Versions of Ramayana
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Depending on the counting methods, three hundred [1] to as many as thousands [2] of versions of the Indian epic poem, the Ramayana are known to exist. The oldest version is generally recognized as that of Valmiki in Sanskrit. Some other versions are called Ananndha RAmayaNam , AdhyAtma RamayaNam , Kambha RamAyaNam , AruNAchala Kavi's Rama nAtakam , Bhavabhuthi's MahAveera Charitham ( 700-740 AD ), and Swami Desikan's ( 1268-1369 AD ) Raghu Veera Gadhyam. Tulasi DasA's epic work in Hindi was completed in 1584 AD. There is even one version called Thakkai RamAyaNam which is sung to the accompaniment of a small drum called Takkai , which is usually associated with Lord NatarAjA's sandhyA Thaandavam . Takkai RamAyaNam is almost like a commentary on Kambha RamAyaNam .
The Ramayana has spread to many of the Asian countries outside of India, including Burma, Indonesia, Cambodia and China as well. The original or Adi Ramayana by Sage Valmiki has been adapted or translated into the various regional languages in India, ie, made vulgate. The majority of these vulgate Ramayanas are not mere literal translation, instead they all have their own distinguishing features.
[edit] Local Versions
These are just some of the versions and many more do exist.
- North India - The "Ramacharitamanasa" written by Tulsidas in the 16th century is the Ramayana version popular in North India.
- Jammu and Kashmir - The Kashmiri "Ramavatara Charita" was written in 19th century.
- Punjab - The Ramavatara written in 17th century by Guru Gobind Singh.
- Gujarat - The Tulsi-krita Ramayana is a Gujarati adaptation of Tulisdas' Ramayana in 17th century by the poet Premanand.
- Maharashtra - The Marathi "Bhavartha Ramayana" written by Eknath in the 16th century. There is also reference of a Ramayana being translated into old Marathi during the 12th or 13th century.
- Assam - The Assamese "Katha Ramayana" or "Kotha Ramayana" in 15th century by Madhava Kandali.
- Bengal - The Bengali "Krittivas Ramayan" written by poet Krittivas in 15th century.
- Orissa - The Oriya "Balramadasa Ramayana" was adapted by Balarama Das in the 16th century.
- Andhra Pradesh - The "Sri Ranganatha Ramayana" was adapted by Buddha Reddy and is the Telugu version of the Ramayana
- Karnataka - The Kannada versions of the Ramayana – the "Kumudendu Ramayana" (a Jain version), written in 13th century and the "Kumara-Valmiki Torave Ramayana", written in the 16th century. There is another version titled "Ramachandra Charita Purana" written by Nagachandra during the 13th century.
- Tamil Nadu- The Tamil "Kambaramayanam", a popular version, written by poet Kamban in the 12th century.
- Kerala - The Malayalam language "Adhyatma Ramayanam Kilipattu" written by Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan in the 16th century.
An Urdu language version is called the "Pothi Ramayana" and was written in 17th century.
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Camille Bulcke, Ramkatha: Utpatti aur Vikās (The Rāma story: Original and developpment), Prayāg: Hindī Pariṣad Prakāśan, 1950.
- ^ A. K. Ramanujan, "Three hundred Rāmāyaṇas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translation", in Paula Richman (ed.), Many Rāmāyaṇas: The Diversity of a Narative Tradition in South Asia, Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 1991, p. 48, note 3.
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