An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan

by PREM SAGAR

An ancient epic about the Hindu God Ram has become India’s most successful television soap opera, watched by virtually the entire country’s viewing population. When Ramayan is shown, life in cities, towns and villages across India comes to a virtual standstill. Conches are blown in celebration and incense sticks burned atop TV sets; after a power cut blacked out screens in the city of Jammu during transmission of the programme, riots erupted. And in Lucknow, distraught patients complained that doctors and nurses had abandoned them while the show was on the air. Milk goes undelivered until Ramayan is over, telephones remain unanswered and political rallies have been postponed to avoid clashing with the series. The director general of Doordarshan, India’s state-controlled TV network, said that although Ramayan (the story of Rama) should have ended in December, the producer was allowed to extend it for another twenty-six weeks, to avert potential violent protests.