Ramayana in media

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

The recent posts linked over on the personal blog brought the Ramayana to the attention of those who had never see or heard of it before. Most here would have been familiar. Some of you may like to follow up with a viewing of the full(er) story as presented through Indian television last century...

image; Wiki-common

In India in the 1980s there was a televised production, covering the story in considerable detail. It enthralled the nation. When it was made again in 2008, with even more attention to detail, it again stopped the country. Such is the power of this story.

It is to be acknowledged that the teachers knew what they were doing, writing this story as they did. It appeals to the 'smaller' part of our natures! There is, in this and the other great epic of the Mahaabhaarata, all the pulling of heartstrings and emotion that live on in long-running series of the present day. With these stories, we have the original 'soap operas', a key difference being that they seek to demonstrate all the positive traits to be emulated in life, rather than all the negatives and vices of our modern-day fictions.

Amazingly, for the keen ones among you, it is possible to watch the entire 1980s series online.

CLICK HERE!

Yes, there are English subtitles. The spoken language is Hindi, this means that all the 'a' endings are 'swallowed'. Rama becomes Ram, Sugriva becomes Sugriv... Sanskrit scholars cringe at this, but Hindi must also be respected. The story-telling is not perfect, but it does at least take more time over the various events and incorporates important philosophical questioning and seeking.