The Ramayana for parents: stories of duty, loyalty and hidden strength

The Ramayana is many Indian children's first great story: Rama's exile, Sita's abduction, the search across the forests and the leap to Lanka. It is often told as a tale of good against evil, and it is that. It is also full of quieter moments about duty, loyalty and what it takes for an ordinary member of a group to become the one who acts.

Why read the Ramayana with a teenager?

Because a teenager is old enough to notice what a young child misses. Rama chooses exile over a quarrel about the throne. Lakshmana chooses to follow. The search party for Sita sits on a beach, out of ideas, until an old bear reminds one quiet member of the group who he really is. These are scenes about choice and character, and they make good conversations at the dinner table.

What will I find in this section?

We begin with one of the best-loved scenes in the whole epic: Hanuman remembering his strength, from the Kishkindha Kanda. More stories will follow.

Frequently asked questions

Which translation of the Ramayana do you quote?
Ralph T. H. Griffith's English verse translation, published between 1870 and 1874 and now in the public domain. Canto numbers follow that translation.

Who wrote the Ramayana?
Tradition holds that the sage Valmiki composed the Ramayana. It is one of the two great Sanskrit epics, with the Mahabharata.