Ramayana: 1 [Paperback]

There are many other versions of The Ramayana available, but this one, in its original Indian print translation is the one which touches the heart of the story. Rajagopalachari has written the story of Rama as it should be, as part of the oral tradition of Indian literature, not a westernised version to suit different literary tastes. It is not readily accessible, and not the easiest of reads for the novice, but if you want a true telling of the story, and one which includes intricate variations and additions, then this is the only version. Forget the more glossy editions entirely.

The Ramayana is the great Hindu epic poem (kavya) by Valmiki c 5-3c BC. But the story probably existed for centuries before it was composed by Valmiki, and enhanced by others subsequently. The Ramayana is older than the Mahabharata (which is considered the Hindu epic history - itihasa). These two books are well known to most Hindus, at least in part. These two books, considered holy, describe Hindu values and ethics (dharma) and I recommend all Hindus to read them and introduce them to their children.

Prof Sattar has taken great trouble to abridge and re-tell the story in an easy, flowing and simple language such that even a child can read and understand it without assistance. She has incorporated the first (Childhood) and the seventh (Epilogue) Books, considered by many as later additions, to provide the traditional "full story". However, the English although modern is not how it is spoken in the West, and children particularly in the West may find the expressions jarring. (By using modern English, the quaintness of old Sanskrit expressions is also lost.) The narrative style is very flat - almost devoid of any excitement, passion or human emotions. (You only have to see plays and films on the Ramayana or hear a Sanskrit [or other Indian language] recital to appreciate what a loss that is!) The story has been retold in such a (boring) way that even a committed Hindu adult will have difficulty maintaining interest, let alone a young reader. Had she written in an "unputdownable" style, given her easy story telling abilities, the book might have been a real hit, as a story book.

This book is not a scholarly "true to Sanskrit" translation, as acknowledged by the author. Nor does it bring out Hindu values or highlight their culture.

Alas, in my view, this book is a missed opportunity. Penguin, the publishers, are absolutely right that the Ramayana is a Classic, but this abridged re-telling of the story is anything but a "Classic".

Fortunately, Penguin have an alternative translation of the Ramayana, which deserves to become a "classic".

"Rama the Steadfast" (2006) by the great Sanskritist, Prof Brockington (and his wife) is a true scholarly translation. Prof Brockington is an authority on Hindu epics and I would recommend this book for general readers and specialist scholars alike. (Being a translation of the critical edition, it leaves out Books 1 and 7. I wish these had been included as Appendices, because the whole story is over 2000 years old, and most Hindus are sceptical about Western ideas of "ur" [the original] version.) It is not a children's book but the language is by no means difficult, and most parents would want their 11-14 year olds to possess this much vocabulary. It is priced about the same, but sadly is in paperback only. (I hope Penguin see fit to produce a competitively priced hardback version soon.) This is the book that I re-read with pleasure and it is the one that I will buy again (to present to someone). [PS: I am not a student of Prof Brockington, nor have I met him.]

**C R Rajagopalachari's book (1957) remains an excellent book for both children and adults. It is an abridged re-telling of the story, but it reflects the Hindu spirit. I bought my copy in 1962 for Rs 2.00 from AH Wheeler & Co, the company with their iconic bookstores on Railway Platforms throughout India. (** a Sanskritist with excellent fluency in English, author of many books, an ardent Indian freedom fighter, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, the first Indian Governor-General of India, Chief Minister of Madras, etc)

And we are all waiting for Prof Goldman's 7 vol translation (the definitive translation?) to be completed soon.

On Binding:

It was a very nice touch to have this book bound - because it will be considered a "holy" book by many Hindus and they will read it again and again. The Publishers must be congratulated for offering a Hardback at such a reasonable price!

I was searching for an unabridged translation of the Ramayana and after a lot of search I ordered this through amazon. It did not said that it was unabridged but as it was the only edition that did not mentioned being abridged or shortened (either on the cover or the book description) I ordered it.

It just arrived and I found my answer inside. It is abridged. In the back cover it says that is has 'bridged time and space to make it accessible to the present-day English reader. Now I don't know about you but I do not like the assumption that I am too thick to understand or too lazy to read an unabridged version.

I have nothing against the other editions that mention clearly on the description or the cover page that they are abridged but I am infuriated with Penguin's decision that readers wouldn't really care whether the book they buy is abridged or not so there is no need to clearly mention it on the cover. It is a dishonest marketing practice and it should be stopped. Particularly if you consider that the book I received was inside a plastic wrap so I could not read the introduction without opening it and that there is no preview available.

Penguin continuously exploits the fame of the classics it publishes by manipulating and misleading its public. Look at its 'great journeys' series where the works are so abridged you might as well read the review. People hardly ever read classics because they search for an easy quick read, there are enough tabloid and free newspapers in this country to cover that need. I read a classic expecting an insight to a different culture and a different narrating technique, I expect it to be a process and not a quick fix, classics that as culturally important as the Ramayana ought to be treated with greater respect.

That said I still gave this book 3 stars because even though I have sadly not yet read a complete Ramayana the translation is indeed very clear and it is less abridged than most of the other translations. It is very accessible and I read it in a day. It is a very entertaining story. I am glad I read a longer version of Ramayana but I wish I could read something closer to the original. So you might want to buy it if you can't get an unabridged version but if you do know one that is available on the market please leave a comment so I might get it.