The Charm of Ram (The Prince Who Gave up an Empire and Became a King of Hearts)

What is the charm of Ram? Call him Ram or Rama- his name means “charming”. Ram Abhiram means “supremely charming”. Ram had saushilya- courtesy and affection towards all. Ram walked out of his palace with a smile and the forest became his home; the animals and birds were his family. Imagine calling a vulture ‘noble king of birds’ and hugging it. Hanuman, the monkey, was his best friend. The ascetics and the tribals in the forest treated him as one of their own. He respected them for what they were, just as they were. He relished the half- bitten berries offered by the tribal woman Sabari as much as he enjoyed the luxury and pomp of the mighty kingdom of Ayodhya.

Why is the story of Ram important- now- after thousands of years? The Ramayana shows us ideals in action amidst the rough and tumble of life. There is stark jealousy, extreme craving, arrogance, and ruthless cheating, set against a mighty onrush of noble ideals(dharma). The remarkable tale of Ram has been presented by three talented people. Padma has done M.A. in English Literature, a Certificate course in Journalism, a Kovid degree in Sanskrit, and is completeing her M.A in Philosophy . Padma has devised subtle puzzles and has brought out unique details of the Ramayana legends.

Maya plunged into the sketching and has made severals charming line drawings. Maya is a student of Rhode Island School of Design in U.S.A.

Aditi is graduating in Fine Arts from Stella Maris College in Chennai. Her fine lines and her expressive characters have brought this ancients legend before us. Tattvaloka appreciates the efforts of these ladies and conveys its thanks.

Details about the route of Ram have been taken from the book Ramayana Temples by Sitharam Gurumurti. The original Ramayana (Gita press) and the condensed Ramayana of Rajagopalachari were important sources.