Ramayana: A Comparative Study of Ramakathas is an award-winning opus by A.A. Manavalan. The book is a meticulous exploration of the diverse versions of Ramayana found within and outside the Indian subcontinent. Beginning with a preface written by C.T. Indra, who wrote its English translation, followed by a foreword by the critic Indira Parthasarathy, the work contains a total of five chapters. The book takes a comparative approach in which forty eight different versions of Ramayana belonging to different parts of the world are analysed, compared and contrasted. Moreover, the author lays special emphasis on the intricacies found in Bala Kaandam, Ayodhya Kaandam and Aranya Kaandam which he deals in three separate chapters. Before probing deep into the cultural and ideological aspects of Ramakatha, the author has clearly laid out a historical framework that describes when and how Ramayana gained a pan Indian outlook. For the ease of analysing these many versions, the author has attempted a hermetic division of the selected Ramayanas into Northern, Southern and South Asian recensions respectively.
Ramayana is one of our country's greatest literary testaments that form an inevitable part of our Itihasa Purana tradition. The rudimentary beginnings of Ramakatha existed mainly in the form of orature and the source of these many versions were "an oral tale charged with mythical quality" which was transmitted from generation to generation. As an oral phenomenon, it was widely spread all over India and as a part of migrations and invasions, has transcended the boundaries of the nation. This resulted in a single story having multiple versions, with each version reflecting the language and culture of a distinct terrain. In a country like India, where linguistic diversity and regional differences are at its peak, each version of Ramakatha has attained a distinctiveness of its own.
The earliest form of written Ramayana was found in the Buddhist manuscripts of Jataka tales which were compiled around 5th century BCE. The work represents Rama as an alter ego of Buddha before he attained salvation. Since the completion of Valmiki Ramayana in the 4th century BCE, Ramayana has attained the form of an epic and has been in existence in more than twenty different languages. Valmiki's narrative, the most popular among the various Ramakathas, is set on a vast canvas of myths and legends collected from various parts of the Indian subcontinent. In the subsequent chapters on 'Bala Kaandam', 'Ayodhya Kaandam' and 'Aranya Kaandam', the author carefully picks up certain core episodes and examines how it is interpreted differently in different versions. In the chapter on 'Bala Kaandam', he probes mainly into the birth of Rama, his marriage with Sita and the stories pertaining to his valour and divinity. The incidents in 'Bala Kaandam' like the slaying of Tadaka and the redemption of Ahalya are interpreted differently in different versions. For instance, the Buddhist versions of Ramayana have presented the characters and events in accordance with their value systems. Hence they have omitted violent incidents such as the slaying of Tadaka that goes against their philosophical doctrines. It is said that Valmiki has written his version inspired by the Buddhist Ramayana but his characters were not endowed with Buddhist values. Valmiki has presented Rama as a Kshatriya king and Buddhist notions like peace and non-violence are incompatible with the code of Kshatriyas
In Valmiki Ramayana, Rama is depicted as an incarnation of God and hence an ideal being. On the other hand, Uttara Purana and Pampa Ramayana have not presented Rama as an incarnation and in turn asserts that the son of Dasaratha was born in a natural way. In the chapter that deals with 'Ayodhya Kaandam', the character of Dasharatha and the events leading to his death are discussed. In the final chapter on 'Aranya Kaandam', Rama's journey to Panchavati, their life in exile and the abduction of Sita are examined. Rama's rendezvous with Surpanakha is explained differently in different versions and so is the abduction of Sita by Ravana. Kalidasa's Raghuvamsa is a prime example known for its bold rendition of this incident. Here the author himself questions the depiction of Rama as an ideal being, especially during his encounter with Surpanakha.
As a country where each state represented a unique and distinct culture, its nature of representation and ways of expressing them will inevitably differ. At a time when India hadn't emerged as a nation-state entity, Ramayana swept into the cultural phases of different regions which resulted in numerous local versions of the single text.
