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Raamaayan
See also        Raam Charit Maanas

Name of the poem composed by Sage Vaalmeeki Jee in Sanskrit language around 7th century BC. It is the life story of Shree Raam. This life story was orally carried by Soot for 1000+ years, until Vaalmeeki Jee wrote it in a book form in Sanskrit language, in 650 BC. This was the first complete life story of Raam. Since then this story has been written by perhaps 300 writers in different languages of the world.

The original Raamaayan had only 5 Kaand (sections). The 7th section containing the banishment of Seetaa, is an unauthorized later extrapolation. In the original, there was no Baal Kaand, although some portion of the present Baal Kaand formed the beginning part of Ayodhyaa Kaand.

Present Vaalmeeki Raamaayan is divided like thus:--

Baal Kaand              77 Sarg
Ayodhyaa Kaand     119 Sarg
Aranya Kaand          75 Sarg
Kishkindhaa Kaand    67 Sarg
Sundar Kaand           68 Sarg
Yuddh Kaand           128 Sarg
Total                     534 Sarg
Uttar Kaand            111 Sarg
Total                     645 Sarg

Since the writing of this work, several life stories Shree Raam have been written in various languages of the world over the next 2,700 years. The word Raamaayan has now become the generic for the story of Raam. Some of the well-known Raamaayan are -

Avadhee - Raam Charit Maans / by Tulasee Daas (16th century AD)
Bangaalee - Raamaayan / Krittibaas Ojha (14th century AD)
Hindi - Raamaayan / by Raadheyshyaam (19th century AD)
Laotian - Phra Lak Phra Laam (Lak stands for Lakshman and Laam stands for Raam)
Malayasian - Hikaayat Seree Raam
Sanskrit - Adhyaatm Raamaayan Yog Vashishth and Aanand Raamaayan
Tamil - Iraamavataaram / by Kampan (11th century AD)
Thaai - Raamaakien

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