ACKERMANAt a glance
History, context & interpretation
The text and its story
Prince Rama, his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana are exiled; Sita is kidnapped by the demon king Ravana and rescued with the help of Hanuman. About 24,000 verses.
Traditional attribution
Composed by the sage Valmiki, the 'first poet'.
Historical scholarship
Core attributed to Valmiki, with the first and last books added later.
Context and curiosity
Versions exist in Thailand (Ramakien), Indonesia, Cambodia and beyond.
Chronology and transmission
This text belongs to Hinduism & Vedic India (India). The catalogue gives its approximate dating as c. 5th century BCE – 3rd century CE and original language or script as Sanskrit. The dated manuscript witnesses and traditional claims may not refer to the same historical event.
Sources and further reading
Historical descriptions are educational summaries. Religious traditions, scholarly interpretations and unverified claims are distinguished where possible; imagery may be illustrative rather than an artifact photograph.
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