Project Management in Ramayana

8/11/2019 Project Management in Ramayana

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Project Management Body of Knowledge

In

Valmiki Ramayana

By

S.Ganapathy Suramanian! PMP"o#an$y$ India P#t %td

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Introduction&

When I was preparing for PMP exam, I read the PMBok a few times. At that time, I was alsoreading the Valmiki Ramaana. I !ame a!ross man s!enes in Ramaana stor that made methink that pro"e!t management pra!ti!es were in #og$e e#en in an!ient India.

%i#en the PMBok definition of &Bod of knowledge' (Bod of knowledge in!l$des knowledge ofpro#en, traditional pra!ti!es, whi!h are widel applied, as well as knowledge of inno#ati#e andad#an!ed pra!ti!es) I tried to map some s!enes from Valmiki Ramaana to a few ke pro!essesel$!idated in PMBo*.

+his paper is an effort to share some s$!h profo$nd insights, with other Pro"e!t ManagementProfessionals who re!ognie the #al$e of traditional wisdom.

+he pro!esses I !hose from PMBok for this exer!ise are-

1. !hed$le !ontrol from +ime Management

2./ost estimating from /ost Management

3. Perform 0$alit ass$ran!e from 0$alit Management

4. Manage Pro"e!t team from R Management

5. Manage stakeholders from /omm$ni!ation Management

6. Risk Response planning from Risk Management

7. /ontra!t administration from /ontra!t Management

8. !ope definition from !ope Management

9. /lose pro"e!t from Integration Management

afe aror-

a. I am referring to the third edition of PMBok, the latest edition that was released in 2334

. It is ass$med that most readers will know the Ramaana stor to a de!ent le#el of detail!. M moti#e is onl to exemplif some PMBok pro!esses $sing a well known stor and notanthing religio$s or e#angelisti!.

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'. (ime Management

PMBo* definition of Schedule control -

/ontrolling !hanges to the pro"e!t s!hed$le.

+he s!ene from Ramaana-

After Rama killed Vali, he makes $gri#a the king of *ishkinda and tells him to rest and relaxfor the next two months of rain season and after that help him in finding ita. $gri#a getsintoxi!ated with al!oholi! drinks and pleas$res of flesh that he forgets his promise to Rama.After stern reminder an$man, $gri#a sends messengers with orders to assemle themonke arm in *ishkinda.

Meanwhile Rama sends his rother 5akshmana to warn $gri#a with a !lear message that thedoors thro$gh whi!h Vali was sent to netherworld are not et !losed. earing this, $gri#a!omes to Rama and apologies for the dela. B then the monke arm arri#es and $gri#a wassa#ed from Rama6s wrath. e di#ides the arm into fo$r s7$ads and orders them to go in sear!h

of ita in all fo$r dire!tions of 8arth setting a deadline of one month.

+he s7$ad that goes in the so$thern dire!tion !omes a!k onl after fo$r months $t rings thereport on whereao$ts of ita. an$man rings the message from ita that she will not ear toli#e more than a month in the si!kening sit$ation she is in. +he #er same da Rama mar!hes to5anka with the monke arm.

ow the s!ene maps to the pro!ess-

Rama !hanges the s!hed$le aseline three times in this pro"e!t of res!$ing ita.

9irst time he postpones the a!ti#it &end s7$ads in sear!h of ita' two months knowingthat not m$!h !an e a!hie#ed in rain season. It will sap the energ of the monke arm to!arr the sear!h in rain and it ma kill their moti#ation to fight Ra#ana6s arm later.

When $gri#a delas the sear!h d$e to negligen!e and distra!tion, Rama reprimands themonke king, $t still forgi#es him e!a$se he has marshaled the arm. +he aseline is nowmo#ed to middle of fall season.

+he monkes ret$rned onl in spring season, $t sin!e the had #alid reasons for the dela andalso the were s$!!essf$l in their mission, Rama admitted the dela.

B$t he mar!hes towards 5anka and res!$es ita within the one month deadline that she set forher res!$e. +h$s he shows that !hanges to s!hed$le sho$ld e managed with appropriate!ontrol on the dependen!ies.

