<p>Filmmaker Om Raut's highly anticipated <em>Adipurush</em> has been in the news ever since the film's first look came out in 2022. There have been debates, discussions and controversies around the film's casting and implementation of the epic on the big screen. <em>Adipurush</em> is based on Valmiki's Ramayan, an epic that almost all Indians have grown up reading, watching, or listening to. This is why it becomes difficult to adapt such a well-known story (and exhaustive) into a three-hour film. Does it do justice? Read on to find out.</p>

<p>The story is a known one and Raut, who also serves as the writer of the film, starts off the film where Raghav (Prabhas), Janaki (Kriti Sanon), and Shesh (Sunny Singh) are living in exile. The story also has Lankesh (Saif Ali Khan) who abducts Janaki after his sister Surpanakha faces insult at the hands of Shesh and Raghav. How Raghav and Shesh along with loyal aide Bajrang (Devdatta Nage) and an army of monkeys to wage a war against Lankesh to bring back Janaki forms the rest of the story.</p>

<p>If you set aside the fact that the story is a well-known one and one that you have seen being adapted on screen before, Raut's <em>Adipurush</em> delivers a visual extravaganza. Especially the introduction scene of Lankesh and Raghav. Some may find the depiction of Raavan, aka Lankesh, outlandish, but Raut's interpretation of the antagonist seems interesting.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/scNmYjoR-qM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Experimenting with the characters of Ram and Sita is risky in today's time. After all, they are considered sacred in India and given godly status. And so Raut takes copious amounts of artistic liberty to reinvent the character of Raavan. The result is GOT's Khal Drogo-meets-Bhansali's Khilji-esque Raavan. With the help of CGI, which helps Khan appear double his size, Lankesh sports a grunge look with a spike hairdo and blue eyes. He is always dressed in black leather and sports a menacing look on his face. His choice of transport is a creature who is a cross between a dragon and Pterodactyl. In fact, Raut borrows heavily from pop culture.</p>

<p>In Prabhas' intro scene, he fights skeletal-faced flying creatures which remind you of dementors from <em>Harry Potter. Adipurush</em> carries plenty of references from&nbsp;<em>Game of Thrones,</em> <em>Harry Potter,</em> and even <em>The Flash.</em></p>

<p><em><img alt="f" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="72fff9ac-8a0e-4ee3-8467-7626af317dff" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Your%20paragraph%20text%20-%202023-06-16T152337.765.jpg" /></em></p>

<p>Despite a very CGI-enabled premise, the first half is a stretch and you are impatient to move to the actual battle scene. It serves well in the second half and is implemented in an elaborate manner and that's when Adipurush really shines and becomes a visual spectacle.</p>

<p><strong>The makers also play to the gallery. You know that some of the lines have been written to draw in cheers and claps in the film theatres. Some of the dialogues include-&nbsp;"<em>Jo hamari behno ko hath lagayenge, unki lanka laga denge”</em> (We will burn down homes if you trouble our sisters)," "<em>Kapda tere baap ka, tel tere baap ka, jalegi bhi tere baap ki,</em>"(will burn down father's kingdom and ego)&nbsp;"<em>Tu Jaanta hai mera baap kaun hai? (You know who's my father?)</em>"&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Since it has so much VFX,&nbsp;I did feel it limited the scope of performance for the actors. Prabhas looks his part&nbsp;and has limited dialogues, but looms large throughout the film. Similarly, Sanon looks stunning as Sita yet hardly has much scope to act considering her limited screen time and dialogues. Sunny Singh as Laxman has his moments and so does Devdatta Nage as Bajrang.</p>

<p>Vatsal Seth as Indrajit shows spark in his role but the film easily has Saif Ali Khan stealing the show with his evil act as Lankesh. His character is the most fleshed out and Khan doesn't disappoint with his interpretation.</p>

<p><img alt="y" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f06d916c-0b9d-4fcf-8cbd-d1b5b54adfe8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Your%20paragraph%20text%20-%202023-06-16T152320.524.jpg" /></p>

<p>For purists, <em>Adipurush</em> may appear too experimental as it interprets a few crucial moments of Ramayana in a new way. But if you look at it as a stand-alone film, it tells a story about good vs evil effectively mostly.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/critically-speaking-is-prabhas-starrer-adipurush-worth-the-hype-605320/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">It isn't the best film in terms of VFX but serves an audience that perhaps has never watched the Ramanand Sagar version on TV. Let's just say it revises and refreshes your basic knowledge of the epic, and gives you a grunge-looking Raavan.</div>

<p>Should you be watching <em>Adipurush</em>? You sure will, even if this review discourages you to, no?&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Filmmaker Om Raut's highly anticipated Adipurush has been in the news ever since the film's first look came out in 2022. There have been debates, discussions and controversies around the film's casting and implementation of the epic on the big screen.

Filmmaker Om Raut's highly anticipated Adipurush has been in the news ever since the film's first look came out in 2022. There have been debates, discussions and controversies around the film's casting and implementation of the epic on the big screen. Adipurush is based on Valmiki's Ramayan, an epic that almost all Indians have grown up reading, watching, or listening to. This is why it becomes difficult to adapt such a well-known story (and exhaustive) into a three-hour film. Does it do justice? Read on to find out. The story is a known one and Raut, who also serves as the writer of the film, starts off the film where Raghav (Prabhas), Janaki (Kriti Sanon), and Shesh (Sunny Singh) are living in exile. The story also has Lankesh (Saif Ali Khan) who abducts Janaki after his sister Surpanakha faces insult at the hands of Shesh and Raghav. How Raghav and Shesh along with loyal aide Bajrang (Devdatta Nage) and an army of monkeys to wage a war against Lankesh to bring back Janaki forms the rest of the story. If you set aside the fact that the story is a well-known one and one that you have seen being adapted on screen before, Raut's Adipurush delivers a visual extravaganza. Especially the introduction scene of Lankesh and Raghav. Some may find the depiction of Raavan, aka Lankesh, outlandish, but Raut's interpretation of the antagonist seems interesting. Experimenting with the characters of Ram and Sita is risky in today's time. After all, they are considered sacred in India and given godly status. And so Raut takes copious amounts of artistic liberty to reinvent the character of Raavan. The result is GOT's Khal Drogo-meets-Bhansali's Khilji-esque Raavan. With the help of CGI, which helps Khan appear double his size, Lankesh sports a grunge look with a spike hairdo and blue eyes. He is always dressed in black leather and sports a menacing look on his face. His choice of transport is a creature who is a cross between a dragon and Pterodactyl. In fact, Raut borrows heavily from pop culture. In Prabhas' intro scene, he fights skeletal-faced flying creatures which remind you of dementors from Harry Potter. Adipurush carries plenty of references from Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and even The Flash. Despite a very CGI-enabled premise, the first half is a stretch and you are impatient to move to the actual battle scene. It serves well in the second half and is implemented in an elaborate manner and that's when Adipurush really shines and becomes a visual spectacle. The makers also play to the gallery. You know that some of the lines have been written to draw in cheers and claps in the film theatres. Some of the dialogues include- "Jo hamari behno ko hath lagayenge, unki lanka laga denge” (We will burn down homes if you trouble our sisters)," "Kapda tere baap ka, tel tere baap ka, jalegi bhi tere baap ki,"(will burn down father's kingdom and ego) "Tu Jaanta hai mera baap kaun hai? (You know who's my father?)" Since it has so much VFX, I did feel it limited the scope of performance for the actors. Prabhas looks his part and has limited dialogues, but looms large throughout the film. Similarly, Sanon looks stunning as Sita yet hardly has much scope to act considering her limited screen time and dialogues. Sunny Singh as Laxman has his moments and so does Devdatta Nage as Bajrang. Vatsal Seth as Indrajit shows spark in his role but the film easily has Saif Ali Khan stealing the show with his evil act as Lankesh. His character is the most fleshed out and Khan doesn't disappoint with his interpretation. For purists, Adipurush may appear too experimental as it interprets a few crucial moments of Ramayana in a new way. But if you look at it as a stand-alone film, it tells a story about good vs evil effectively mostly. It isn't the best film in terms of VFX but serves an audience that perhaps has never watched the Ramanand Sagar version on TV. Let's just say it revises and refreshes your basic knowledge of the epic, and gives you a grunge-looking Raavan. Should you be watching Adipurush? You sure will, even if this review discourages you to, no? WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Adipurush review: Ramayana gets a VFX makeover

<p>Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena unveiled the Special Commemorative Cover for Sita Temple and laid the foundation stone for Meditation Centre at Ramayana fame Ashok Vatika site with an aim to attract more tourists from India and beyond.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prime Minister Gunawardena, accompanied by Indian High Commissioner Gopal Bagalay and other dignitaries, issued the cover for Sita Temple near Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The meditation centre, which is believed to signify the place of Ashok Vatika in the epic Rramayana, will add to the facilities at the Temple and help attract more tourists.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/half-of-worlds-language-diversity-at-risk-says-study-585261">Half of world's language diversity at risk, frightening trends in some regions: Study</a></p>

<p>"H.E Prime Minister @DCRGunawardena accompanied by High Commissioner and other dignitaries issued a Special Commemorative Cover for Sita Temple near Nuwara Eliya in 🇱🇰 today. They also laid the foundation stone for a Meditation Centre at the Temple which is believed to signify the place of Ashok Vatika in the epic #ramayana. The Meditation Centre will add to the facilities at the Temple and help attract more tourists from #India and other places," the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">H.E Prime Minister of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SriLanka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SriLanka</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DCRGunawardena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DCRGunawardena</a> accompanied by High Commissioner and other dignitaries issued a Special Commemorative Cover for Sita Temple near Nuwara Eliya in 🇱🇰 today. They also laid the foundation stone for a Meditation Centre at the Temple, (1/2) <a href="https://t.co/3YwAOYFqXP">pic.twitter.com/3YwAOYFqXP</a></p>
— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiainSL/status/1650060137116352513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Ashok Vatika is a garden in Lanka (present-day Sri Lanka) that is believed to have been the location where the demon king Ravana held Sita captive in the Hindu epic, Ramayana.</p>

<p>According to the story, Rama and his brother Lakshmana, along with their devotee Hanuman, went to Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravana's captivity. In the Ashok Vatika.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelenskyy-signs-law-banning-russian-place-names-in-ukraine-aims-to-restore-national-identity-585227">Zelensky signs law banning Russian place names in Ukraine, aims to restore national identity</a></p>

<p>The garden was named after the Ashoka tree, which is considered sacred in Hinduism. It is said that Hanuman uprooted the tree to show his strength.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | 'India's high population not a problem,' says Manish Sabharwal, VC Teamlease Services | India Story</strong></p>

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<p>Today, there is a temple in Sri Lanka called the Seetha Amman Temple, which is believed to be located at the site of the Ashok Vatika. The temple is a popular pilgrimage site for devotees of Rama and Sita.</p>

