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2. ABOUT AUTHOR
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Valmiki was the composer of the first Sanskrit poem
(the Adikavya) known the world over as the epic
Ramayana (Story of Lord Rama), hence he is called the
Adikavi or First Poet - the Poet of Poets of India. He
was born along the banks of the Ganges in ancient India
to a sage by the name of Prachetasa. His birth name
was Ratnakara.

3. BOOK DESCRIPTION
"Ramayana" is an ancient epic that has been
revered and retold for centuries in Hinduism and
Indian culture. It tells the story of Lord Rama, an
incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and his journey through
life.
The story begins with Rama's birth and his
upbringing as a prince, destined to become king.
He is married to Sita, and they live happily until Sita
is kidnapped by the demon king Ravana. Rama
sets out on a quest to rescue Sita, aided by his
loyal brother Lakshmana and the monkey god
Hanuman.
The story of Ramayana is filled with adventure,
battles, and magical feats. It explores the themes of
love, devotion, duty, and righteousness. Rama is
portrayed as an ideal king and a perfect man,
whose life is a model for how to live a virtuous and
meaningful life.
The Ramayana has been adapted and retold in
various forms, including books, plays, TV series,
and movies. It is a timeless epic that continues to
inspire and enlighten people of all ages and
backgrounds. 3

4. PLOT SUMMARY
The ancient epic Ramayana is a
beautiful Sanskrit story of love and
sacrifice, courage and duty and the
triumph of good over evil. Originally
composed by the sage Valmiki around
500BCE to 100BCE, the story is
considered one the greatest literary
works of ancient India and has
subsequently inspired many diverse
regional versions throughout India
and South Asia in the form of poetic 4

5. PLOT SUMMARY
The tale centres around Rama, the eldest son of
Dasarath, King of Ayodhya, and Sita, daughter of
King Janaka of Videha, each of whom are an
incarnation of Vishnu and Lakshmi respectively.
After Rama wins the princess’s hand in marriage, his
stepmother, Kaikeyi – under the coercion of her maid
– conspires to depose him and claim the throne for
her own son, Bharata, Rama’s half brother.
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6. PLOT SUMMARY
A past boon promised by King Dasarath forces him to
carry out his second wife’s wishes by banishing the
newlyweds to the Dandaka forest. Laksmana, Rama’s
youngest brother, who is completely devoted to him,
accompanies the couple. Bharata, appalled and
ashamed by his mother’s treachery, goes into the
forest to beg his brother to return. Rama refuses and
asks that he rule the kingdom in his place until his
fourteen-year period of exile is over. Bharata
reluctantly promises to do so, without accepting the
crown. The years pass peacefully as Rama, Sita and
Laksmana adjust to their simple ascetic life in the
forest, during which time Sita is abducted by Ravana, 6

7. PLOT SUMMARY
A heartbroken Rama enlists the help of Sugriva,
ruler of the Vanaras, a monkey race created by
Lord Brahma to help the prince in his quest to
find his beloved wife. Eventually she is found by
Hanuman, a monkey man bestowed with
godlike powers of strength, size and speed, who
informs Rama of her whereabouts, returning
with a celestial jewel taken from Sita’s hair as
proof. With the help of his army of powerful
monkeys and bears, Rama builds a bridge
across the ocean to attack Lanka. A long and
bloody battle follows between Rama’s allies and
the Rakshasas, leading to Ravana’s eventual
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8. OUR THOUGHTS
Ramayana is an incredibly
moving and spiritual story of
tragic love and epic adventure.
find this very interesting to read,
mainly because of the verbose,
writing style and good pacing.
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