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+. ,uality Management

PMBo* definition of Perform ,uality -$$urance-

Appling the planned sstemati! 7$alit a!ti#ities to ens$re that the pro"e!t emplos allpro!esses needed to meet re7$irements


In $ndarakandam, there is a fine des!ription of P$shpaka Vimana, an aerial !ar that is inpossession with Ra#ana. After des!riing how spa!io$s and neatl de!orated the #imana is andhow it !an fl from one pla!e to another on #oi!e !ommands and how smoothl it lands et!.Valmiki sas, &It was $ild Vishwakarma, the di#ine ar!hite!t, exa!tl as !on!ei#ed in themind of Brahma.' Again he sas, &+here was no part of the !ar that was not $ilt with greateffort, no part that was not signifi!ant, and no part that was not from the est material.=literal translation of the sloka>' impl p$t it means, &8a!h and e#er part of the aerial !arwas !onsidered signifi!ant and $ilt with the est material a#ailale and with all re7$iredeffort to make it perfe!t.'

Brahma gi#es it as a gift to *$era. Ra#ana engages *$era in a war and takes possession of thep$shpaka #imana. After Ra#ana was killed Rama ret$rns the #imana to *$era.


What !apt$red m attention is the senten!e &&It was $ild Vishwakarma, the di#inear!hite!t, exa!tl as !on!ei#ed in the mind of Brahma.' +his is the definition of 7$alit. If it!an e ass$red that the design and !onstr$!tion pro!esses emploed is s$!h that the prod$!tt$rns o$t exa!tl as !on!ei#ed the !$stomer in his mind, what more !an the !$stomer askfor?

Again, this senten!e, &ea!h and e#er part of the aerial !ar was !onsidered signifi!ant and$ilt with the est material a#ailale and with all re7$ired effort to make it perfe!t' so$ndslike the earliest definition of +otal 0$alit Management.

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. /uman Re$ource$ Management

PMBo* definition of Manage Project team-

+ra!king team memer performan!e, pro#iding feeda!k, resol#ing iss$es, and !oordinating!hanges to enhan!e pro"e!t performan!e


After killing Ra#ana and making Vihishana the king of 5anka, Rama sends for ita. When itaarri#es, he tells her !r$ell that he defeated Ra#ana onl to $phold the honor of the famil andhe is not interested in her as she has staed too long awa from him. e tells her that she !anfreel !hoose to li#e with anone else like 5akshmana, Bharatha or $gri#a. +hese wordsgra#el h$rt ita. he enters fire #o$!hing that she shall e prote!ted if she is tr$l !haste inher heart. 9ire %od rings her a!k ali#e and gi#es her to Rama. Rama a!!epts herwholeheartedl. +he whole world finds what Rama alread knew that ita was pristine p$re.


+his s!ene is $s$all mis$nderstood. B$t this s!ene sho$ld e seen in !on"$n!tion with anearlier s!ene. When Rama goes ehind a deer that ita desired, e orders 5akshmana to staa!k and safeg$ard ita. ita was disill$sioned to elie#e that Rama was in danger Ra#ana6ssting operation. he tells 5akshmana to go after Rama. 5akshmana replies that Rama will ne#erneed his prote!tion whereas she does. B$t s$ddenl ita gets into a fit of anger and a!!$ses5akshmana that he has !ome to the forest not to help them $t l$sting after her and that iswh he is letting Rama die awa. he sas, &Ma e Bharatha sent o$ to kill Rama and getme.' 9or a !hara!ter as spotless as 5akshmana, these were like arrows of fire into his ears thathe lea#es. oon Ra#ana !omes there and ad$!ts ita.

When 5akshmana rea!hes Rama, Rama !hides him for lea#ing ita alone. 5akshmana explainshis a!tion. Rama sas, &till it is a mistake that o$ disoeed m order. It is going to lead togreat grief.'

