One of the indicators of rich living culture and popularity of the three major classical epics of Hinduism viz. Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata is the widespread written and oral retelling of these epics. Across the length and breadth of Bharat in Classical, Folk and Forest-dweller traditions. Among these, Ramayana, in fact, has traditions of retelling beyond Bharat also in different parts of Asia, in particular, in different parts of Southeast Asia.
This plurality of versions of these three major classical epics of Hinduism is, in fact, not an unknown or unstudied topic. Particularly, the multiplicity of versions of Ramayana has been a well-studied topic right from the beginning of modern period. In fact, there were theories, in the beginning of the modern period, that proposed the existence of the Ramayana texts and its narratives in the popular tradition even before the composition of the text in Sanskrit by Valmiki Indian Indologists like Prof. V. Raghavan pioneered the study of multiple versions of Ramayana in books like “Studies on Ramayana”, “Sanskrit Ramayana other than Valmiki”, “The Ramanya in Classical Sanskrit and Prakrit Mahakavya Literature”, “Ramayana Traditions in Asia”. Inspired by him, many Indian Indologists and Language and Literature Scholars took up the study of multiple versions of Ramayana in different regional Indian classical literatures as part of University Literature Department Research works. Studies on Folk and Forest-dweller versions of Ramayana also developed as part of Folk and Tribal Literature studies.
While the research of classical texts of multiple traditions of the Ramayana epic involves manuscript research and research of written and printed sources, research into Folk and Forest-dweller versions, which are usually called the oral versions, involve research into narrative and theatrical performing arts in which the epic is performed.
Comparative study of all these multiple versions across the regions and cultural traditions like Classical, Folk and Forest-dweller tradition and studies of mutual influence of these different versions across these traditions has also been carried out to a certain extent. But the carpus of material is so vast that majority of the prevalent sources is yet to be brought out, studied from different perspectives like comparison, diffusion, influence, etc.
INDICA is organizing a Symposium on “Studies on Traditional Retellings of Ramayana” on 31st May 2025, Saturday to focus on the existing studies and the scope for future studies in this area.
Scholars may look into the traditional and anti-traditional approaches in the existing Studies on Traditional Retellings of Ramayana or identify the scope for future research on the topic proposing new insights into it.
Retellings of the narrative of Lava and Kusha that form part of Uttara Kanda of Ramayana are also included within the scope of the Symposium.
Various traditions of Ramayana like Adhyatma Ramayana, Ananda Ramayana, Adbhuta Ramayana, Ascharya Ramayana, Bhushundi Ramayana, etc., both in written and oral traditions are also within the scope of the Symposium.
INDICA invites scholars to volunteer or nominate scholars to give a talk in the Symposium. The titles of talks along with a 200-word abstract by scholars and nominations of scholars may be sent to namaste@indica.org.in.
INDICA explores various themes every month through an online symposium where it invites scholars and experts to present their research and insights. A link to the full list of symposiums held is provided here
