Surpanakha literally means one with sharp fingernails or one whose fingernails resemble winnowing fans. Sister of the main antagonist, Ravana, the demon-King of Lanka, she is the youngest child of Sage Vishravas and Kaikesi. When she was born, her mother named her Minakshi and sometimes called her Diksha as well. Her brothers often called herChandranakha (the one with nails like the moon). She was as striking beauty exactly like her mother Kaikesi and her grandmother Ketumati.
When she came of age, she secretly married the Vidyutjihvathe Danav prince against the wishes of her family. Ravana was enraged because the Danavas were arch enemies of the Rakshasas. He wanted to perish the brother-in-law but Mandodri stopped him. Ravan maintained his distance with his brother-in-law and visited him after his victory overRasatala (the Underworld) and discovered that the sole intention of Vidyutjihva marrying his sister was to perish him and so he killed Vidyutjihva. Suparnakha was devastated and to overcome her grief she shifted to Lanka in Southern India.
To be continued