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Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena unveiled the Special Commemorative Cover for Sita Temple and laid the foundation stone for Meditation Centre at Ramayana fame Ashok Vatika site with an aim to attract more tourists from India and beyond.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena unveiled the Special Commemorative Cover for Sita Temple and laid the foundation stone for Meditation Centre at Ramayana fame Ashok Vatika site with an aim to attract more tourists from India and beyond. Prime Minister Gunawardena, accompanied by Indian High Commissioner Gopal Bagalay and other dignitaries, issued the cover for Sita Temple near Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka on Sunday. The meditation centre, which is believed to signify the place of Ashok Vatika in the epic Rramayana, will add to the facilities at the Temple and help attract more tourists. Also Read | Half of world's language diversity at risk, frightening trends in some regions: Study "H.E Prime Minister @DCRGunawardena accompanied by High Commissioner and other dignitaries issued a Special Commemorative Cover for Sita Temple near Nuwara Eliya in 🇱🇰 today. They also laid the foundation stone for a Meditation Centre at the Temple which is believed to signify the place of Ashok Vatika in the epic #ramayana. The Meditation Centre will add to the facilities at the Temple and help attract more tourists from #India and other places," the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted. H.E Prime Minister of #SriLanka @DCRGunawardena accompanied by High Commissioner and other dignitaries issued a Special Commemorative Cover for Sita Temple near Nuwara Eliya in 🇱🇰 today. They also laid the foundation stone for a Meditation Centre at the Temple, (1/2) pic.twitter.com/3YwAOYFqXP — India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) April 23, 2023 × Ashok Vatika is a garden in Lanka (present-day Sri Lanka) that is believed to have been the location where the demon king Ravana held Sita captive in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. According to the story, Rama and his brother Lakshmana, along with their devotee Hanuman, went to Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravana's captivity. In the Ashok Vatika. Also Read | Zelensky signs law banning Russian place names in Ukraine, aims to restore national identity The garden was named after the Ashoka tree, which is considered sacred in Hinduism. It is said that Hanuman uprooted the tree to show his strength. Watch | 'India's high population not a problem,' says Manish Sabharwal, VC Teamlease Services | India Story × Today, there is a temple in Sri Lanka called the Seetha Amman Temple, which is believed to be located at the site of the Ashok Vatika. The temple is a popular pilgrimage site for devotees of Rama and Sita. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Sita temple at Sri Lanka's Ashok Vatika, linked to Hindu epic Ramayana, gets special cover

<p>A Muslim student named Mohammed Basith M surprised everyone with his deep knowledge of the Indian epic Ramayana in the town of Valanchery in Kerala. Although Ramayana is generally considered to be a significant part of Hindu mythology, the college student got almost all the questions right and even showed exemplary understanding of the verses. Basith’s knowledge was just not restricted to the questions as he effortless recited the verses from “Adhyatma Ramayanam”.</p>

<p>When asked about his favourite part of Ramayana, the student&nbsp;picked "Ayodhya Kanda" – which speaks about the worthlessness of kingdom and power – and even recited it effortlessly.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sinkhole-in-chile-doubles-in-size-large-enough-to-swallow-frances-arc-de-triomphe-504685" hreflang="en">Sinkhole in Chile doubles in size, large enough to swallow France's Arc de Triomphe</a></p>

<p>Basith, however, is not familiar with the Sanskrit version and his knowledge comes from Adhyatma Ramayanam - the Malayalam version written by Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan.</p>

<p>According to PTI, the quiz competition organised by major publishing house DC Books as part of the ongoing ‘Ramayana Month’ celebrations was won by Basith and his college mate-friend Mohammed Jabir P K. Both of them are currently students of KKSM Islamic and Arts College at Valanchery.</p>

<p>“All Indians must read and learn the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata as they are part of the country’s culture, tradition and history. I believe that it is our responsibility to learn and understand these texts,” Jabir told PTI in an interview after the win.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uks-met-police-strip-searched-kids-for-two-years-mostly-black-report-504759">UK’s Met Police strip-searched kids for two years, mostly black: Report</a></p>

<p>“Rama had to sacrifice even his kingdom to fulfil the promise to his beloved father Dasaratha. While living in a period of endless struggles for power, we should draw inspiration from characters like Rama and the message of epics like Ramayana,” the 22-year-old student added.</p>

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<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


A Muslim student named Mohammed Basith M surprised everyone with his deep knowledge of the Indian epic Ramayana in the town of Valanchery in Kerala. Although Ramayana is generally considered to be a significant part of Hindu mythology, the college student got almost all the questions right and even showed exemplary understanding of the verses.

A Muslim student named Mohammed Basith M surprised everyone with his deep knowledge of the Indian epic Ramayana in the town of Valanchery in Kerala. Although Ramayana is generally considered to be a significant part of Hindu mythology, the college student got almost all the questions right and even showed exemplary understanding of the verses. Basith’s knowledge was just not restricted to the questions as he effortless recited the verses from “Adhyatma Ramayanam”. When asked about his favourite part of Ramayana, the student picked "Ayodhya Kanda" – which speaks about the worthlessness of kingdom and power – and even recited it effortlessly. Also read | Sinkhole in Chile doubles in size, large enough to swallow France's Arc de Triomphe Basith, however, is not familiar with the Sanskrit version and his knowledge comes from Adhyatma Ramayanam - the Malayalam version written by Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan. According to PTI, the quiz competition organised by major publishing house DC Books as part of the ongoing ‘Ramayana Month’ celebrations was won by Basith and his college mate-friend Mohammed Jabir P K. Both of them are currently students of KKSM Islamic and Arts College at Valanchery. “All Indians must read and learn the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata as they are part of the country’s culture, tradition and history. I believe that it is our responsibility to learn and understand these texts,” Jabir told PTI in an interview after the win. Also read | UK’s Met Police strip-searched kids for two years, mostly black: Report “Rama had to sacrifice even his kingdom to fulfil the promise to his beloved father Dasaratha. While living in a period of endless struggles for power, we should draw inspiration from characters like Rama and the message of epics like Ramayana,” the 22-year-old student added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE - (With inputs from agencies)

Two Muslim students win Ramayana quiz, say 'all Indians must learn the epics'

<p>India last week conferred Padma Award to two Indonesian nationals, Dr I. Wayan Dibia for art related to Ramayana and Mahabharata and Agus Indra Udayana for his work in promoting Gandhian values in the archipelago nation.</p>

<p>Both are based out of Bali, the only Hindu-majority province in Muslim-majority Indonesia.</p>

<p>Speaking to WION, Dr I. Wayan Dibia on the Indian government conferring him award said, "This is a very special award for me. It is out of my expectations. In my work, I work a lot in Ramayana and Mahabharata. I didn't expect this kind of recognition to be given by the Indian government."</p>

<p>He has created more than 150 new works on dance and dance dramas, mostly exploring both the Hindu Epics. Indian culture has impacted Bali since the fifth century and nine&nbsp;different art forms in the province utilising the epics.</p>

<p><strong>Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/padma-awards-2021-foreign-dignitaries-honoured-by-highest-civilian-awards-of-india-427702">Padma Awards 2021: Foreign dignitaries honoured by highest civilian awards of India</a></strong></p>

<p>He explained, "people of Bali are very familiar with Mahabharata and Ramayana. The people Java too. Java Bali are areas where Ramayana and Mahabharata are very important. That is the literature we use in my performing arts..To Bali people it's not just literature, it is Itihas, story of Gods, the journey of Gods, the philosophical way of life ".</p>

<p>Dibia is Bali's most influential Kecak Dancer, a traditional Indonesian art form depicting chapters of Ramayana. He has collaborated with Indian artists. In 2016, he worked with Indian dancers living in Toronto.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the other key Indonesian awardee is Agus Indra Udayana is the founder of Ashram Gandhi, Bali. The ashram gives scholarships to 45 students for education and life in Ashram follows "simplicity of Mahatma Gandhi".</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-can-india-help-vietnam-in-the-disputed-south-china-sea-428966" hreflang="en">How can India help Vietnam in the disputed South China Sea?</a></strong></p>

<p>"It was a surprise for me...I say thank you to President Kovind and PM Modi" Udayana said, highlighting, "we should live very simple...Gandhi's idea's very simple.."</p>

<p>His Ashram has been visited by 2 Indonesian President has been to the Ashram-Megawati Sukarnoputri and Abdurrahman Wahid. Both of them also were honoured at the Indonesian embassy. &nbsp;Udayana and Dibia are Hindus by religion.</p>


India last week conferred Padma Award to two Indonesian nationals, Dr I. Wayan Dibia for art related to Ramayana and Mahabharata and Agus Indra Udayana for his work in promoting Gandhian values in the archipelago nation.

India last week conferred Padma Award to two Indonesian nationals, Dr I. Wayan Dibia for art related to Ramayana and Mahabharata and Agus Indra Udayana for his work in promoting Gandhian values in the archipelago nation. Both are based out of Bali, the only Hindu-majority province in Muslim-majority Indonesia. Speaking to WION, Dr I. Wayan Dibia on the Indian government conferring him award said, "This is a very special award for me. It is out of my expectations. In my work, I work a lot in Ramayana and Mahabharata. I didn't expect this kind of recognition to be given by the Indian government." He has created more than 150 new works on dance and dance dramas, mostly exploring both the Hindu Epics. Indian culture has impacted Bali since the fifth century and nine different art forms in the province utilising the epics. Also see | Padma Awards 2021: Foreign dignitaries honoured by highest civilian awards of India He explained, "people of Bali are very familiar with Mahabharata and Ramayana. The people Java too. Java Bali are areas where Ramayana and Mahabharata are very important. That is the literature we use in my performing arts..To Bali people it's not just literature, it is Itihas, story of Gods, the journey of Gods, the philosophical way of life ". Dibia is Bali's most influential Kecak Dancer, a traditional Indonesian art form depicting chapters of Ramayana. He has collaborated with Indian artists. In 2016, he worked with Indian dancers living in Toronto. Meanwhile, the other key Indonesian awardee is Agus Indra Udayana is the founder of Ashram Gandhi, Bali. The ashram gives scholarships to 45 students for education and life in Ashram follows "simplicity of Mahatma Gandhi". Also read | How can India help Vietnam in the disputed South China Sea? "It was a surprise for me...I say thank you to President Kovind and PM Modi" Udayana said, highlighting, "we should live very simple...Gandhi's idea's very simple.." His Ashram has been visited by 2 Indonesian President has been to the Ashram-Megawati Sukarnoputri and Abdurrahman Wahid. Both of them also were honoured at the Indonesian embassy. Udayana and Dibia are Hindus by religion.

Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gandhi connect to Indonesia's Padma awardees

<p>The Sri Lankan Consul General in Mumbai, Ambassador Dr&nbsp;Valsan, has called for more communication between provincial politicians of India and Sri Lanka that will "sort lot of misperceptions".</p>

<p>Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Dr. Valsan said, "We have a healthy communication channel between the top leadership and relevant institutions of India and Sri Lanka....I feel that other than traditional areas of connectivity, one important area that needs to be improved is the political connectivity at the provincial level."</p>

<p>India and Sri Lanka have had a lot of high-level engagements, including the recent visit of Indian foreign secretary Harsh Shringla to the country. Sri Lanka is likely to host BIMSTEC summit later this year, and if it happens in person, Indian Prime Minister is expected to go to the country.</p>

<p>The Sri Lankan diplomat also talked about connecting the Ramayana trail between India and Sri Lanka. "If we can link up this Ramayana trail, with India and Sri Lanka trail this will enhance the connectivity between these two&nbsp;nations," he said.</p>

<p><strong>WION:</strong> How do you see India Sri Lanka ties?&nbsp;What can be done to increase more interaction in the already substantive relationship?<br />
<strong>Ambassador Dr. Valsan:</strong> From Sri Lanka's point of view, we feel it's an excellent relationship;&nbsp;it has to be excellent relationship as it is more than 2400 years old, and over a period of time it has been built on common cultural and historic ties. Infact, Buddhism is the biggest link given to us by India.</p>

<p>More than anything else, in the contemporary period there is a large Indian footprint in the foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka,&nbsp;and our bilateral trade is around 4.5 billion dollars a year, out of which 84 per cent is Indian export to Sri Lanka. In tourism, largest arrival is from India, that is around 450 thousand tourists, that is around 18 per cent of total tourist arrival. Around 10 per cent of our GDP comes from tourism.</p>

<p>Many Sri Lankan students are studying in Indian universities, some with scholarships and&nbsp;some without them. Large number of Sri Lankan defense personnel are getting trained in India. Dream of every Buddhist in Sri Lanka is to pay homage at least once in a lifetime at pilgrimage sites in India.</p>

<p>In emergency situation, like the Tsunami in 2004 and the Covid pandemic, India was at our doorstep with assistance and large Indian origin community has been living in Sri Lanka for many generations and this includes my family too. Other than this, there are 14-15 thousand Indian expats connected with various activities happily living in Sri Lanka. I can go on and on, but this shows we have all the positive elements of a relationship, take it cultural, civilisational, economic or even geo strategic — we have all the elements intact.</p>

<p>So it has to be an excellent relationship and because of this we have India-first policy, when it comes to our foreign policy formulation. However, this doesn't mean our relationship is without any issues. There are issues, there is another dimension to the relationship, and that is transactional relationship. Whenever there is transactional relationship, it will have its own issues in our case — it has been happening ever since Indo Sri Lankan accord of 1987 under peculiar circumstances. Still, we are managing those issues, and moving forward.</p>

<p>Fortunately, we have a healthy communication channel between the top leadership and relevant institutions of India and Sri Lanka. Any bilateral relationship is always evolving and it depends on the various factors, especially geo strategic. Personally, I feel that other than traditional areas of connectivity, one important area that needs to be improved is the political connectivity at the provincial level. As of now,&nbsp;it's mostly confined to political connectivity to Delhi and Colombo because of protocol constraints, especially in India. Because of that, relationship very often becomes vulnerable to local and perceptional issues at the provincial level. As much as possible, relationship should be on broad based connectivity respecting each other's sovereignty, integrity and self-respect rather than formal agreements. Formal agreements are always vulnerable to perceptional issues. Since India is too big and powerful, I get a feeling that India has to be asymmetric in her attitude towards Sri Lanka rather than basing her relationship on reciprocities. So, asymmetry is the name of the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WION:</strong> How can Mumbai be a launchpad for Sri Lankan investment into India and vice versa?<br />
<strong>Ambassador Dr. Valsan: </strong>As of now, there are a&nbsp;lot of Indian investments in Sri Lanka —&nbsp;large footprint. Already, there is economic activity between Sri Lanka and Mumbai. Most of the companies invested in Sri Lanka are Mumbai based, example, Primal glass, CEAT, TATA, ITC, Ultra Tech cement, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra and more. The footprint is very large. Now, Adani group has also come with $700 million investment in Colombo port. However, there are further opportunities, we have opened up three zones, one is 400 acres of land exclusively for pharma around Hambantota harbor and great opportunity for Indian investment, 300 acres of exclusive zone for textiles, and Mumbai being textile and pharma city, these two areas are something Indian investors should explore. Third area is urban development projects because all over Sri Lanka, we are in the process of restoring all heritage buildings and coming up with a lot of infra projects and I am sure Indian investors can have look at those areas.</p>

<p><strong>WION:</strong> What about connectivity?<br />
<strong>Ambassador Dr. Valsan:</strong> Connectivity, as of now, widespread connectivity at traditional level, people to people level, as I said, it has to enhanced a bit. Connectivity should be at political level a lot, for example, for people like us based in Mumbai and Chennai there are&nbsp;lot of protocol constraints. So, I feel that communication should be at political level; the provincial politicians of India and Sri Lanka have to talk to each other and meet each other. That way, a lot of issues and misperceptions can be sorted out.</p>

<p><strong>WION:</strong> When it comes to tourism, how are you planning to increase Indian tourism, especially from Mumbai, Maharashtra and that part of India?<br />
<strong>Ambassador Dr. Valsan:</strong> From Sir Lanka's point of view, we have a lot of plans.&nbsp;Other than traditional tourism, from Mumbai we thought we will focus on two aspects. One is the Ramayana trail, if you look at Valmiki Ramayana, more than 50 per cent of Ramayana happened in Sri Lanka and we have identified so many locations, that are connected with Ramayana. I don't say these are historically or&nbsp;archeologically true but these are beliefs of the people. These are based on legends of the local people. So, that is one area we thought of exploring and we thought we will be in touch with Hindu cultural organisations here and some of these institutions. We are going to present our case on Ramayana trail. I spoke to my high commissioner, even in India, central government is having Ramayana corridor. So if we can link up this Ramayana trail, with India and Sri Lanka trail, this will enhance the connectivity between these two nations. That is one area. Second area is Buddhist trail which has a lot of similarities. Even in India, a lot of interest is there in promoting the Buddhist sites, which will be very welcomed by the Sri Lankan Buddhist. As I said, each and every one of Buddhist is eagerly looking forward to come and visit sites in India, areas connected with Buddha's life. From our point of view, I thought, we will try to link up areas in Maharashtra with our heritage sites in Sri Lanka. We will give care.</p>

<p><strong>WION:&nbsp;</strong>Since Organic Fertilizer from India has passed lab tests and you plan to facilitate its procurement from India. Anything on that?<br />
<strong>Ambassador Dr. Valsan: </strong>Of course yes, we will for sure buy from India and that is one of the reasons we have done the lab test. Our state minister for agriculture has already announced that we have a large plan to procure from India but you know, the nuts and bolts of procurement, too early for me to say on it. Normally, this decision is taken at government level, if government&nbsp;asks us to intervene or facilitate things, the mission will be involved.</p>


The Sri Lankan Consul General in Mumbai, Ambassador Dr Valsan, has called for more communication between provincial politicians of India and Sri Lanka that will "sort lot of misperceptions".

The Sri Lankan Consul General in Mumbai, Ambassador Dr Valsan, has called for more communication between provincial politicians of India and Sri Lanka that will "sort lot of misperceptions". Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Dr. Valsan said, "We have a healthy communication channel between the top leadership and relevant institutions of India and Sri Lanka....I feel that other than traditional areas of connectivity, one important area that needs to be improved is the political connectivity at the provincial level." India and Sri Lanka have had a lot of high-level engagements, including the recent visit of Indian foreign secretary Harsh Shringla to the country. Sri Lanka is likely to host BIMSTEC summit later this year, and if it happens in person, Indian Prime Minister is expected to go to the country. The Sri Lankan diplomat also talked about connecting the Ramayana trail between India and Sri Lanka. "If we can link up this Ramayana trail, with India and Sri Lanka trail this will enhance the connectivity between these two nations," he said. WION: How do you see India Sri Lanka ties? What can be done to increase more interaction in the already substantive relationship? Ambassador Dr. Valsan: From Sri Lanka's point of view, we feel it's an excellent relationship; it has to be excellent relationship as it is more than 2400 years old, and over a period of time it has been built on common cultural and historic ties. Infact, Buddhism is the biggest link given to us by India. More than anything else, in the contemporary period there is a large Indian footprint in the foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka, and our bilateral trade is around 4.5 billion dollars a year, out of which 84 per cent is Indian export to Sri Lanka. In tourism, largest arrival is from India, that is around 450 thousand tourists, that is around 18 per cent of total tourist arrival. Around 10 per cent of our GDP comes from tourism. Many Sri Lankan students are studying in Indian universities, some with scholarships and some without them. Large number of Sri Lankan defense personnel are getting trained in India. Dream of every Buddhist in Sri Lanka is to pay homage at least once in a lifetime at pilgrimage sites in India. In emergency situation, like the Tsunami in 2004 and the Covid pandemic, India was at our doorstep with assistance and large Indian origin community has been living in Sri Lanka for many generations and this includes my family too. Other than this, there are 14-15 thousand Indian expats connected with various activities happily living in Sri Lanka. I can go on and on, but this shows we have all the positive elements of a relationship, take it cultural, civilisational, economic or even geo strategic — we have all the elements intact. So it has to be an excellent relationship and because of this we have India-first policy, when it comes to our foreign policy formulation. However, this doesn't mean our relationship is without any issues. There are issues, there is another dimension to the relationship, and that is transactional relationship. Whenever there is transactional relationship, it will have its own issues in our case — it has been happening ever since Indo Sri Lankan accord of 1987 under peculiar circumstances. Still, we are managing those issues, and moving forward. Fortunately, we have a healthy communication channel between the top leadership and relevant institutions of India and Sri Lanka. Any bilateral relationship is always evolving and it depends on the various factors, especially geo strategic. Personally, I feel that other than traditional areas of connectivity, one important area that needs to be improved is the political connectivity at the provincial level. As of now, it's mostly confined to political connectivity to Delhi and Colombo because of protocol constraints, especially in India. Because of that, relationship very often becomes vulnerable to local and perceptional issues at the provincial level. As much as possible, relationship should be on broad based connectivity respecting each other's sovereignty, integrity and self-respect rather than formal agreements. Formal agreements are always vulnerable to perceptional issues. Since India is too big and powerful, I get a feeling that India has to be asymmetric in her attitude towards Sri Lanka rather than basing her relationship on reciprocities. So, asymmetry is the name of the game. WION: How can Mumbai be a launchpad for Sri Lankan investment into India and vice versa? Ambassador Dr. Valsan: As of now, there are a lot of Indian investments in Sri Lanka — large footprint. Already, there is economic activity between Sri Lanka and Mumbai. Most of the companies invested in Sri Lanka are Mumbai based, example, Primal glass, CEAT, TATA, ITC, Ultra Tech cement, Mahindra & Mahindra and more. The footprint is very large. Now, Adani group has also come with $700 million investment in Colombo port. However, there are further opportunities, we have opened up three zones, one is 400 acres of land exclusively for pharma around Hambantota harbor and great opportunity for Indian investment, 300 acres of exclusive zone for textiles, and Mumbai being textile and pharma city, these two areas are something Indian investors should explore. Third area is urban development projects because all over Sri Lanka, we are in the process of restoring all heritage buildings and coming up with a lot of infra projects and I am sure Indian investors can have look at those areas. WION: What about connectivity? Ambassador Dr. Valsan: Connectivity, as of now, widespread connectivity at traditional level, people to people level, as I said, it has to enhanced a bit. Connectivity should be at political level a lot, for example, for people like us based in Mumbai and Chennai there are lot of protocol constraints. So, I feel that communication should be at political level; the provincial politicians of India and Sri Lanka have to talk to each other and meet each other. That way, a lot of issues and misperceptions can be sorted out. WION: When it comes to tourism, how are you planning to increase Indian tourism, especially from Mumbai, Maharashtra and that part of India? Ambassador Dr. Valsan: From Sir Lanka's point of view, we have a lot of plans. Other than traditional tourism, from Mumbai we thought we will focus on two aspects. One is the Ramayana trail, if you look at Valmiki Ramayana, more than 50 per cent of Ramayana happened in Sri Lanka and we have identified so many locations, that are connected with Ramayana. I don't say these are historically or archeologically true but these are beliefs of the people. These are based on legends of the local people. So, that is one area we thought of exploring and we thought we will be in touch with Hindu cultural organisations here and some of these institutions. We are going to present our case on Ramayana trail. I spoke to my high commissioner, even in India, central government is having Ramayana corridor. So if we can link up this Ramayana trail, with India and Sri Lanka trail, this will enhance the connectivity between these two nations. That is one area. Second area is Buddhist trail which has a lot of similarities. Even in India, a lot of interest is there in promoting the Buddhist sites, which will be very welcomed by the Sri Lankan Buddhist. As I said, each and every one of Buddhist is eagerly looking forward to come and visit sites in India, areas connected with Buddha's life. From our point of view, I thought, we will try to link up areas in Maharashtra with our heritage sites in Sri Lanka. We will give care. WION: Since Organic Fertilizer from India has passed lab tests and you plan to facilitate its procurement from India. Anything on that? Ambassador Dr. Valsan: Of course yes, we will for sure buy from India and that is one of the reasons we have done the lab test. Our state minister for agriculture has already announced that we have a large plan to procure from India but you know, the nuts and bolts of procurement, too early for me to say on it. Normally, this decision is taken at government level, if government asks us to intervene or facilitate things, the mission will be involved.

