Component-I (A) – Personal details: Prof. P. Bhaskar Reddy Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. Prof. V. Venkata Ramana Reddy Director, O.R.I., S. V.University, Tirupati. Prof. V. Venkata Ramana Reddy Director, O.R.I., S. V.University, Tirupati. Prof. V. Kannan University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad. 1 Component-I (B) – Description of module: Subject Name Indian Culture Paper Name Vedic, Epic and Puranic culture of India Module Name/Title Origin & Development of Ramayana Module Id I C / VEPC / 15 Pre requisites Knowledge in Indian epics and its importance To Learn about the origin, evolution and Time lines Objectives of Ramayana Keywords Ramayana / epic E-text (Quadrant-I): 1. Introduction Indians are the descendents of one of the oldest civilizations. We need to be really proud of our ancient history and cultural heritage. Since thousands of years, not just in India but also all over the world, the character “Sri Rama” the Hero of Ramayna is one of the greatest men who influenced and touched the hearts of millions both common men and elite alike with his strength of Kavyva. The Great epic of the great deeds of Rama is chanted not only in India but in all over from ages immemorial. By some schools of thought it is deliberated whether Ramayana’s occurrence. Here we will attempt to prove it in a scientific outlook about Ramayana’s emergence and Evolution in to innumerable version in various languages. The time lines of the epic character is evaluated by Puranic and Scientific, Astrological evidences. 2. Ramayanam Aadi Kavyam Ramayanam is the first poetry composed by Valmiki. It became a s a role model for later peots and saints like Tulasidas, Kamban, Kabir Das, Tyagaraja etc. if we count there are as many as three hundred versions of the Indian epic poem the Ramayana exist in the world. The oldest version is generally recognized to be the Sanskrit version attributed to the sage Valmiki. 3. Aadi Kavi Valmiki Sage Valmiki is revered as the Ādi Kavi, which means ‘First Poet’ for he invented śloka (i.e. first verse or epic meter). Ramayana was the first metrical work dealing with non religious secular subject and hence it is called Adikavyam. Ramayana work set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry. Valmiki is celebrated as the harbinger-poet in Sanskrit literature. 4. Evolution of Ramayana in India Valmiki was a contemporary of Rama, the son of Dasharatha. During his life in exile in the forest, SriRama visited Valmiki Asram. Valmiki Ramayana contains descriptions and referene to ancient themes. Valmiki completed writing the Ramayana story in 24000 verses. The great epic is divided into seven Kandas (sections). Bala Kandam Ayodhya Kandam Aranya Kandam Kishkinda Kandam Yudda Kandam Uttara kandams Kandam 2 There are many Ramayanas but they are all written much later and all of them refer to the seer Valmiki. Therefore Valmiki has a unique place. He has written his Ramayana as a history and not as a devotional book. 4.1.Various Ramayanas in Indian Languages Ages after ages many a poet’s after poet had wrote the story of Ramayana in their own verse and own style. The trend is still continuing till date. So there are many poets of who authored Ramayana had found in the history of Indian literature. The original Valmiki version has been adapted or translated into various regional languages. To name few examples include the 12th century Tamil language Ramavataram, 14th century Telugu language Sri Ranganatha Ramayanam. There are many versions made in various Indian languages are listed below. Among them there are most prominent Sanskrit and other language versions of the Ramayana. Some primarily recount Valmiki’s narrative, while others focus more on peripheral stories and/or philosophical expositions. Adhyatma Ramayana Spiritual Ramayana is extracted from the Brahmanda Purana, traditionally ascribed to Vyasa. It is thought to be the inspiration for Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi. While the Valmiki Ramayana emphasizes Rama’s human nature, the Adhyatma Ramayana tells the story from the perspective of his divinity. It is organized into seven Kandas, parallel to Valmiki’s. Vasistha Ramayana (more commonly known as Yoga Vasistha) is traditionally attributed to Valmiki. It is principally a dialogue between Sage Vasistha and Rama in which Vasistha advances many of the principle tenets of Advaita Vedanta. It includes many anecdotes and illustrative stories, but does not recount Valmiki’s story of Rama in detail. Laghu Yoga Vasishtha, by Abhinanda of Kashmir, is an abbreviated version of the Yoga Vasistha. Ananda Ramayana It is traditionally attributed to Valmiki. While it briefly recounts the traditional story of Rama, it is composed primarily of stories peripheral, though related, to Valmiki’s narrative. These include Ravana’s abduction of Sita and Rama’s installment of the Shiva Lingam at Rameswaram. Agastya Ramayana It is also traditionally attributed to Agastya. Adbhuta Ramayana Traditionally attributed to Valmiki, includes related