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
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.
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
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
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
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
Srimad Ramayana: The First Poem. Maharshi Valmiki: The First Poet
Srimad Ramayana has been justly hailed as the Adi Kavya (The First Poem) and Maharshi Valmiki as the Adi Kavi (The First Poet). The Rāmāyaṇa, however, paved a hitherto untrodden and unrealised path – the path of artistic charm, where everything worldly is sublimated to the spiritual. This poetic pa
The Essential Ramayana: An Introduction
This is the introductory episode of a series exploring the various nuances of Maharshi Valmiki's immortal epic, Srimad Ramayana. It is part of the Prologue written by scholar and researcher, Sri Arjun Bharadwaj's latest work titled "The Essential Ramayana."
Here’s a Recommended List of Indian Movies Based on Srimad Ramayana
A partial list of some of the best films made in various Indian languages based on Srimad Ramayana.
The Perverse Psyche that Drives Movies like Adipurush
An analysis of the psyche and phenomenon that drives movies like Adipurush.