More talks needed between India-SL provincial leaders: Lankan consul general in Mumbai

<p>She has played warrior queen Laxmibai in 'Manikarnika', she is played former CM of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa in 'Thalaivii' and now Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut is all set to play Sita in her new film 'Incarnation of Sita'.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The actress announced her new project on Tuesday on Instagram. The film is going to be helmed by Alaukik Desai. It’s story is written by screenwriter KV Vijayendra Prasad. Kangana shared the first poster of the film and wrote, "The Incarnation- Sita Glad to be on board for the title role with this immensely talented team of artists.. With the blessings of Sita Ram Jai SiyaRam (sic)."</p>

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<p>The announcement comes days after the release of her new film 'Thalaivii' which received mixed responses from critics. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-thalaivii-review-arvind-swami-shines-as-mgr-kangana-ranaut-plays-herself-412068">Read WION's review of 'Thalaivii' here</a></p>

<p>Filmmaker Alaukik Desai said in a press statement, “Universe does help those who surrender to it with belief. What was a mirage, is now clear. A dream of a pious character never explored is now a reality. I am ecstatic to bring Kangana Ranaut on board as Sita. This pious journey will change the course of how we perceive our mythology. Thank you SS Studio for your immense support and belief.”</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-we-need-to-discourage-english-films-from-taking-over-our-screens-kangana-ranaut-to-wion-412061">Also see:&nbsp;We need to discourage English films from taking over our screens: Kangana Ranaut to WION</a></strong></p>

<p>Kangana also has 'Dhaakad' and 'Tejas' in the pipeline.</p>


She has played warrior queen Laxmibai in 'Manikarnika', she is played former CM of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa in 'Thalaivii' and now Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut is all set to play Sita in her new film 'Incarnation of Sita'.

She has played warrior queen Laxmibai in 'Manikarnika', she is played former CM of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa in 'Thalaivii' and now Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut is all set to play Sita in her new film 'Incarnation of Sita'. The actress announced her new project on Tuesday on Instagram. The film is going to be helmed by Alaukik Desai. It’s story is written by screenwriter KV Vijayendra Prasad. Kangana shared the first poster of the film and wrote, "The Incarnation- Sita Glad to be on board for the title role with this immensely talented team of artists.. With the blessings of Sita Ram Jai SiyaRam (sic)." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kangana Thalaivii (@kanganaranaut) × The announcement comes days after the release of her new film 'Thalaivii' which received mixed responses from critics. Read WION's review of 'Thalaivii' here Filmmaker Alaukik Desai said in a press statement, “Universe does help those who surrender to it with belief. What was a mirage, is now clear. A dream of a pious character never explored is now a reality. I am ecstatic to bring Kangana Ranaut on board as Sita. This pious journey will change the course of how we perceive our mythology. Thank you SS Studio for your immense support and belief.” Also see: We need to discourage English films from taking over our screens: Kangana Ranaut to WION Kangana also has 'Dhaakad' and 'Tejas' in the pipeline.

Kangana Ranaut to play the title role in 'Incarnation of Sita'

<p>In a series of reforms undertaken by Prince Mohammed bin Salman for Saudi Arabia, education has taken one of the top spots.&nbsp;Now a tweet about Prince Salman’s “Vision 2030” for the country has gone viral on social media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Turns out, the country will inculcate information about Hinduism and Buddhism. This will include teaching students about Ramayana and Mahabharata.</p>

<p>A user on Twitter shared images of the test question for their son’s social studies exam, which included questions about the Hindu epics.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/saudi-arabia-to-allow-only-immunised-pilgrims-to-mecca-375572" hreflang="en">Saudi Arabia to allow only 'immunised' pilgrims to Mecca</a></p>

<p>“Saudi Arabia’s new #vision2030 &amp; curriculum will help to create a coexistent, moderate &amp; tolerant generation. Screenshots of my son's school exam today in Social Studies included concepts &amp; history of Hinduism, Buddhism,Ramayana, Karma, Mahabharata Dharma. I enjoyed helping him study,” the tweet read.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong>Check out the images below</strong></em></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Saudi Arabia’s new <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vision2030?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vision2030</a> &amp; curriculum will help to create coexistent,moderate &amp; tolerant generation. Screenshots of my sons school exam today in Social Studies included concepts &amp; history of Hinduism,Buddhism,Ramayana, Karma, Mahabharata &amp;Dharma. I enjoyed helping him study <a href="https://t.co/w9c8WYstt9">pic.twitter.com/w9c8WYstt9</a></p>
— Nouf Almarwaai نوف المروعي 🇸🇦 (@NoufMarwaai) <a href="https://twitter.com/NoufMarwaai/status/1382694702852538379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>That’s not it! To realise Vision 2030 for the country, Prince Salman is attempting to mainstream yoga and Ayurveda, which find their roots in India. Besides including Mahabharata and Ramayana in the school curriculum, English language has also been made mandatory as part of the reforms.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/saudi-arabia-announces-13-trillion-investment-for-economic-diversification-374563" hreflang="en">Saudi Arabia announces $1.3 trillion investment for economic diversification</a></p>

<p>The image was tweeted by Nouf Almarwaai, who received the Padma Shri award for being the first certified yoga instructor in Saudi Arabia. The tweet was posted on April 15 and has gone viral since then.</p>


In a series of reforms undertaken by Prince Mohammed bin Salman for Saudi Arabia, education has taken one of the top spots. Now a tweet about Prince Salman’s “Vision 2030” for the country has gone viral on social media.

In a series of reforms undertaken by Prince Mohammed bin Salman for Saudi Arabia, education has taken one of the top spots. Now a tweet about Prince Salman’s “Vision 2030” for the country has gone viral on social media. Turns out, the country will inculcate information about Hinduism and Buddhism. This will include teaching students about Ramayana and Mahabharata. A user on Twitter shared images of the test question for their son’s social studies exam, which included questions about the Hindu epics. Also read: Saudi Arabia to allow only 'immunised' pilgrims to Mecca “Saudi Arabia’s new #vision2030 & curriculum will help to create a coexistent, moderate & tolerant generation. Screenshots of my son's school exam today in Social Studies included concepts & history of Hinduism, Buddhism,Ramayana, Karma, Mahabharata Dharma. I enjoyed helping him study,” the tweet read. Check out the images below Saudi Arabia’s new #vision2030 & curriculum will help to create coexistent,moderate & tolerant generation. Screenshots of my sons school exam today in Social Studies included concepts & history of Hinduism,Buddhism,Ramayana, Karma, Mahabharata &Dharma. I enjoyed helping him study pic.twitter.com/w9c8WYstt9 — Nouf Almarwaai نوف المروعي 🇸🇦 (@NoufMarwaai) April 15, 2021 × That’s not it! To realise Vision 2030 for the country, Prince Salman is attempting to mainstream yoga and Ayurveda, which find their roots in India. Besides including Mahabharata and Ramayana in the school curriculum, English language has also been made mandatory as part of the reforms. Also read: Saudi Arabia announces $1.3 trillion investment for economic diversification The image was tweeted by Nouf Almarwaai, who received the Padma Shri award for being the first certified yoga instructor in Saudi Arabia. The tweet was posted on April 15 and has gone viral since then.

Ramayana, Mahabharata to become part of Saudi Arabia's school curriculum

<p>Expressing his fascination for India in his latest book 'A Promised Land', Former US President Barack Obama said that he has always held a special place for India due to his childhood years spent in Indonesia listening to the epic Hindu tales of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.</p>

<p>Obama's memoir, “A Promised Land,” arrives at a moment of deep political, cultural and social unrest — tensions that have been heightened by a global pandemic and an economic crisis.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-sonias-beauty-to-manmohans-integrity-heres-what-barack-obama-wrote-on-congress-leaders-342800"><strong>Also read | From Sonia's beauty to Manmohan's 'integrity': Here's what Barack Obama wrote on Congress leaders</strong></a></p>

<p>"Maybe it was because I'd spent a part of my childhood in Indonesia listening to the epic Hindu tales of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, or because of my interest in Eastern religions, or because of a group of Pakistani and Indian college friends who'd taught me to cook dal and keema and turned me on to Bollywood movies," Obama writes.</p>

<p>"Maybe it was its (India's) sheer size, with one-sixth of the world's population, an estimated two thousand distinct ethnic groups, and more than seven hundred languages spoken," Obama said.</p>

<p>Obama says he had never been to India before his Presidential visit in 2010, but the country had "always held a special place in my imagination".</p>

<p>"My book is for those young people -- an invitation to once again remake the world, and to bring about, through hard work, determination, and a big dose of imagination, an America that finally aligns with all that is best in us," Obama said.</p>

<p>In the 768-page first volume of his memoirs, the 44th US president reveals that he writes longhand with a pen on a yellow pad instead of on a computer and confesses to an inability to be concise.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Expressing his fascination for India in his latest book 'A Promised Land', Former US President Barack Obama said that he has always held a special place for India due to his childhood years spent in Indonesia listening to the epic Hindu tales of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Expressing his fascination for India in his latest book 'A Promised Land', Former US President Barack Obama said that he has always held a special place for India due to his childhood years spent in Indonesia listening to the epic Hindu tales of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Obama's memoir, “A Promised Land,” arrives at a moment of deep political, cultural and social unrest — tensions that have been heightened by a global pandemic and an economic crisis. Also read | From Sonia's beauty to Manmohan's 'integrity': Here's what Barack Obama wrote on Congress leaders "Maybe it was because I'd spent a part of my childhood in Indonesia listening to the epic Hindu tales of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, or because of my interest in Eastern religions, or because of a group of Pakistani and Indian college friends who'd taught me to cook dal and keema and turned me on to Bollywood movies," Obama writes. "Maybe it was its (India's) sheer size, with one-sixth of the world's population, an estimated two thousand distinct ethnic groups, and more than seven hundred languages spoken," Obama said. Obama says he had never been to India before his Presidential visit in 2010, but the country had "always held a special place in my imagination". "My book is for those young people -- an invitation to once again remake the world, and to bring about, through hard work, determination, and a big dose of imagination, an America that finally aligns with all that is best in us," Obama said. In the 768-page first volume of his memoirs, the 44th US president reveals that he writes longhand with a pen on a yellow pad instead of on a computer and confesses to an inability to be concise. (With inputs from agencies)

