Prince of Ayodhya: 1 (Ramayana) (Hardcover)

At least two thousand years ago, and perhaps as much as five thousand years ago, a reformed-robber-turned-sage name Valmiki composed an epic history of a legendary Indian prince named Rama Chandra. Valmiki composed 24,000 slokas or verses, divided into five parts and named his epic The Ramayana, or literally The Travels of Rama.

Today, every single aspect of Indian life – culture, language, customs, religion, food, dress, morality – is influenced by this ancient tale. Walk down any street in the bustling villages of the world’s largest democracy, ask any one of India’s 1.1 billion citizens, and you will hear parts or even the entire tale retold.

Even the country’s largest festivals and rituals revolve around incidents and characters from the epic. Just as the Western world celebrates Christmas, Indians celebrate the victory of Rama in his final battle with the demon hordes, and his triumphant return home.

Over the Millennia, this great tale of heroism and courage, brotherhood and love, honor and sacrifice, dharma and karma, has been retold in a number of Indian dialects and forms – until it’s been impossible to separate India from The Ramayana. One resides in the other’s heart, eternally.

But the influence of The Ramayana has gone far beyond the shores of its homeland. Writers and film makers from around the world have dipped often into this great repository of stories and characters, pulling out magical episodes and people, renaming and reinventing them to create entire science-fictional franchises, or simply picking a detail or two at random to colour their own imaginative creations.

From the concept of the Wheel of Time (the Hindu Samay-Chakra) that underpins Robert Jordan’s epic series of the same name, to the universe-bearing elephants of Terry Pratchett’s wonderful Discworld, to other hugely popular films and books, the subtle or overt influence of the Ramayana is everywhere.

Within its pages, you will find unforgettable characters, a world filled with pomp, pageantry, and colour. A human drama of passion and tragedy, intrigue and betrayal, love and lust, deception and treachery. An epic conflict between two irreconcilable opposing forces: the realm of mortals to which Rama and his companions belong, and the realm of the demonic Asura races, led by the terrifying Ravana, one of the most memorable villains of all time.

Above all, this modern retelling of The Ramayana is a great adventure story, filled with all the action, thrills and drama you would expect from your favourite epic fantasy series. With one major difference: It’s also a uniquely Indian tale.

From the first page of Prince of Ayodhya you enter a world like no other you have ever experienced. Step through the doors of a bedchamber in the royal palace of Ayodhya, capital city of one of the greatest Arya kingdoms of its time. Enter the mind and space of young Prince Rama Chandra. And experience the world of Prince of Ayodhya for yourself in all its glory.T

he epic adventure of ancient India begins here …

Ashok K. Banker --This text refers to the Paperback edition.