Ramayana

by Sumedha V. Ojha

Written by Valmiki, a dacoit-turned-sagewho lived at the same time as Ram himself, Ramayana follows the path of Ram. From his birth, valorous deeds, winning of the hand of Seeta in marriage, exile and suffering from Ayodhya, battle with Ravan to his nal triumphant return to his kingdom as the slayer of the demon of Lanka, this epic is a guide to navigating the complex pathways of life through the inspiration of paramatma taking an avatar to mingle with earthly beings and share their joys, sorrows and challenges.Beautifully illustrated with paintings from the Mewar Ramayana prepared for Rana Jagat Singh of Mewar (reg. 1628 52), this is the rst time that paintings from different locations have been put together in one volume. In the hands of mid-seventeenth century artists the story of Ram has been turned artistically into a sophisticated expression of Rajput ideals and society."

320 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 2015

About the author

Sumedha V. Ojha is a Geneva based ex-bureaucrat, historian, author, columnist and web series maker; author of the Urnabhih series set in Mauryan India. She is focused on a 360-degree understanding of Ancient India based on Indic and Shastric epistemology, focusing on Sanskrit and Prakrit literature, the Mauryans and Gender issues.

Reviews

[Mihika · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is physically beautiful: the thick gold edged pages and the incredible paintings. The narration of the story itself though really disappointed me. Firstly, it wouldn’t engage anyone who has never read stories from the Ramayana before. The narration is flat and doesn’t build on any of the characters or plots. There are no questions asked, no details explored but it really just works just as a book of paintings and captions. I read it alongside Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s ‘The Forest of Enchantments’ which told the Ramayana from Sita’s perspective and I think only together do they create a larger, more vivid picture.

[Abhishek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is definitely not on the paintings but on the book.

What an excellent effort to bring together for the first time a part of the past glory of the Marwar kingdom. The introductions to each kand of the Ramayana are beautifully written and the descriptions accompanying the paintings are succint. I missed out on the book launch ceremony in Delhi, couldn't get prints, but I love my copy of this important book in the history of Indian art. A must have for those who love Indian miniature paintings, the epic of Ramayan, and must say, a good book to use while narrating to children.