The Ramayan, one of the most celebrated epics of the world, recounts the story of Rama, son of the King of Ayodhya, and heir to the throne, who is banished from his home through the intrigues of his stepmother. Prince Rama, with his brother and his devoted wife Sita, spends fourteen years in exile. One day Sita disappears, abducted by a wicked demon named Ravana. Rama is despondent. After fruitless searching to find her whereabouts, he turns to a tribe of monkeys for help. A brave leader named Hanuman finds her at last in the distant fortified city of Lanka where the wicked demon has taken her prisoner. With the help of an army of monkeys, Rama rescues her and eventually reinherits his rightful kingdom. The epic is a rich tapestry of heroic adventure, reflecting the virtues of the ideal man and woman closest to the hearts of the Indian people, for Rama is believed to be an incarnation of God in human form. Rama, Sita and the other characters in the story appear again and again in the drama, song, dance, painting and sculpture of India. Macfie’s approach to this great epic provides us with a flawless critique of the Ramayan. For these who wish to understand the essence of the epic as well as the philosophy and reasoning behind, it, this is the perfect place to start. It is a compact and detailed description of the epic with adequate reference material. Forming a cornerstone of religious beliefs and practices Tulsi Das’ Ramayan stands almost at par with the Bhagavad-Gita in its importance to the Hindu community at large. In fact it is more popular with the masses as they are able to relate more easily to the perfect characters of Rama, Sita, Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughan.
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