Spent childhood listening to Ramayana and Mahabharata: Barack Obama in memoir 

<p>Ramanand Sagar’s ‘Ramayana’ has broken all records in the history of TV. The mythological show recently became the world’s most watched show as it beat ‘Game of Thrones’ with a staggering viewership.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, after the last episode of ‘Uttar Ramayan’ aired on May 2, fans have started a trend on Twitter, demanding ‘Baahubali’ director SS Rajamouli to bring the series to the big screen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The filmmaker has directed ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ and ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion’ which broke many box office records.</p>

<p>Check out some tweets here:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shree Ram is waiting for you <a href="https://twitter.com/ssrajamouli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ssrajamouli</a> Sir<br />
Please Make Ramayan<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajamouliMakeRamayan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajamouliMakeRamayan</a> <a href="https://t.co/nqz4l1rxm1">pic.twitter.com/nqz4l1rxm1</a></p>
— நவீன புத்தன் (@ModernBuddhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/ModernBuddhan/status/1256843058848514051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Next ramanand sagar should<br />
Be <a href="https://twitter.com/ssrajamouli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ssrajamouli</a> who can create this epic<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajaMouliMakeRamayan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajaMouliMakeRamayan</a><a href="https://twitter.com/PrakashJavdekar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrakashJavdekar</a> <a href="https://t.co/WNx5K0JSpB">pic.twitter.com/WNx5K0JSpB</a></p>
— Ashish Mishra (@ashishmishra3) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashishmishra3/status/1256804434551746560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ram is not a just a name, Ram is past,present &amp; future. ❤<br />
We request <a href="https://twitter.com/ssrajamouli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ssrajamouli</a> sir to recreate this masterpiece.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajaMouliMakeRamayan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajaMouliMakeRamayan</a><a href="https://twitter.com/arungovil12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@arungovil12</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/iamSunilLahri?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iamSunilLahri</a><a href="https://twitter.com/ChikhaliaDipika?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChikhaliaDipika</a> <a href="https://t.co/u33N0PCvH1">pic.twitter.com/u33N0PCvH1</a></p>
— Sudhanshu Joshi (@sudhanjoshi) <a href="https://twitter.com/sudhanjoshi/status/1256810442250350596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rajamoulimakeramayan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rajamoulimakeramayan</a><br />
You can do this sir... <a href="https://twitter.com/ssrajamouli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ssrajamouli</a> <a href="https://t.co/DL9KoDDQwd">pic.twitter.com/DL9KoDDQwd</a></p>
— Deepak Vishwakarma (@DeepakV40625022) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeepakV40625022/status/1256804564919111680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ram is not just a name he is soul of India,his great life is a message for every human on this planet,I request you <a href="https://twitter.com/ssrajamouli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ssrajamouli</a> ji to make a grand movie on great life of bhagwan Ram. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajaMouliMakeRamayan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajaMouliMakeRamayan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rajmohansingh81?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rajmohansingh81</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulKothariBJP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RahulKothariBJP</a> <a href="https://t.co/GrdNu06pF6">pic.twitter.com/GrdNu06pF6</a></p>
— Ayan Bhatt (@soulofhermit) <a href="https://twitter.com/soulofhermit/status/1256804905223847937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Ramanand Sagar had made a total of 78 episodes of Ramayan based on Valmiki's Ramayana and Tulsidas' Ramcharitmanas.&nbsp;</p>


Ramanand Sagar’s ‘Ramayana’ has broken all records in the history of TV. The mythological show recently became the world’s most watched show as it beat ‘Game of Thrones’ with a staggering viewership.

Ramanand Sagar’s ‘Ramayana’ has broken all records in the history of TV. The mythological show recently became the world’s most watched show as it beat ‘Game of Thrones’ with a staggering viewership. Now, after the last episode of ‘Uttar Ramayan’ aired on May 2, fans have started a trend on Twitter, demanding ‘Baahubali’ director SS Rajamouli to bring the series to the big screen. The filmmaker has directed ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ and ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion’ which broke many box office records. Check out some tweets here: Shree Ram is waiting for you @ssrajamouli Sir Please Make Ramayan#RajamouliMakeRamayan pic.twitter.com/nqz4l1rxm1 — நவீன புத்தன் (@ModernBuddhan) May 3, 2020 × Next ramanand sagar should Be @ssrajamouli who can create this epic#RajaMouliMakeRamayan@PrakashJavdekar pic.twitter.com/WNx5K0JSpB — Ashish Mishra (@ashishmishra3) May 3, 2020 × Ram is not a just a name, Ram is past,present & future. ❤ We request @ssrajamouli sir to recreate this masterpiece.#RajaMouliMakeRamayan@arungovil12 @iamSunilLahri@ChikhaliaDipika pic.twitter.com/u33N0PCvH1 — Sudhanshu Joshi (@sudhanjoshi) May 3, 2020 × #Rajamoulimakeramayan You can do this sir... @ssrajamouli pic.twitter.com/DL9KoDDQwd — Deepak Vishwakarma (@DeepakV40625022) May 3, 2020 × Ram is not just a name he is soul of India,his great life is a message for every human on this planet,I request you @ssrajamouli ji to make a grand movie on great life of bhagwan Ram. #RajaMouliMakeRamayan @rajmohansingh81 @RahulKothariBJP pic.twitter.com/GrdNu06pF6 — Ayan Bhatt (@soulofhermit) May 3, 2020 × Meanwhile, Ramanand Sagar had made a total of 78 episodes of Ramayan based on Valmiki's Ramayana and Tulsidas' Ramcharitmanas.

Twitterati want 'Baahubali' director SS Rajamouli to make film on 'Ramayana'

<p>Ever since popular serials ‘Ramayan’ and ‘Mahabharata’ started telecasting on Doordarshan to keep people entertained amid lockdown owing to COVID 19 fears, the shows have been in news for one reason or another.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to latest Twitter trends, Ramayana has been popping in the feed as people complain that there are scenes from the show that have been edited.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/reruns-of-ramayana-mahabharata-make-doordarshan-highest-watched-channel-in-india-291678">Reruns of Ramayana, Mahabharata make Doordarshan highest-watched channel in India</a></p>

<p>Among such concerns, a user asked CEO Prasar Bharti Shashi Shekhar, “why important events like Ahiravan and Diksha by Ravan to Laxman cut down.... feel disappointed" [sic] To this, Shekhar clarified and said, "There have been no cuts, they were not part of the original production."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">There have been no cuts, they were not part of the original production.</p>
— Shashi Shekhar (@shashidigital) <a href="https://twitter.com/shashidigital/status/1251359745694294016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Another fan wrote, "There are many scenes in Ramayan which were edited like during setu nirmaan there was a squirrel, that was also edited. Why?" [sic]&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shashi Shekhar then responded that the epic stories have a larger narrative and it wasn't possible for every single interpretation to make it to the script.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/when-ramayanas-sita-aka-dipika-chikhlia-met-with-lk-advani-and-pm-modi-292946">When Ramayana's Sita aka Dipika Chikhlia, met with LK Advani and PM Modi</a></p>

<p>Eager to address all concerns, he further tweeted, "The beauty of our epics are the many stories, side-stories and interpretations. Not every nuance can possibly make it into a single television script but perhaps leaves the door open for future productions." [sic]</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The beauty of our epics are the many stories, side-stories and interpretations. Not every nuance can possibly make it into a single television script but perhaps leaves the door open for future productions <a href="https://t.co/od8HaoBANs">https://t.co/od8HaoBANs</a></p>
— Shashi Shekhar (@shashidigital) <a href="https://twitter.com/shashidigital/status/1251365326551347202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="und">🙏 <a href="https://t.co/nsPAzlgNV2">https://t.co/nsPAzlgNV2</a></p>
— Shashi Shekhar (@shashidigital) <a href="https://twitter.com/shashidigital/status/1251741554835746823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Ever since popular serials ‘Ramayan’ and ‘Mahabharata’ started telecasting on Doordarshan to keep people entertained amid lockdown owing to COVID 19 fears, the shows have been in news for one reason or another.

Ever since popular serials ‘Ramayan’ and ‘Mahabharata’ started telecasting on Doordarshan to keep people entertained amid lockdown owing to COVID 19 fears, the shows have been in news for one reason or another. According to latest Twitter trends, Ramayana has been popping in the feed as people complain that there are scenes from the show that have been edited. Reruns of Ramayana, Mahabharata make Doordarshan highest-watched channel in India Among such concerns, a user asked CEO Prasar Bharti Shashi Shekhar, “why important events like Ahiravan and Diksha by Ravan to Laxman cut down.... feel disappointed" [sic] To this, Shekhar clarified and said, "There have been no cuts, they were not part of the original production." There have been no cuts, they were not part of the original production. — Shashi Shekhar (@shashidigital) April 18, 2020 × Another fan wrote, "There are many scenes in Ramayan which were edited like during setu nirmaan there was a squirrel, that was also edited. Why?" [sic] Shashi Shekhar then responded that the epic stories have a larger narrative and it wasn't possible for every single interpretation to make it to the script. When Ramayana's Sita aka Dipika Chikhlia, met with LK Advani and PM Modi Eager to address all concerns, he further tweeted, "The beauty of our epics are the many stories, side-stories and interpretations. Not every nuance can possibly make it into a single television script but perhaps leaves the door open for future productions." [sic] The beauty of our epics are the many stories, side-stories and interpretations. Not every nuance can possibly make it into a single television script but perhaps leaves the door open for future productions https://t.co/od8HaoBANs — Shashi Shekhar (@shashidigital) April 18, 2020 × 🙏 https://t.co/nsPAzlgNV2 — Shashi Shekhar (@shashidigital) April 19, 2020 ×

Viewers unhappy with DD cutting out scenes from Ramayana, Prasar Bharti CEO replies

<p>Getting back classic programmes like Ramayan during the coronavirus lockdown to keep people entertained has catapulted Doordarshan (DD) to be the highest watched channel in India for week ended April 3, BARC said on Thursday.</p>

<p>The national broadcaster could achieve the feat, which involves a nearly 40,000% jump in viewership in the evening and morning bands, despite a surge reported by the private broadcasters who are also experiencing higher viewership, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) said.</p>

<p>Starting with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/its-confirmed-ramayana-to-return-to-tv-on-dd-national-from-tomorrow-288836">Hindu mythology series Ramayan,</a> DD has got back other classics like Mahabharat, Shaktiman and Buniyaad to serve the audiences during the three-week lockdown. Most of these were produced when DD monopolised TV broadcasting in the country.</p>

<p>BARC attributed the telecast of Ramayan and Mahabharat for DD’s emergence to the top, while the other programmes also helped improve its position in select time slots.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal of switching off lights at 9 p.m. last Sunday led to the lowest ever viewing in that time segment since 2015. His speech announcing the lighting of lamps had fewer viewers.</p>

<p>Modi’s speech to appeal people to light lamps after turning off the lights had fewer viewers as compared to his speech announcing the lockdown, it said, specifying the numbers at 119 million versus 197 million.</p>

<p>South-based Sun TV’s strategy of broadcasting classics has also paid off and helped it jump on viewership, while a few paid Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC) who have introduced classics have also seen jump in viewership.</p>

<p>The overall TV viewership grew 4% as compared to the previous week and was 43$ higher than the pre-COVID-19 outbreak period, the council said.</p>

<p>Channels in the news and movies genre recorded an all-time high growth in viewership during the week, with Hindi movies surpassing GEC segment, it said.</p>

<p>Interestingly, despite the absence of any new sporting event, the viewership for sports channels grew 21%as they beamed India’s cricket wins from the past and also WWE matches from the past, it said.</p>


Getting back classic programmes like Ramayan during the coronavirus lockdown to keep people entertained has catapulted Doordarshan (DD) to be the highest watched channel in India for week ended April 3, BARC said on Thursday.

