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Ramayan is a Hindu epic poem in twelve cantos about a prince from King Janaka's court. It is the world's longest poem, comparable in length to the Iliad and the Odyssey.
In April 2011, a five-year-long legal dispute between the American film studio Paramount and the Indian producers Madhu Mantena and Vinod Chopra resulted in the movie adaptation of the poem Ramayana being delayed indefinitely. The Hindi film released in India on 22 April 2014 to positive reviews.
In other media
The Ramayana is a major reference point in Hinduism. In many Hindu temples, the Ramayana is depicted in stone carvings and paintings. It is one of the major epics of Hinduism, and is considered by Hindu philosophers and scholars to be the story of the Absolute, of Reality, Truth, and Unity of all things.
The Ramayana is the backdrop for the popular 1997 film Maya, which won a National Film Award. It is also the theme of popular Indian television shows, including Ekta Kapoor's popular and Indian television series Ramayana.
The Ramayana is a common story in elementary schools in India. It is a popular choice for stories to teach the three lessons of ethics (Dharma), learning (Artha), and contentment (Kama).
Ramayana is a common choice for book clubs in India.
Influence on modern literature
The Ramayana has been an inspiration to a number of modern writers, such as the English novelist and poet A.S. Byatt, who was inspired to write the novel Possession while reading the Mahabharata.
The "Ramayana-inspired" novels of William Dalrymple are another example of this.
It is also the foundation for George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin, where the Red King is the name of Ravana.
See also
Avatara of Vishnu
Hindutva
Indian epic poetry
List of characters in the Ramayana
Mahabharata, another important epic
Ramakrishna and the Ramayana, essay by Swami Nikhilananda
Uttama Shāstra, ancient Indian treatise on warfare
Veda
Vijayanagara Empire
References
Further reading
Category:Buddhism and Hinduism
Category:Buddhist and Hindu poetry
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