I grew up in India, and learned the story told in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, India's great epics, literally back in first and second grade. Now novelist Ramesh Menon has rendered the tale in lyrical prose that conveys all the beauty and excitement of the original, while making this spiritual and literary classic accessible to a new generation of readers. But previous English versions have been either too short to capture the magnitude of the original too secular in presenting what is, in effect, scripture or dry, line-by-line translations. Throughout the centuries, countless versions of the epic have been produced in numerous formats and languages. The epic of Prince Rama's betrayal, exile, and struggle to rescue his faithful wife, Sita, from the clutches of a demon and to reclaim his throne has profoundly affected the literature, art, and culture of South and Southeast Asia-an influence most likely unparalleled in the history of world literature, except, possibly, for the Bible. Still an integral part of India's cultural and religious expression, the Ramayana was originally composed by the Sanskrit poet Valmiki around 300 b.c. India's most beloved and enduring legend, the Ramayana is widely acknowledged to be one of the world's great literary masterpieces. The epic of Prince Rama's betrayal, exile, and The great Indian epic rendered in modern prose The great Indian epic rendered in modern prose India's most beloved and enduring legend, the Ramayana is widely acknowledged to be one of the world's great literary masterpieces.

The ramayana cliff notes