Getting back classic programmes like Ramayan during the coronavirus lockdown to keep people entertained has catapulted Doordarshan (DD) to be the highest watched channel in India for week ended April 3, BARC said on Thursday. The national broadcaster could achieve the feat, which involves a nearly 40,000% jump in viewership in the evening and morning bands, despite a surge reported by the private broadcasters who are also experiencing higher viewership, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) said. Starting with the Hindu mythology series Ramayan, DD has got back other classics like Mahabharat, Shaktiman and Buniyaad to serve the audiences during the three-week lockdown. Most of these were produced when DD monopolised TV broadcasting in the country. BARC attributed the telecast of Ramayan and Mahabharat for DD’s emergence to the top, while the other programmes also helped improve its position in select time slots. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal of switching off lights at 9 p.m. last Sunday led to the lowest ever viewing in that time segment since 2015. His speech announcing the lighting of lamps had fewer viewers. Modi’s speech to appeal people to light lamps after turning off the lights had fewer viewers as compared to his speech announcing the lockdown, it said, specifying the numbers at 119 million versus 197 million. South-based Sun TV’s strategy of broadcasting classics has also paid off and helped it jump on viewership, while a few paid Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC) who have introduced classics have also seen jump in viewership. The overall TV viewership grew 4% as compared to the previous week and was 43$ higher than the pre-COVID-19 outbreak period, the council said. Channels in the news and movies genre recorded an all-time high growth in viewership during the week, with Hindi movies surpassing GEC segment, it said. Interestingly, despite the absence of any new sporting event, the viewership for sports channels grew 21%as they beamed India’s cricket wins from the past and also WWE matches from the past, it said.

Reruns of Ramayana, Mahabharata make Doordarshan highest-watched channel in India

<p>Brazilian President Jair M. Bolsonaro in a letter to PM Modi on COVID crisis today has made references to Ramayana and compared Indian efforts to Hanuman and Sanjeevani booti.</p>

<p>The excerpt of the letter said, "Just as Lord Hanuman brought the holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama's brother Lakshmana, and Jesus healed those who were sick and restored the sight to Bartimeu, India and Brazil will overcome this global crisis by joining forces and sharing blessings &nbsp;for the sake of all people."</p>

<p>Interestingly the letter was sent on the day of &nbsp;Hanuman Jayanti.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also, the fact letter mentions "Holy medicine" or "Sanjeevani Booti" is important given the fact that Brazilian President has requested for hydroxychloroquine, called as the game-changer drug in the fight against COVID the from Indian PM.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last week Brazilian President and Indian PM had spoken and discussed the global situation in the wake of the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and request for hydroxychloroquine.</p>

<p>In a tweet, Brazilian President had said," Requested support in the continuity of the provision of pharmaceuticals for the production of hydroxychloroquine”</p>

<p>The Indian govt readout on the talks said, "The Prime Minister assured all possible support to Brazil President in this difficult hour. They agreed that their officials would remain in regular touch concerning the COVID-19 situation and its emerging challenges."</p>

<p>India has got a request from 30 countries for hydroxychloroquine. Brazilian President was the Chief Guest at the 70th Republic Day celebrations of India earlier this year. Both countries are also part of the BRICS grouping.</p>

<p>Earlier today US president against talked about getting HCQ from India. Recalling his talks with PM Modi over the weekend he said the Indian PM "was great, he was really good" when "spoke....asked if it would be okay if he released it(Hydroxychloroquine)".</p>

<p>Trump said, "they have.. a lot of it comes out from India..they put a stop because they want it for India."</p>

<p>This is the 3rd time in last 5 days President Trump has talked about his requested for Hydroxychloroquine from India. Indian companies will be fulfilling the contractual obligations of US order put in place before the ban on export was imposed.</p>


Brazilian President Jair M. Bolsonaro in a letter to PM Modi on COVID crisis today has made references to Ramayana and compared Indian efforts to Hanuman and Sanjeevani booti.

Brazilian President Jair M. Bolsonaro in a letter to PM Modi on COVID crisis today has made references to Ramayana and compared Indian efforts to Hanuman and Sanjeevani booti. The excerpt of the letter said, "Just as Lord Hanuman brought the holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama's brother Lakshmana, and Jesus healed those who were sick and restored the sight to Bartimeu, India and Brazil will overcome this global crisis by joining forces and sharing blessings for the sake of all people." Interestingly the letter was sent on the day of Hanuman Jayanti. Also, the fact letter mentions "Holy medicine" or "Sanjeevani Booti" is important given the fact that Brazilian President has requested for hydroxychloroquine, called as the game-changer drug in the fight against COVID the from Indian PM. Last week Brazilian President and Indian PM had spoken and discussed the global situation in the wake of the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and request for hydroxychloroquine. In a tweet, Brazilian President had said," Requested support in the continuity of the provision of pharmaceuticals for the production of hydroxychloroquine” The Indian govt readout on the talks said, "The Prime Minister assured all possible support to Brazil President in this difficult hour. They agreed that their officials would remain in regular touch concerning the COVID-19 situation and its emerging challenges." India has got a request from 30 countries for hydroxychloroquine. Brazilian President was the Chief Guest at the 70th Republic Day celebrations of India earlier this year. Both countries are also part of the BRICS grouping. Earlier today US president against talked about getting HCQ from India. Recalling his talks with PM Modi over the weekend he said the Indian PM "was great, he was really good" when "spoke....asked if it would be okay if he released it(Hydroxychloroquine)". Trump said, "they have.. a lot of it comes out from India..they put a stop because they want it for India." This is the 3rd time in last 5 days President Trump has talked about his requested for Hydroxychloroquine from India. Indian companies will be fulfilling the contractual obligations of US order put in place before the ban on export was imposed.

On Hanuman Jayanti, Brazilian president writes to PM Modi; makes references to Ramayana, Sanjeevani booti

<p>Brazilian Envoy to India has said that Brazilian President Bolsonaro is interested in Hinduism and in the "richness of Indian religious traditions" even as the Latin American leader wrote a letter to Indian PM which had references to Ramayana.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/on-hanuman-jayanti-brazilian-president-writes-to-pm-modi-makes-references-to-ramayana-sanjeevani-booti-291291">Also read: On Hanuman Jayanti, Brazilian president writes to PM Modi; makes references to Ramayana, Sanjeevani booti</a></p>

<p>Speaking to WION's Diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, <strong>Envoy Andre Aranha Correa do Lago</strong> said," Modi and President Bolsonaro have very strong faith" and also talked about his country's request for hydroxychloroquine, called as game-changer in the fight against COVID.</p>

<p><strong>WION: </strong>Brazilian President and PM Modi spoke, what were the key points of conversations?</p>

<p><strong>Andre Aranha Correa do Lago:</strong> After the visit of President Bolsonaro to India, there was a clear understanding between our 2 leaders that they have to coordinate the major issues that were happening in the world because our 2 countries are acquiring completely different profile in the world and obviously with the incredible pandemic and this challenge our leaders had to speak about it and so they spoke about this issue from different points of views and naturally President mentioned the importance of pharmaceutic dimension of our relationship.</p>

<p><strong>WION: </strong>You requested for hydroxychloroquine..why is it important for you?</p>

<p><strong>Andre Aranha Correa do Lago: </strong>Because most of our factories in Brazil produce hydroxychloroquine from substances that come from India, so we need it for our main producers, they will need it coming from India. So this is a great hope that has been presented in the fight against COVID 19, issues were mentioned.</p>

<p><strong>WION: </strong>President Bolsonaro wrote a letter to PM Modi, mentioned Ramayana, Hanuman and Sanjeevani Booti, what was the thought process behind it?</p>

<p><strong>Andre Aranha Correa do Lago: </strong>Yes, you know, you have to remember that two things were very clear for President Bolsonaro when he came to India, first he was fascinated by the religious tradition of India and he started to be very interested in Hindusim and the richness of Indian religious traditions. Another side is President Bolsonaro is a very religious man, so I believe that he was very much inspired by that and remembering both Modi and him are true believers and have very strong faith that is I believe he decided to put that quotation that shows although we have a different religion, in our religion, we have the profile and Ideas that are linked to the support that everyone has to give to each other in such crisis. Today is Hanuman Jayanti, all these signs are very very interesting.</p>


Brazilian Envoy to India has said that Brazilian President Bolsonaro is interested in Hinduism and in the "richness of Indian religious traditions" even as the Latin American leader wrote a letter to Indian PM which had references to Ramayana.

Brazilian Envoy to India has said that Brazilian President Bolsonaro is interested in Hinduism and in the "richness of Indian religious traditions" even as the Latin American leader wrote a letter to Indian PM which had references to Ramayana. Also read: On Hanuman Jayanti, Brazilian president writes to PM Modi; makes references to Ramayana, Sanjeevani booti Speaking to WION's Diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Envoy Andre Aranha Correa do Lago said," Modi and President Bolsonaro have very strong faith" and also talked about his country's request for hydroxychloroquine, called as game-changer in the fight against COVID. WION: Brazilian President and PM Modi spoke, what were the key points of conversations? Andre Aranha Correa do Lago: After the visit of President Bolsonaro to India, there was a clear understanding between our 2 leaders that they have to coordinate the major issues that were happening in the world because our 2 countries are acquiring completely different profile in the world and obviously with the incredible pandemic and this challenge our leaders had to speak about it and so they spoke about this issue from different points of views and naturally President mentioned the importance of pharmaceutic dimension of our relationship. WION: You requested for hydroxychloroquine..why is it important for you? Andre Aranha Correa do Lago: Because most of our factories in Brazil produce hydroxychloroquine from substances that come from India, so we need it for our main producers, they will need it coming from India. So this is a great hope that has been presented in the fight against COVID 19, issues were mentioned. WION: President Bolsonaro wrote a letter to PM Modi, mentioned Ramayana, Hanuman and Sanjeevani Booti, what was the thought process behind it? Andre Aranha Correa do Lago: Yes, you know, you have to remember that two things were very clear for President Bolsonaro when he came to India, first he was fascinated by the religious tradition of India and he started to be very interested in Hindusim and the richness of Indian religious traditions. Another side is President Bolsonaro is a very religious man, so I believe that he was very much inspired by that and remembering both Modi and him are true believers and have very strong faith that is I believe he decided to put that quotation that shows although we have a different religion, in our religion, we have the profile and Ideas that are linked to the support that everyone has to give to each other in such crisis. Today is Hanuman Jayanti, all these signs are very very interesting.

