LiteratureBook · -300
The Ramayana
Valmiki
Rama is exiled, Sita is taken by Ravana, and an army of monkeys crosses to Lanka to get her back. The trial by fire at the end has been contested for centuries, and regional retellings differ so sharply that there is no single Ramayana.
Why you should read this
One of the two foundational Sanskrit epics of Indian literature, the Ramayana's story has been retold across Southeast Asia, from Thailand's Ramakien to Java's Kakawin Ramayana. Best read as much for that cultural reach as for the narrative itself.
- Field
- Literature
- Form
- Fiction
- Published
- 300 BCE
- Themes
- Indian EpicLiterature