stories of Rama. Its emphasis is on the role of Sita, and includes an expanded story of the circumstances of her birth as well as an account of her defeat of Ravana's older brother, also known as Ravana but with 1000 heads. Kannada Ramayana The Kannada versions of the Ramayana – the Kumudendu Ramayana (a Jain version), written in the 13th century and the Kumara-Valmiki Torave Ramayana, written in the 16th century. There is another version titled Ramachandra Charita Purana written by Nagachandra during the 13th century. Two prose works by Nanadalike Lakshminarayana ('Muddanna') entitled Adbhuta Ramayana (1895) and Ramaswamedham (1898). Assamese Ramayana SapthaKanda Ramayana, The Assamese Katha Ramayana or Kotha Ramayana in the 14th century by Madhava Kandali. Bengali Ramayana The Bengali Krittivasi Ramayan written by Krittibas Ojha in the 15th century. Oriya Ramayana 3 The Oriya Dandi Ramayana or Jagamohan Ramayana was adapted by Balaram Das in the 16th century. Maratta Ramayana The Marathi Bhavartha Ramayana written by Eknath in the 16th century. There is also reference of a Ramayana being translated into old Marathi during the 12th or 13th century. Konkani Ramayana Ramayanam written by Krishnadasa Shama in the 15th century in Kardalipura, Goa in Konkani, manuscripts found in Portugal. Avadhi Ramayana The Ramcharitmanas written by Goswami Tulsidas in the 16th century is the Ramayana version popular in North India. Malayala Ramayana The Malayalam language Adhyatma Ramayanam ‘Kilipattu’ was written by Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan in the 16th century and "Mappila Ramayanam." among the Muslims. Gujarati Ramayana The Tulsi-Krta Ramayana is a Gujarati adaptation of Tulsidas' Ramcharitamanas in the 17th century, by the poet Premanand Swami. Urdu Ramayana version called the Pothi Ramayana was written in the 17th century. Jammu and Kashmir Ramayana The Kashmiri Ramavataram Charita was written in the 19th century. Buddhist Ramayana Dasarata Jataka. This version is notable for depicting Rama and Sita as siblings who marry. Such sibling marriages are a common symbolic imagery in early Buddhist literature to denote purity of a dynasty. As the Buddha is supposed to have come from the Ikshvaku clan (of Rama) this symbolised his dynastic merits. Jain Ramayana Paumachariyam. This version is written as a polemic against brahmanical Sanskrit versions asserting that all characters in the Ramayana were mere mortals who engaged in conflict over moral issues. The only superhuman feat mentioned is Ravana's ability to fly through the clouds (meghavahana). All characters are depicted as Jains and the Rama, Sita and Lakshmana visit Jain pilgrimage sites rather than ashrams (as in Valmiki ramayana) during their stay in the forest. Other Ramayana Champu Ramayana, Ananda Rayamana, Mantra Ramayana, Giridhara Ramayana, Shree Ramayana mangeri, Shree Ranganatha Ramayana, Bhaskara Ramayana, Gobinda Ramayana written by Guru Gobind Singhji, in samvat 1655, Radhey Shyam Ramayana. 4.2. Goswamy Tulasidas –Ramacharita Manas Of the all Ramayana’s of Indian origin, Ramacharita Manas has special place in India especially North India. The author of this version of Ramyana is Goswami Tulsidas Tulsidas was born to Hulsi and Atmaram Shukla Dube in Rajpur, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1532. He was a Sarayuparina Brahmin by birth and an incarnation of Sage Valmiki, the author of the Sanskrit Ramayana. It is said that Tulsidas met Lord Hanuman, and through him had a vision of Lord Rama. Tulsidas wrote 12 books, the most famous being the Hindi Ramayan — “The Ramcharitmanasa” that is read and worshipped with great reverence in every Hindu home in Northern India. Tulsi left his mortal body and entered the Abode of Immortality and Eternal Bliss in 1623 A.D. at the age of 91. He was cremated at Asi Ghat by the Ganga in the holy city of Varanasi (Benaras). 4.3. Tamil – Kamban-Kambaramayanam 4 Kamban, who wrote Kambaramayana was born in ninth century near Tanjavur. In his epic there are 10,418 verses in six Kandas with no Uttara kanda. This poen is the greatest epic in Tamil literature. Kamban imports the color of his own time and place into his narration, in Kamba Ramyana. SriRama is the supreme Lord in his composition. 5. Evolution of Ramayana all over the Globe Ramayana had found in non-Indian Languages. The Ramayana has spread to many Asian countries outside of India, including Burma Indonesia Cambodia Laos Philippines Sri Lanka Nepal Thailand Malaysia Japan Mongolia Vietnam China These adoptions have often been marked more or less the same traditional plot except some twists and thematic variations. Some of the important adaptations of the manifestation of the core themes of the original version Indonesian Khmer Reamker Javanese Kakawin Ramayana The Thai Ramakien The Lao Phra Lak Phra Lam 6. Origins of Ramayana 6.1. Archaeological evidences In 1975 the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) unearthed fourteen pillar bases of kasauti stone with Hindu motifs in Ayodhya which is of Ramayana time.