Originally posted by: godisone
SOURCE: http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&page=19&pid=116
Home > 2006 Issues > February 05, 2006 Controversy
Is Ramayana a mere epic or part of India?s ancient history?
By Arabinda Ghose
Most of the Hindus of India and Nepal as also of countries where emigrant Hindus live in sizeable numbers celebrate Ram Navami, which falls on the ninth day of the bright half of the lunar month of Chaitra, corresponding to March-April of the Georgian calendar. Countries of South-East Asia such as Thailand too revere Lord Rama and the predominantly Muslim nation of Indonesia celebrates Ramayana as a ballet.
The Valmiki Ramayana in Sanskrit as also the Tulsi Ramayana by Saint Tulsidas in Hindi are extremely popular volumes throughout India and abroad. But is Ramayana a description of the lives and times of Lord Rama and the Raghukul (the descendants of King Raghu) and the times during an unknown period of India?s ancient ?history? or is it nothing but an epic which, Hindus believe to be a true account of the events in ancient India?
I know this is old news, but what do you guys think?
I look at Ramayan as a composite of history and religion, and the Devi Bhagvatam, which you've cited, is also a historical source for events after the time, such as Rama's dynasty after him. Dr R C Majumdar, who was a famed historian, in 'The Vedic Age' uses the Valmiki Ramayan to describe what went on at that era, and also the Bhagvatam and the Puranas. Also Kalidas' composition Raghuvamsa, which was written close enough to that period, is good enough for me as describing the rule of Dilipa, Raghu and Aja. But I don't look at Tulsidas or any of the other compositions of the Ramayan as authentic, since he came long after a lot of that pre-Islamic works were destroyed.
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