There are also Cambodian ( Reamker), Indonesian, Filipino, Thai ( Ramakien), Lao, Burmese and Malay versions of the tale. There are many versions of Ramayana in Indian languages, besides Buddhist, Sikh and Jain adaptations. Scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text range from the 7th to 4th centuries BCE, with later stages extending up to the 3rd century CE. It belongs to the genre of Itihasa, narratives of past events ( purДЃvб№›tta), interspersed with teachings on the goals of human life. It consists of nearly 24,000 verses (mostly set in the Shloka/ Anustubh meter), divided into seven kДЃб№‡бёЌas, the first and the seventh being later additions. The Ramayana is one of the largest ancient epics in world literature.

The epic follows his fourteen-year exile to the forest urged by his father King Dasharatha, on the request of Rama's stepmother Kaikeyi his travels across forests in the Indian subcontinent with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, the kidnapping of Sita by Ravana вЂ“ the king of Lanka, that resulted in war and Rama's eventual return to Ayodhya to be crowned king amidst jubilation and celebration. The epic, traditionally ascribed to the Maharishi Valmiki, narrates the life of Rama, a legendary prince of Ayodhya city in the kingdom of Kosala.

RДЃmДЃyana ( / r Й‘Лђ Л€ m Й‘Лђ j Й™ n Й™/ Sanskrit: а¤°а¤ѕа¤®а¤ѕа¤Їа¤Ја¤®аҐЌ, IAST: RДЃmДЃyaб№‡am pronounced ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and important text of Hinduism, the other being the MahДЃbhДЃrata.

Ramayan 2008 episode 42