9or Rama his team in!l$des oth ita and 5akshmana. e ga#e 5akshmana feeda!k on thesame da. Rama wanted to show ita how it feels if one6s !hara!ter is assassinated when one isinno!ent at heart. o he !reated the s!ene, where he disowns ita and then a!!epts her again.+h$s he ga#e feeda!k to ita the #er next time he met her after she was lost.

In another !ase, when Rama wanted to a!!ept Vihishana, Ra#ana6s rother who seeks hisshelter, into the team, he does not do it $nilaterall. e takes the opinion of all the monkeheroes. Among them, onl an$man s$pports the idea of taking Vihishana into the !amp whilefi#e others oppose it. B$t Rama !on#in!es them that he !an prote!t himself and the monkearm from an danger and gi#es shelter to Vihishana.

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0. "ommunication Management

PMBo* definition of Manage Stakeholder$-

Managing !omm$ni!ations to satisf the re7$irements of and resol#e iss$es with pro"e!tstakeholders

.


When $gri#a saw Rama and 5akshmana !oming towards his hiding pla!e, he e!ame "itter. esent an$man to find o$t who the are. an$man talks pleasantl to the rothers and finds o$twho the are and wh the are wandering in the forest. e makes a "$dgment !all that thewill help $gri#a and $gri#a !an ret$rn the fa#or. e takes them to $gri#a and forgesfriendship etween Rama and $gri#a.

an$man goes with the s7$ad that tra#els in the so$thern dire!tion, !rosses the o!ean andfinds ita in the pala!e garden of Ra#ana. Ra#ana and the rakshasis threaten her life. he wasao$t to !ommit s$i!ide. an$man tells the stor of Rama and gains her attention. e knows

that this is ita. B$t he still asks her who she is and wh she is !ring and listens patientl toher lament and th$s wins her tr$st. e !onsoles her with words, &;on6t !r.' e gi#es her thesignet ring of Rama and repeatedl ass$res her that Rama will soon !ome and res!$e her.

e meets Ra#ana and warns him in the name of Rama and $gri#a. B$t seeing that Ra#ana istoo arrogant and realiing that terror !an e answered onl with terror, he !a$ses signifi!antdamage to the rakshasa arm and $rns down 5anka !it to p$t fear in the heart of Ra#ana. n ret$rn from 5anka he narrates to his monke friends all the e#ents that transpired andmoti#ates them to fight for Rama to res!$e ita.

an$man !omes a!k to Rama and !on#es the !risis sit$ation ita is in. e instigates Rama tomar!h to 5anka right awa. e also des!ries the defense g$ard and se!$rit sit$ation in 5ankato help Rama strategie his offen!e.

After Ra#ana was defeated, Rama asks an$man to !on#e the good news to ita. imilarlwhen approa!hing Aodha in P$shpaka Vimana, Rama stops at a sage6s hermitage. e sendsan$man ahead of him to Aodha to tell Bharatha that he will arri#e the next da.


an$man is rememered for his prowess to mo#e mo$ntains and !ross o!eans. B$t moresignifi!ant is his !omm$ni!ation skills thro$gh whi!h he !onne!ted all the stakeholders in thispro"e!t and mo#ed the e#ents forward. ignifi!ant point to note is that he not onl talkspleasantl and !oherentl $t listens attenti#el and wins other person6s tr$st.

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1. Ri$k Management

PMBo* definition of Ri$k re$pon$e planning-

;e#eloping options and a!tions to enhan!e opport$nities, and to red$!e threats to pro"e!to"e!ti#es


$gri#a segregates his arm into fo$r s7$ads and sends them in fo$r dire!tion of the 8arth insear!h of ita. B$t he sends three fo$rth of his arm in the so$thern dire!tion knowing that iswhere Ra#ana6s !o$ntr is. eeing that $gri#a has great tr$st in an$man to find ita, Ramagi#es his signet ring to an$man to gi#e it to ita, if he meets her.