Though the book explores in detail the regional variations in the various narratives of Ramakatha, the author's diplomatic rendition and moderate tone has never taken a chance on evoking the religious and political sentiments of a group. In a country like India where one comes across a plethora of cultures, religions and languages, this is indeed a laborious task. The book is an excellent choice for beginners, to reckon with, for it gives a broad idea on the different versions of Ramayana found within the Indian subcontinent. The way in which these narratives have evolved overtime without losing its characteristical mytheme is dealt in an intriguing manner. The work also unravels certain interesting elements which are rarely heard of and that would truly invoke the reader's curiosity. For instance, the book speaks of versions that present Rama and Sita as siblings and even mentions a Ramayana that glorifies the abduction of Sita. Moreover the writer has succeeded in collecting vital information on the diverse versions of Ramayana which was hitherto scattered throughout various historiographic accounts. In this regard, the book is a remarkable compilation and is the first of its kind to assimilate several versions under a single roof.
Some of the prominent versions of Ramayana are also seen in South Asian countries such as Burma, Tibet, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia and Philippines which the writer specifically comments upon. Scholars are of the opinion that Ramayana has crossed the Indian boundaries during the reign of King Asoka when people migrated to Tibetan Burma after he conquered Kalinga. It is worth noting that the writer never ascribes any special importance to any of the versions, particularly, the ever popular Valmiki Ramayana. He places it as one among the myriads of Ramayanas that have shared their perspectives on the life of a righteous man. The book carefully pinpoints the minute details that are found in one particular version of Ramayana and this may not be found in the other versions. For instance, the position of the planets at the time of Rama's birth was only found in the southern recensions.
Though the work gives a profound understanding of the various versions of Ramakatha one cannot say that that the work is an impeccable record of the authors understanding of the epic. Rather than presenting an indepth analysis on the work, the author chooses to be more selective, picking up certain fragments and episodes which he finds engaging. This approach is, in a way problematic as the book gives only a brief idea on the various versions of Ramayana and has never looked into detail on how the values mentioned in Ramayana has guided the society and its way of life.
One might also feel doubtful regarding the comparative methodology which the author has claimed to use while compiling the work. Most of the contrasting points are scattered throughout and one might feel a lack of continuity while reading them. Also, there are a lot more interesting versions of Ramayana which have not been included in the book such as the Mappilah Ramayana, recited by the Muslim community of Malabar and the Wayanadan Ramayana which has more of a feminist tone and retells the epic from the perspective of the Adiya tribes of Wayanad.
The book has proven beyond doubt that Ramayana is not a literary epic that merely narrates the exemplary life of Lord Ram. Rather, it is a timeless classic that unveils the Indian historical consciousness which is highly different from the Western perceptions of history. Unlike Western literary epics that aim to record a significant event that occurred in a definite time and space, Indian epics are mostly defined as a 'philosophy in motion' which are brought to light through the life of an ideal man and the role he plays in shaping society. Hence in most Western literary epics, descriptions of the country and capital do not find a place. On the contrary, Valmiki in his Ramayana describes the city of Ayodhya in 47 shlokas.
Ancient Indians have never considered history as an inquiry into the past with the intention of explaining its logic and consequences. Hence we do not have separate text for recording history in the way the West and the Chinese had. Our historical narratives were a mixture of genealogies, legends and myths that conveyed instructions in 'Dharma' or morals. Our history is embedded in stories, epics, biographies and folk songs which have to be mined and scrutinized for obtaining factual data.
Ramayana, when placed in a sociopolitical context, provides vital information about the contemporary political scenario such as royal lineages and dynastic powers. It also sheds light upon the prevailing customs and manners, the art of governance and moral philosophy of king. The mechanics of existence driven by the culture and polity of a particular place also find its space in the narratives of Ramayana. The book also speaks about how Ramayana as an Indian epic has presented a symbiotic interaction of Northern and Southern cultures and how it has impacted the various other Ramayana versions. The different versions found at different periods point to the societal changes that have been taking place down ages in history. On the whole, the book gives an enlightening vision to its readers—that Ramayana, hitherto considered a pious Hindu text, is a convulsing narrative which has pan Indian versions and that it offers a wide arena for research and other academic endeavours. It is a text which gives ample scope for a learner to analyse, compare and contrast the diverse elements that each regional variation has and this is exactly what A. A. Manavalan has meticulously done in his book. One can undoubtedly say that Ramayana is not a sacred import from the Northern belt; rather it is a classic fable which was always open to interpretations by the communities that owned it. The book can be regarded as an end product of his unrelenting research on the nuances of Ramakatha as found in the different versions of India.
Courtesy:CONSPECTUS A Journal of English Studies Volume 15, 2021
An international peer-reviewed academic journal published annually by the Research Centre & PG Department of English, St. Thomas College (Autonomous), Thrissur, Kerala, India
