Rama in Indian Literature, Art and Thought (In 2 Volumes)

The present book in two volumes by Dr. P. Banerjee is a monumental work on the Rama theme. The life of Rama, his great courage and qualities and his ideal rule based on truth and justice have exercised a profound influence not only on the life and thought of the Indian people but also of many neighbouring countries. The author discussed with admirable competence in Chapter I of this book the origin and growth of the Rama legend, its endless variations and ramifications, the nature, extent and poetic excellence of the Ramayana of Valmiki who is looked upon in India as the Adi or Prathama Kavi (the first poet) and its deep and abiding impact on the cultural history of India. The Ramakatha is a story of the men and women of superior value and being a noble theme became the common property of all the Indian people. Its overwhelming popularity is reflected not only in classical literature and various dramatic performances and puppet shows but also in plastic and pictorial art. The popularity of the Ramakatha in various countries outside India including Central Asia, Tibet, China, Laos, Kampuchia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malayasia, the Philippines, Burma and many other places is also a fascinating stury. In Chapter 2 of the book the author narrates the Rama story based on Valmiki’s Ramayana in simple and elegant language. The vernacular literature played an important role in popularizing the Rama story among the masses. Each region of India produced during the medieval and later times some very great Ramayana works inj local languages of which the Assamese Ramayana by Madhava Kandali, the Ramayana of Krittivasa in Bengali, the Ramacharitamansa of Tulasidasa in Hindi, the Tamil Ramayana by Kamban and Gonabuddha’s Ranaganatha Ramayana in Telugu acquired a grat fame. The Ramayana tradition in different regions of India has been described in great detail in Chapter 3 of the book. This survey is based on a comprehensive study of the relevant literary, art and inscriptional sources. The Buddha, Jaina and Persian Ramakathas have been described in brief in Appendix. The present volumes with their learned text and profuse illustrations (about three hundred in number) and exhaustive bibliography are a contribution of great merit.