an$man !rosses the o!ean and lands in 5anka. e takes the sie of a !at, enters lanka afterd$sk and sear!hes for ita. e finds her in Ashoka#ana, the garden pala!e of Ra#ana. +ho$gh hegets agitated Ra#ana6s arri#al and "eering !omments and threats to ita, he does not a!t. ewaits for the Rakshasis to go to sleep. B then ita gets into a desperate mood and prepares to

!ommit s$i!ide. an$man does not "$mp in front of her $t narrates the stor of Rama fromthe treetop so that she onl !an hear. +his diss$ades ita from her s$i!ide attempt and shelooks at an$man. an$man talks to her and also makes her talk. ita still s$spe!ts that it isRa#ana in a different disg$ise. an$man narrates all that happened after she was lost andpraises Rama and explains how Rama is longing to get her a!k. After gaining her tr$st thro$ghlong !on#ersations he shows Rama6s signet ring and gains her f$ll !onfiden!e. e then offers to!arr her on his a!k to Rama. When ita ref$ses o$t of anxiet, an$man a!!epts her de!ision.After !onsoling ita, he !a$ses signifi!ant damage to the rakshasa arm and $rns down 5ankato p$t fear in the heart of Ra#ana. B$t he e!omes worried ao$t the safet of ita from thefire. e meets her again and ens$res that she is safe efore ret$rning to Rama.


+he first s!ene shows how Rama and $gri#a are exploiting an opport$nit =positi#e risk>.

+he se!ond s!ene =an$man in enem6s territor> shows how he takes man risks along withsteps to mitigate the impa!t, as he knows that the impa!t of his getting killed will eirre#ersile, as he is onl soldier who has penetrated Ra#ana6s island fort, $t at the same timehe has to a!hie#e man goals.

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2. "ontract Management

PMBo* definition of "ontract admini$tration-

Managing the !ontra!t and relationship etween the $er and the seller, re#iewing anddo!$menting how the seller is performing to estalish re7$ired !orre!ti#e a!tions and pro#ide a

asis for f$t$re relationship with the seller


When <anaka gi#es ita in marriage to Rama he sas, &+his is m elo#ed da$ghter ita. oldher hands and take her as o$r wife and prote!t her. +his !haste and fort$nate girl will s$pporto$ in all o$r dharma and will follow o$ like a shadow where#er o$ go.' Both ita and Ramaea$tif$ll honor this !ontra!t of marriage.


When Rama goes to forest, he ad#ises ita to sta a!k in Aodha with his parents !iting thedangers in forest life. B$t ita thro$gh m$!h pers$asion gets Rama6s permission to go with him.

In spite of eing a prin!ess from irth, she happil li#es the fr$gal life of forest dwellers andkeeps good !ompan for Rama.

In t$rn, Rama $ndertakes enormo$s efforts to res!$e her when she was lost. e efriends$gri#a, kills Vali, a powerf$l monke king, finds o$t where ita is hidden with the help ofan$man, $ilds a ridge on the o!ean, wages a war on the might Ra#ana to kill him andres!$e ita.

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3. Scope Management

PMBo* definition of Scope definition -

;e#eloping a detailed pro"e!t s!ope statement as a asis for f$t$re pro"e!t de!isions


In the !osmi! stage show, sometimes an antihero grows into a powerf$l for!e, so powerf$l thathe e#en o#erthrows deities or de#as, who stand for all that is moral and right. ne s$!hantihero was Ra#ana and de#as pra to 5ord Vishn$ to help them. Vishn$ promises themprote!tion and de!lares, &Be relie#ed of o$r fearF Go$ will e safe $nder m shelterF I willdes!end on 8arth as sons of *ing ;asaratha and get rid of Ra#ana and his r$tal gang that ha#ee!ome a terror to deities and sages. I will r$le the earth for ele#en tho$sand ears andestalish the path of ;harma.' +he deities prod$!e offspring of their e7$i#alent #alor on 8arthto help Vishn$ in this pro"e!t.


