Ramayana
Busting the Spurious Narrative of 300 Ramayanas
A.K. Ramanujan's infamous essay "300 Ramayanas," was a deliberate fabrication to rob Maharshi Valmiki's authorship of the Sanskrit original
Ramayana
Popular Episodes not Found in Maharshi Valmiki's Ramayana
Some of the most popular episodes associated with the Ramayana do not actually appear in Maharshi Valmiki's original Ramayana at all
Ramayana
Sita-Parityaga – A Profound Analysis
Arjun Bharadwaj provides a rather profound and objective analysis of the much-debated episode of Sita Devi's abandonment by Sri Rama
Prayagraj
The Kumbha-mela – Savouring Immortality
Exploring the philosophical and cultural dimensions of the Kumbha Mela
Valmiki
The Controversial Episodes in the Ramayana Demystified
Several famous and popular episodes and stories in the Ramayana are actually interpolations added to the epic over time. This essay unravels some major such episodes using evidence-backed scholarship.
Maharshi Valmiki
Decoding the Many Versions of the Ramayana
Much confusion, debates and distortions have occurred owing to the hundreds of versions and retellings of the Ramayana that have appeared in all Indian (and foreign) languages. This episode begins a detailed decoding of several of these versions and attempts to arrive at the most accurate and origin
Maharshi Valmiki
The Aesthetic Elements of the Ramayana
Adikavi, Maharshi Valmiki provided the first great model for composing poetry imbued with all the nine Rasas. He authored the Ramayana at a time when the formal academic discipline of aesthetics was nonexistent. This essay brings out a beautiful exposition of the aesthetic and artistic elements of t
300 Ramayanas
Picture of the Profound Sanatana Value System in the Ramayana
Following refined etiquette is a great hallmark of the Rāmāyaṇa. At almost every step, the epic provides us detailed, moving and brilliant pictures of the profound beliefs and value systems= by which the Sanatana society in the Ramayana era abided.
Ramayana
The Cultural Aspects of the Rāmāyaṇa
The Ramayana captures every aspect of Sanātana-dharma that is in practice today. In fact, the word ‘Sanātana-dharma’ itself occurs quite a few times in the epic. The Ramayana is also a wonderfully artistic exposition of the Purusharthas that formed the bedrock of the Hindu society since time immemor
Maharshi Valmiki
Sri Rama: The True National Integrator
As long as our emotions remain relevant to us, the Rāmāyaṇa will remain in currency. Sri Rama was truly the national integrator. He belonged to the Sūrya-vaṃśa and just as the world cannot exist without the Sun, it cannot exist without Rāma and the Rama-Tattva.
Maharshi Valmiki
What does the Ramayaṇa stand for?
The journey of Rāma is the story of Sītā; the epic captures their extraordinary life as an ideal couple. Rāvaṇa’s interference disrupts their life, their journey and their story. Maharshi Valmiki points out in a splendid manner how the wicked deeds of an individual can have cascading effects on innu
Maharshi Valmiki
How to Understand the Wholesome Essence of the Ramayana
Srimad Ramayana is an immortal work of poetry imbued with great artistry. It is not a treatise on history, geography, anthropology, flora and fauna although these elements occur profusely in the epic. Neither the Rāmāyaṇa nor the Mahābhārata has claimed itself to be a treatise on biology, geography