Brazil president interested in Hinduism, says envoy on references to Ramayana in letter by Bolsonaro

<p>After Ramayana, popular comedy sitcoms 'Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai'&nbsp;and 'Khichdi'&nbsp;are now set to return to&nbsp;TV from April 6. The shows will be aired from 10 AM to 12 noon every morning.<br />
<br />
The news was confirmed by the channel's official twitter handle.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">16 साल बाद, इंद्रवदन आ रहा है आप से मिलने फिर एक बार!<br />
देखिए ''साराभाई Vs साराभाई'', 6 अप्रैल से, हर-रोज़ सुबह 10 बजे, सिर्फ़ STAR भारत पर!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KhichdiwithSarabhais?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KhichdiwithSarabhais</a> <a href="https://t.co/iGkpoUFxmO">pic.twitter.com/iGkpoUFxmO</a></p>
— STAR भारत (@StarBharat) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarBharat/status/1246121045238534144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>“16 saal baad, Indravadan aa raha hai milne aapse fir ek baar. Dekhiye Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai April 6 se subah 10 baje. Sirf Star Bharat par", tweeted Star Bharat.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">18 साल बाद, प्रफुल आ रहा है आप से मिलने फिर एक बार!<br />
देखिए 'खिचड़ी', 6 अप्रैल से, हर-रोज़ सुबह 11 बजे, सिर्फ़ भारत पर!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KhichdiwithSarabhais?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KhichdiwithSarabhais</a> <a href="https://t.co/FVoNMqK21K">pic.twitter.com/FVoNMqK21K</a></p>
— STAR भारत (@StarBharat) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarBharat/status/1246114057586757632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Another tweet read, “18 saal baat Praful aa raha hai appse milne. Dekhiye Khichdi April 6 se subah 11 baje, sirf Star Bharat par.<br />
<br />
'Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai'&nbsp;was a small family drama that&nbsp;first aired on Star One in 2004. As the second season of the show was also created for OTT platform Hotstar.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
'Khichdi'&nbsp;was another crazy family drama which&nbsp;first aired in the year 2001.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Doordarshan is&nbsp;back with some&nbsp;classic shows like&nbsp;'<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/its-confirmed-ramayana-to-return-to-tv-on-dd-national-from-tomorrow-288836">Ramayana</a>'. The serial has&nbsp;almost garnered 170 million viewers worldwide. This is also the highest ever TRP rating for any Hindi General Entertainment Channel programme since 2015.</p>


After Ramayana, popular comedy sitcoms 'Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai' and 'Khichdi' are now set to return to TV from April 6. The shows will be aired from 10 AM to 12 noon every morning.

After Ramayana, popular comedy sitcoms 'Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai' and 'Khichdi' are now set to return to TV from April 6. The shows will be aired from 10 AM to 12 noon every morning. The news was confirmed by the channel's official twitter handle. 16 साल बाद, इंद्रवदन आ रहा है आप से मिलने फिर एक बार! देखिए ''साराभाई Vs साराभाई'', 6 अप्रैल से, हर-रोज़ सुबह 10 बजे, सिर्फ़ STAR भारत पर!#KhichdiwithSarabhais pic.twitter.com/iGkpoUFxmO — STAR भारत (@StarBharat) April 3, 2020 × “16 saal baad, Indravadan aa raha hai milne aapse fir ek baar. Dekhiye Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai April 6 se subah 10 baje. Sirf Star Bharat par", tweeted Star Bharat. 18 साल बाद, प्रफुल आ रहा है आप से मिलने फिर एक बार! देखिए 'खिचड़ी', 6 अप्रैल से, हर-रोज़ सुबह 11 बजे, सिर्फ़ भारत पर!#KhichdiwithSarabhais pic.twitter.com/FVoNMqK21K — STAR भारत (@StarBharat) April 3, 2020 × Another tweet read, “18 saal baat Praful aa raha hai appse milne. Dekhiye Khichdi April 6 se subah 11 baje, sirf Star Bharat par. 'Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai' was a small family drama that first aired on Star One in 2004. As the second season of the show was also created for OTT platform Hotstar. 'Khichdi' was another crazy family drama which first aired in the year 2001. Meanwhile, Doordarshan is back with some classic shows like 'Ramayana'. The serial has almost garnered 170 million viewers worldwide. This is also the highest ever TRP rating for any Hindi General Entertainment Channel programme since 2015.

Comedy sitcoms 'Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai' and 'Khichdi' return to TV from April 6

<p>With people all over the world practicing home quarantine owing to coronavirus spread, OTT platforms have seen a surge in traffic. With content being key in surviving this tough time, our very own 'Ramayana', one of the most popular Indian shows till date, is returning to television.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Information and Broadcasting confirmed in a tweet on Friday that the show will retelecast from&nbsp;Saturday, March 28.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Javadekar tweeted, "Happy to announce that on public demand, we are starting retelecast of 'Ramayana' from tomorrow, Saturday March 28 in DD National, One episode in morning 9 am to 10 am, another in the evening 9 pm to 10 pm (sic)."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy to announce that on public demand, we are starting retelecast of 'Ramayana' from tomorrow, Saturday March 28 in DD National, One episode in morning 9 am to 10 am, another in the evening 9 pm to 10 pm.<a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a><br />
@PIBIndia<a href="https://twitter.com/DDNational?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DDNational</a></p>
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrakashJavdekar/status/1243381573635825664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Soon after the news came out, Twitter thanked Javadekar, the government for this move. There were also those who asked them to bring back other popular TV shows as people have all the time in the world to consume content. They&nbsp;requested to re-telecast other shows like Mahabharata, Junior G, Shaktiman and Chanakya among others.</p>

<p>India is currently on a 21-day lockdown starting from March 24.</p>

<p>Ramanand Sagar's 'Ramayana' starred Arun Govil as Ram and Deepika Chikhalia as Sita, with Arvind Trivedi playing Raavan and Dara Singh essaying Hanuman. The series originally ran from 25 January 1987 to 31 July 1988.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood-news-veteran-actress-nimmi-no-more-at-88-rishi-kapoor-mahesh-bhatt-pay-tribute-288585">Also read:&nbsp;Veteran actress Nimmi no more at 88; Rishi Kapoor, Mahesh Bhatt pay tribute</a></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood-news-watch-katrina-kaifs-workout-videos-will-keep-you-entertained-while-you-quarantine-288355">Watch: Katrina Kaif's workout videos will keep you entertained while you quarantine</a></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/8-new-web-shows-films-to-watch-as-you-quarantine-at-home-287555">8 new web shows, films to watch as you quarantine at home</a></p>


With people all over the world practicing home quarantine owing to coronavirus spread, OTT platforms have seen a surge in traffic. With content being key in surviving this tough time, our very own 'Ramayana', one of the most popular Indian shows till date, is returning to television.

With people all over the world practicing home quarantine owing to coronavirus spread, OTT platforms have seen a surge in traffic. With content being key in surviving this tough time, our very own 'Ramayana', one of the most popular Indian shows till date, is returning to television. Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Information and Broadcasting confirmed in a tweet on Friday that the show will retelecast from Saturday, March 28. Javadekar tweeted, "Happy to announce that on public demand, we are starting retelecast of 'Ramayana' from tomorrow, Saturday March 28 in DD National, One episode in morning 9 am to 10 am, another in the evening 9 pm to 10 pm (sic)." Happy to announce that on public demand, we are starting retelecast of 'Ramayana' from tomorrow, Saturday March 28 in DD National, One episode in morning 9 am to 10 am, another in the evening 9 pm to 10 pm.@narendramodi @PIBIndia@DDNational — Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) March 27, 2020 × Soon after the news came out, Twitter thanked Javadekar, the government for this move. There were also those who asked them to bring back other popular TV shows as people have all the time in the world to consume content. They requested to re-telecast other shows like Mahabharata, Junior G, Shaktiman and Chanakya among others. India is currently on a 21-day lockdown starting from March 24. Ramanand Sagar's 'Ramayana' starred Arun Govil as Ram and Deepika Chikhalia as Sita, with Arvind Trivedi playing Raavan and Dara Singh essaying Hanuman. The series originally ran from 25 January 1987 to 31 July 1988. Also read: Veteran actress Nimmi no more at 88; Rishi Kapoor, Mahesh Bhatt pay tribute Watch: Katrina Kaif's workout videos will keep you entertained while you quarantine 8 new web shows, films to watch as you quarantine at home

It's confirmed! Ramayana to return to TV on DD national from tomorrow

<p>Indian Railways will operate a new train based on Ramayan theme from March, officials said on Saturday.</p>

<p>According to the statement, the train which&nbsp;will start operating from last week of March will take pilgrims to locations associated with Lord Rama.</p>

<p>The train's interior and exterior will be based on Ramayana theme and it will give passengers feel of a temple on wheels.</p>

<p>The Ram bhajans will also play inside the train.</p>

<p>Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said, "The train will take people to all places related to Ramayana.&nbsp;The theme of this train will be based on Ramayana.&nbsp; Pictures, thoughts and poems related to Ramayana will be displayed on coaches outside and pictures related to the epic and music will also be played inside."</p>

<p>Earlier, the Railways ran a special train named after Lord Ram, "Shri Ramayana Express", which began its services in November last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from ANI)</em></p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Indian Railways will operate a new train based on Ramayan theme from March, officials said on Saturday. According to the statement, the train which will start operating from last week of March will take pilgrims to locations associated with Lord Rama.

Indian Railways will operate a new train based on Ramayan theme from March, officials said on Saturday. According to the statement, the train which will start operating from last week of March will take pilgrims to locations associated with Lord Rama. The train's interior and exterior will be based on Ramayana theme and it will give passengers feel of a temple on wheels. The Ram bhajans will also play inside the train. Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said, "The train will take people to all places related to Ramayana. The theme of this train will be based on Ramayana. Pictures, thoughts and poems related to Ramayana will be displayed on coaches outside and pictures related to the epic and music will also be played inside." Earlier, the Railways ran a special train named after Lord Ram, "Shri Ramayana Express", which began its services in November last year. (With inputs from ANI)

Railways to operate new train based on Ramayana theme

<p>According to the latest announcement, Ramayana will get a three-part screen adaptation that will be shot in 3D and in three languages -- Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The budget of the trio is currently set at Rs 500 crore.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The announcement did not include any details on the casting as it is yet to be finalised. As for production and direction, big name have attached themselves to the project like Telugu powerhouse Allu Aravind, ex-Phantom Films founder Madhu Mantena and Namit Malhotra, founder of Prime Focus studios, who will jointly produce; Nitesh Tiwari (Dangal) and Ravi Udyawar (MOM) are said to don the director’s hats.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Ramayana adaptation is currently in development and aims to begin filming next year.</p>

<p>In a press release, Nitesh Tiwari and Ravi Udyawar spoke about their personal connections to the Ramayana, "I went with my father and brother to the Ramlila every year and though we all knew the story, it still evoked the same emotions in us when Sita was kidnapped or Ravana's effigy burnt," said Tiwari.</p>

<p>"I heard these stories from my grandmother and mother and passed them on to my children. Everybody knows the story of Ram, Sita and Raavan, it's the story-telling that will make our trilogy memorable and I'm putting everything I have learnt into it to make it fun and engaging while staying true to the original," Udyawar said on the same.</p>