9or the pro"e!t of getting rid of Ra#ana, in order to prote!t sages and deities, Vishn$ dis!losesthe &s!ope statement' of the pro"e!t as ao#e. It is !risp and !omplete. A!!ordingl, Vishn$des!ends on 8arth as Rama. $gri#a, the son of $n %od, knows all the nooks and !orners of theworld =like s$n who oser#es e#erthing on 8arth> and is ale to instr$!t his arm where to lookfor ita. an$man, the son of Wind %od is ale to fl =like wind> and !ross the o!ean. Hala, theson of Vishwakarma, the di#ine ar!hite!t is ale to $ild a ridge on the o!ean. $shena, theson of Water %od plas the role of the militar do!tor =imiing water6s !$rati#e power> of themonke arm. <ama#an, who was orn of Brahma, plas the role of a g$ide and mentor to themonke arm =Brahma who !hants all fo$r #edas from his fo$r fa!es, plas that role for de#as>.

In the !o$rse of time, ;asaratha plans to !oronate his elo#ed son Rama the next king. *aikei,who lo#es Rama more that her own son Bharatha, in a sp$r of the moment is frenied with"ealo$s and persists on ;asaratha to order Rama to exile for fo$rteen ears. ;asaratha iso$nd promises he made to *aikei long ago. e tells Rama ao$t his predi!ament, $tprompts Rama to p$t him in "ail and take the kingdom. B$t Rama de!ides to go to forest in linewith an estalished dharma !alled &oedien!e to father6s words'. It led to e#ents that!$lminated in f$lfilling the pro"e!t s!ope statement.

+he exe!$tion of Vali Rama is often deated. Vali was also orn on 8arth, as a son of Indra,with extraordinar strength, to help Rama in this pro"e!t. B$t he e!omes a !lose friend ofRa#ana. Be!a$se of the ad !ompan his mind is s$llied and he ad$!ts $gri#a6s wife at anopport$ne moment. o Rama p$nishes him for the sin of ad$!ting his rother6s wife, whosho$ld e treated like a da$ghter, with death, th$s estalishing dharma. Vali was a monke andso h$nting him down from a hiding pla!e was allowed. Rama took that ro$te e!a$se Vali had aoon from Indra that anod that !omes in front of him will loose their powers to Vali. Ramaalso s$!!eeded in killing Ra#ana getting Vali o$t of the wa.

9rom the moment Vishn$ des!ends into the world as Rama, he a!ts as a h$man eing witho$tan s$preme power or e#en the knowledge of his s$prema!. B$t all his de!isions ased ondharma and the f$t$re t$rn of e#ents f$lfills the &s!ope statement' to the dot. It is to showthat if a man tra#erses the path of righteo$sness, he will f$lfill his mission on earth as exa!tldefined in di#ine plans.

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4. Integration Management

PMBo* definition of "lo$e Project -

9inaliing all a!ti#ities a!ross all of the pro"e!t management pro!ess gro$ps to formall !losethe pro"e!t or a pro"e!t phase


After Ra#ana was killed Rama asks Vihishana, Ra#ana6s rother to perform the final rites forRa#ana. Rama then !ommands 5akshmana to !oronate Vihishana as the king of 5anka with thehelp of $gri#a and others, as Rama himself wo$ld not enter an !it or town for 14 ears. eorders Vihishana to reward the monke arm with gold and gemstones for their #alordisplaed in warfare. e sends a!k the Mathali, the !harioteer of Indra who !ame for help inhis !omat with Ra#ana, after paing d$e respe!ts. e ids farewell to Vihishana and $gri#a.When the express their wish to !ome to Aodha to witness Rama6s !oronation Rama agrees.e ret$rns to Aodha in the p$shpaka #iman, an aerial !ar with his friends. +he moment helands he sends p$shpaka #iman a!k to *$era to whom it originall elonged efore Ra#anagraed it from him.

After all this done, Rama was !oronated as the king of Aodha with ita on his side.


Rama was in a h$rr to ret$rn to Aodha to meet Bharatha and his mothers. B$t he ro$ghtthe pro"e!t =Refer to s!ope management to know more ao$t the pro"e!t> to a formal !los$re performing all the !los$re a!ti#ities of the pro"e!t.

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Project Management in Ramayana

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