two of his four sons, sixteen years old Rama and Lakshman to the forest to protect both sage Vishwamitra and his Yajna.

When Thataka and Subahu attempted again to destroy the Yajna of Vishwamitra, rama first warned them not to do so. They did not listened to him and laughed at Rama by calling him a `mere boy`. Rama then killed both the mother and son. This act helped Thataka to gain the blessings of Vishwamitra and all other assembled sages.