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1) Clues to character: Our hero didn’t look upon this character as quite being from the upper caste, and unleashed his righteousness by slaying him for attempting to perform penance in violation of dharma. The story goes that this person attained salvation when he was beheaded. So all’s well that ends well.
Answer: Shambuka
Role: Shambuka’s role in the Ramayana seems to be a bit unclear. An ascetic, he deliberately violated dharma by performing penance — he remained with his head hanging downwards in order to acquire the status of a God. In his play Shudra Tapasvi, Kannada poet Kuvempu shows Rama as having to both carry out his duty by punishing Shambuka, and simultaneously protecting Shambuka, as a pious and devout sage, from persecution.
 
2) Clues to character: His birth was nothing short of spectacle. All the planets were in perfect alignment for the birth of this ultimate warrior — whose first cry, it is said, was more fearsome thunder than a newborn’s ‘Whaaa!’ His effort was pivotal in swinging the battle in favour of his commander.

Answer: Indrajit
Role: Ravana’s son from Mandodari, Indrajit was a warrior like no other — the only one to possess the three ultimate weapons of Trimurti. Indrajit unleashed his Vasavi Shakti weapon on Laskhman, which is when Hanuman had to fly overnight to the Himalayas to get sanjivanibooti. Despite his prowess, he didn’t hesitate in pleading with Ravana to return Sita to Rama or be prepared for defeat. But Ravana promptly sent him back to the battlefield, where Indrajit was ultimately beheaded by Lakshman.
 
3) Clues to character: This one has immense legacy! Although he lost his wings when young, his uncle was Garuda — the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. His brother perished in a dramatic, valiant mid-air attempt to save the heroine, whose father-in-law is said to be a good old pal of this character. He did his good deed of the day (rather his life) by giving direction to the search party.

Answer: Sampati
Role: Sampati lost his wings in a race with brother Jatayu in their younger days. They had soared so high in a bid to outdo one another that Jatayu was on the verge of being seared by the sun's rays. Realising this, Sampati spread his wings to protect Jatayu, and when his own wings caught fire, he came falling down on earth. In the Ramayana, Sampati makes a critical appearance when the search party sent for Sita comes to the souther end of land with the open sea ahead. Sampati is pleased that his food has literally come to him. But when Jambavan compares this predator vulture to Jatayu, who gave himself up in service of Lord Rama, Sampati is taken aback. He tells the vanar party that Jatayu was his brother, and points them in the southern direction to Lanka where Ravan has taken Sita.
 
4) Clues to character: Being cursed was a family thing for this demon. Busy ruining the practices of the learned sages in the forest, this character once tried to take on the protagonist but failed — obviously. We don’t know for sure, but he is said to be related to the Lankan king and aided him in the devious abduction of a fair maiden.

Answer: Maricha (also Mareecha)
Role: In his previous life, Maricha was a servant of Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers of Vishnu’s abode, Vaikuntha. His poor conduct made Vishnu curse Maricha to be born as a rakshasa. As a demon, Maricha went about ruining the practices of sages.; Rama defeated Maricha at Vishvamitra’s behest. Maricha sought to take revenge by killing Rama, but failed. He found a way to get back at him by transforming into a golden deer — a ploy that Ravana set up to distract Rama and Laskhman so he could abduct Sita.
 
5) Clues to the characters: One was the architect-in-chief and the other, the commander-in-chief. Together, the duo have been credited for creating a bridge over troubled waters — and in record time at that: 80miles in five days.

Answer: Nala and Nila
Role: Both the vanars were part of Sugriva’s army. Legend states that in their youth, both Nala and Nila were mischievous and would throw idols worshipped by the sages into the water. So the sages decreed that any stone thrown by them in water will not drown but keep drifting, thus saving the murtis. Nala and Nila became architects of the bridge to Lanka; the stones remained together because Hanuman suggested that the name of Rama be written on them to make them stick together.
 
6) Clues to the character: This celestial musician was cursed to live life as a headless body. As if his luck wasn’t bad enough, his hands were severed and he had to die a thankless death, but lo and behold, he bounced back as a celestial musician to help the heroes.

Answer: Kabandha
Role: Kabandha was born Vishvavasu, a celestial musician. He performed penance and upon getting the boon of immortality, became arrogant and attacked Indra. So Indra drove Vishvavasu’s head and thighs into his body, giving him a mouth on his stomach to be able to eat. His curse was lifted when Rama and Lakshman severed his arms and as Kabandha died, Vishvavasu emerged. He told them to befriend exiled vanar chief Sugriva, who would prove to be critical in the Sita search-and-rescue mission.
 
7) Clues to the character: Worshipped as a local goddess in Varanasi and Ujjain, this demoness, a devotee of the protagonist, was employed by a demon to talk sense into the damsel in distress. Instead, she ends up becoming a confidant, a counsellor and a shoulder to cry on.

Answer: Trijata
Role: Trijata was one of the many agents whom King Ravana appointed to keep an eye on Sita and to convince her to marry him. While the other rakshasis harassed Sita, it was Trijata who supported Sita. She also kept her hopes alive on a tour of the battlefield after the first day of war when Ravana spread rumours of Rama’s death. On seeing the number of dead, Sita assumed that Rama was no more and was about to commit suicide when Trijata prevented her from doing so.