Tataka was a powerful demoness (asura) in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. According to the story, Tataka was originally a beautiful celestial maiden who was cursed by the sage Agastya to become a rakshasi (female demon) due to her misdeeds.
In the Ramayana, Tataka is portrayed as a fierce and evil demoness who terrorizes the forest and attacks anyone who comes near. She is ultimately killed by Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, who was on a mission to protect the sages who lived in the forest from Tataka’s attacks.
Rama, along with his younger brother Lakshmana, were in the forest as part of their fourteen-year exile. They encountered Tataka while they were on their way to the ashram of sage Vishwamitra. Tataka attacked them but was ultimately killed by Rama with his powerful bow and arrow.
Rama’s killing of Tataka was seen as a significant victory in the Ramayana, as it freed the forest from her terror and allowed the sages to live peacefully.