1. Hindu Epics Southern Asia Institute 27 September, 2007 Presentation by Allison Busch

2. Two Major Indian Epics Mahabharata The story of the great Bharata people (attributed to Vyasa) Ramayana The story of Rama (attributed to Valmiki)

3. What is Sanskrit? “perfect” “language of the gods” An ancient Indo-European language Sample of writing: बलसय परमण च वभग च बलघस

4. Historical Timeline of India Indus Valleyc. 3300-1800 BCE Vedic Culture c. 1500-600 Classical Indiac. 500 BCE-500 CE  Epic Period Medieval Periodc. 500-1500 CE  Regional cultures  Indo-Muslim Sultanates (especially from 1200) Mughal Rule1526-1857 Colonial Rule1757-1947 Independence1947 Global India 1990s-present

5. Books of the Ramayana BalaBook of childhood *AyodhyaBook of Ayodhya *AranyaBook of the forest KishkindhaBook of Kishkindha Sundara“Beautiful book” *YuddhaBook of the war UttaraFinal book

6. Major Characters of the Ramayana Rama (Raghava) Lakshmana (Saumitri) Bharata Kaikeyi Dasharatha Manthara Sita Ravana

7. Alternate names & patronymics Raghava, “of the Raghu clan”=Rama Vaidehi, “from Videha”=Sita Maithili, “from Mithila” = Sita Kākutstha “descended from Kakutshta” Saumitri, “son of Sumitra”= Lakshmana

8. 10 avatars of Vishnu 1. Matsya (Fish) 2. Kurma (Tortoise) 3. Varaha (Boar) 4. Narasimha (man-lion) 5. Vamana (dwarf 6. Parashurama (Rama with an ax) 7. Rama 8. Krishna 9. Buddha 10. Kalki (yet to come)

9. Major Tensions in the Text Dharma versus Adharma Asceticism and Desire Righteous kingship (Ramrajya) Concern with female chastity

10. Many Ramayanas Sitayana Non-Sanskrit Ramayanas (e.g.Tulsidas) Folk Ramayanas Paintings http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/2501 Dramas http://www.flickr.com/photos/elishams/sets/1168301/ Dance Political Uses

11. Rama in modern Indian politics The destruction of the Babri Masjid (Dec. 1992) http://sasw.chass.ncsu.edu/fl/faculty/taj/hindi/babri.htm http://sasw.chass.ncsu.edu/fl/faculty/taj/hindi/babri.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1843879.stm Gujarat killings (February 2002) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2802591.stm Use in political campaigns http://ramroti.org/photogallery.asp