Introduction
According to the generally accepted but very rough dating, the first oral narratives on the Ramayana story were formed in the V-IV centuries B.C., and even then, there were several interpretative models of the story and its interpretations within the folklore narrative practices. By the second century B.C., the hitherto largely isolated and autonomous motifs and plot links had formed into a significant oral epic tale.
Discussion
One of the versions of this story about Rama was fixed in the “Ramayana” by Valmiki, the formation of which, was completed only by the 4th century A.D (Le Thi Bich). The fact that the Valmiki epic is unequivocally recognized by tradition as an “adikavya” – the first purely literary monument with a legendary author and a “creation history” – turns out to be extremely important. The academic, to some extent even artificially aestheticized form of presenting the folklore story in the form of the author’s work is repeatedly emphasized both directly in the text and by the first commentators.
Valmiki’s Ramayana is part of the national heritage of modern India. If one considers the image provided in the work with the work itself, one notices the detailed depiction of the life and activities of the protagonist. It depicts pretty accurately the events provided at the beginning of the book. Together with the Mahabharata, it is part of the world literature treasury; translations or simplified retellings of the epic exist in almost all literary languages of the planet (Le Thi Bich). Official Hinduism even suggests the existence of a developed, though not the most popular, Valmiki cult, especially in the north of India. The poet’s murti image is usually placed near the entrance to a Ramayite temple; the figure of Valmiki is also present in many traditional depictions of Ramayana characters, which believers worship during puja. The most famous scenes in popular culture with Valmiki, repeatedly reproduced in cheap popular prints, are “Valmiki teaches the Ramayana to Lava and Kushu” and “Sita greets Valmiki at the entrance to his forest ashram.”
In Delhi, there is a temple dedicated to Valmiki, and in Ayodhya, there is the Ramayana Bhavan, a colossal structure whose marble walls are covered with lines of the Sanskrit Ramayana. Inside there are sculptures of which Valmiki occupies the place of honor (Le Thi Bich). Interestingly, the Ramayana Bhavan is a kind of “Ramayana Cultural Center” where the theatrical performances of the epic plot are created. (Le Thi Bich). According to the canons of modern secular theater, there is the most extensive library of Ramayana literature, and annual international conferences “Ramayana and Modernity” are held with the support of the national and the Uttar Pradesh state governments. This can also be seen in the image, as it also demonstrates the cultural heritage that the work brought with it. One can see how cultural characteristics have been transferred to modern times.
Conclusion
Thus it can be concluded that the cultural heritage of the Ramayana still exists today. This book has become a cult based on various festivals, and the work itself is demonstrating the way of life which is present nowadays in modern India. This is not surprising since such an ancient epic is written in an accessible way and allows us to see the lives of people of the past with the status of sacred. It is crucial to appreciate this work and to respect not only its creator but also the people who value its principles. If one compares the image to the basis of the work, it accurately conveys the events taking place, the wanderings of the protagonist, and all the details that happen to him as the book progresses.
Work Cited
Le Thi Bich, Thuy. “Narrative Viewpoint in the Indian Ramayana Epic.” Journal of Science Social Science, vol. 66, no. 1, 2021, pp. 17–25.