<p>Pre-production includes reference work for scenes in Ayodhya as Lanka, the land of Ravana will be depicted in a wash of gold. Mithila will be shown as green with Nepali architecture.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tiwari said, "Money and time are not a problem. Our producers have told us to be fearless and fly. So, we are flying visually," said Tiwari.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Actors from across the several Indian film industries will be included in the cast. A 2021 release is being targeted and the makers hope to avoid long gaps between the three parts.</p>

<p>It will be the film industry’s second epic-in-progress after an even more ambitious Rs.1000-crore version of the Mahabharata with Mohanlal in the lead role of Bheem. We last heard that the film has run into some financial troubles.&nbsp;</p>


According to the latest announcement, Ramayana will get a three-part screen adaptation that will be shot in 3D and in three languages -- Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

According to the latest announcement, Ramayana will get a three-part screen adaptation that will be shot in 3D and in three languages -- Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The budget of the trio is currently set at Rs 500 crore. The announcement did not include any details on the casting as it is yet to be finalised. As for production and direction, big name have attached themselves to the project like Telugu powerhouse Allu Aravind, ex-Phantom Films founder Madhu Mantena and Namit Malhotra, founder of Prime Focus studios, who will jointly produce; Nitesh Tiwari (Dangal) and Ravi Udyawar (MOM) are said to don the director’s hats. The Ramayana adaptation is currently in development and aims to begin filming next year. In a press release, Nitesh Tiwari and Ravi Udyawar spoke about their personal connections to the Ramayana, "I went with my father and brother to the Ramlila every year and though we all knew the story, it still evoked the same emotions in us when Sita was kidnapped or Ravana's effigy burnt," said Tiwari. "I heard these stories from my grandmother and mother and passed them on to my children. Everybody knows the story of Ram, Sita and Raavan, it's the story-telling that will make our trilogy memorable and I'm putting everything I have learnt into it to make it fun and engaging while staying true to the original," Udyawar said on the same. Pre-production includes reference work for scenes in Ayodhya as Lanka, the land of Ravana will be depicted in a wash of gold. Mithila will be shown as green with Nepali architecture. Tiwari said, "Money and time are not a problem. Our producers have told us to be fearless and fly. So, we are flying visually," said Tiwari. Actors from across the several Indian film industries will be included in the cast. A 2021 release is being targeted and the makers hope to avoid long gaps between the three parts. It will be the film industry’s second epic-in-progress after an even more ambitious Rs.1000-crore version of the Mahabharata with Mohanlal in the lead role of Bheem. We last heard that the film has run into some financial troubles.

Ramayana to get three-part screen adaptation in 3D and in three languages

<p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/photos/thailands-new-queen-flight-attendant-to-bodyguard-to-royalty-215386&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjFuPPr9fzhAhWBo48KHfMDARAQFjAFegQIBBAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ooQplssbqqUQoR8EPReEU">Thailand`s </a>King <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/thai-king-names-his-consort-queen-days-before-coronation-215170&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwimvYea9vzhAhULuo8KHaGNDEwQFjAEegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0IX4g59oEd1t9KFehOfGn2">Maha Vajiralongkorn</a> on Thursday paid tribute to his ancestors in a ceremony ahead of his <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/thailand-set-for-coronation-of-king-rama-x-first-in-69-years-215364&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwimvYea9vzhAhULuo8KHaGNDEwQFjABegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3fpouABYPnQZQTuMGpVOEn">official coronation</a> this weekend, when he will take the formal title King Rama X, the 10th king in the Chakri dynasty.</p>

<p>In a tradition dating to the 18th century, the Chakri kings have held the formal title Rama, after an avatar of Hindu god Vishnu in the ancient Indian epic the Ramayana.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are details of the nine previous kings in the dynasty:</p>

<p><strong>Rama I - King Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (born 1737-died 1809)</strong></p>

<p>Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke founded the Chakri dynasty and established Bangkok as the capital of Siam, as Thailand was known, in 1782.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He ruled for 27 years and is best known for repelling the last major Burmese attack on Siam, known as the Nine Armies` Wars, from 1785 to 1786.</p>

<p><strong>Rama II - King Phra Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (1767-1824)</strong></p>

<p>King Phra Buddha Loetla Nabhalai succeeded his father in 1809 and ruled for almost 15 years.</p>

<p>His reign was more peaceful.</p>

<p>Art and literature flourished.</p>

<p>The king was an avid composer of poetry, plays and songs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The most notable poet under the king`s patronage was Sunthorn Phu, known as the "the Shakespeare of Thailand" for his role in literature.</p>

<p><strong>Rama III - King Phra Nangklao (1788-1851)</strong></p>

<p>King Phra Nangklao reformed the tax and treasury system and oversaw a boom in trade with China during his 27-year rule from 1824.</p>

<p>Siam renewed official contacts with western powers for the first time since the late Ayutthaya period, and supported the British in their first Anglo-Burmese War in 1824.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The king did not name a successor and the throne passed to his half-brother.</p>

<p><strong>Rama IV - King Mongkut (1804-1868)</strong></p>

<p>Probably the best-known king of Siam in the West, Mongkut was portrayed in the 1951 Broadway musical "The King and I" and later in a 1956 Hollywood film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Under growing Western pressure during his 17-year reign, Mongkut signed the Bowring Treaty with the British Empire that abolished a royal monopoly over foreign trade.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mongkut later died from malaria that he contracted while on an expedition to see a total eclipse of the sun.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Rama V - King Chulalongkorn (1853-1910)</strong></p>

<p>The 42-year reign of King Chulalongkorn, the son of Mongkut, was known for a modernization drive and abolition of slavery.</p>

<p>He also ceded territories to Western powers, including Laos and Cambodia to France, and the Malay sultanates of Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis to Britain.</p>

<p>Chulalongkorn was the first Siamese king to send royal princes to study in Europe. He visited twice and presented Siam as a modern nation to European rulers.</p>

<p><strong>Rama VI - King Vajiravudh (1881-1925)</strong></p>

<p>Vajiravudh`s reign was characterized by the creation and promotion of Siamese nationalism.</p>

<p>He modernized the military and sent troops to join Allied forces in World War One.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He quashed an attempted coup in 1912 by disgruntled military officers who accused the king of financial extravagances and sought to establish a democratic rule.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Rama VII - King Prajadhipok (1893-1941)</strong></p>

<p>Prajadhipok was Siam`s last absolute monarch and its first constitutional monarch after the Siamese Revolution of 1932.</p>

<p>Educated at Eton, he succeeded his brother in 1926. Six years later a group of military officers and civil servants initiated a near bloodless coup.</p>

<p>Prajadhipok abdicated in 1935 and spent the rest of his life with his wife in England.</p>

<p>The couple had no children.</p>

<p><strong>Rama VIII - King Ananda Mahidol (1925-1946)</strong></p>

<p>Ananda ascended to the throne after his uncle abdicated. His father, Prince Mahidol, was a son of King Chulalongkorn.</p>

<p>Ananda was nine years old and studying in Switzerland when he was chosen to succeed Prajadhipok.</p>

<p>The government changed the country`s name to Thailand in 1939.</p>

<p>In 1946, Ananda, 20, was found shot dead in his bedroom inside Bangkok`s Grand Palace in mysterious circumstances, four days before his planned return to school in Switzerland.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Rama IX - King Bhumibol Adulyadej (1927-2016)</strong></p>

<p>Bhumibol succeeded his brother in 1946 and reigned for 70 years, the world`s longest reigning monarch when he died.</p>

<p>The American-born king became the face of Thailand, blending tradition with modernity and travelling the world with Queen Sirikit.</p>

<p>During his reign, the country had 30 prime ministers, 10 successful military coups and 17 constitutions.</p>

<p>His intervention in several political crises helped to end the bloodshed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was awarded the United Nations` first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 3,000 royal development projects.&nbsp;</p>


Thailand`s King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Thursday paid tribute to his ancestors in a ceremony ahead of his official coronation this weekend, when he will take the formal title King Rama X, the 10th king in the Chakri dynasty.

Thailand`s King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Thursday paid tribute to his ancestors in a ceremony ahead of his official coronation this weekend, when he will take the formal title King Rama X, the 10th king in the Chakri dynasty. In a tradition dating to the 18th century, the Chakri kings have held the formal title Rama, after an avatar of Hindu god Vishnu in the ancient Indian epic the Ramayana. Here are details of the nine previous kings in the dynasty: Rama I - King Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (born 1737-died 1809) Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke founded the Chakri dynasty and established Bangkok as the capital of Siam, as Thailand was known, in 1782. He ruled for 27 years and is best known for repelling the last major Burmese attack on Siam, known as the Nine Armies` Wars, from 1785 to 1786. Rama II - King Phra Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (1767-1824) King Phra Buddha Loetla Nabhalai succeeded his father in 1809 and ruled for almost 15 years. His reign was more peaceful. Art and literature flourished. The king was an avid composer of poetry, plays and songs. The most notable poet under the king`s patronage was Sunthorn Phu, known as the "the Shakespeare of Thailand" for his role in literature. Rama III - King Phra Nangklao (1788-1851) King Phra Nangklao reformed the tax and treasury system and oversaw a boom in trade with China during his 27-year rule from 1824. Siam renewed official contacts with western powers for the first time since the late Ayutthaya period, and supported the British in their first Anglo-Burmese War in 1824. The king did not name a successor and the throne passed to his half-brother. Rama IV - King Mongkut (1804-1868) Probably the best-known king of Siam in the West, Mongkut was portrayed in the 1951 Broadway musical "The King and I" and later in a 1956 Hollywood film. Under growing Western pressure during his 17-year reign, Mongkut signed the Bowring Treaty with the British Empire that abolished a royal monopoly over foreign trade. Mongkut later died from malaria that he contracted while on an expedition to see a total eclipse of the sun. Rama V - King Chulalongkorn (1853-1910) The 42-year reign of King Chulalongkorn, the son of Mongkut, was known for a modernization drive and abolition of slavery. He also ceded territories to Western powers, including Laos and Cambodia to France, and the Malay sultanates of Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis to Britain. Chulalongkorn was the first Siamese king to send royal princes to study in Europe. He visited twice and presented Siam as a modern nation to European rulers. Rama VI - King Vajiravudh (1881-1925) Vajiravudh`s reign was characterized by the creation and promotion of Siamese nationalism. He modernized the military and sent troops to join Allied forces in World War One. He quashed an attempted coup in 1912 by disgruntled military officers who accused the king of financial extravagances and sought to establish a democratic rule. Rama VII - King Prajadhipok (1893-1941) Prajadhipok was Siam`s last absolute monarch and its first constitutional monarch after the Siamese Revolution of 1932. Educated at Eton, he succeeded his brother in 1926. Six years later a group of military officers and civil servants initiated a near bloodless coup. Prajadhipok abdicated in 1935 and spent the rest of his life with his wife in England. The couple had no children. Rama VIII - King Ananda Mahidol (1925-1946) Ananda ascended to the throne after his uncle abdicated. His father, Prince Mahidol, was a son of King Chulalongkorn. Ananda was nine years old and studying in Switzerland when he was chosen to succeed Prajadhipok. The government changed the country`s name to Thailand in 1939. In 1946, Ananda, 20, was found shot dead in his bedroom inside Bangkok`s Grand Palace in mysterious circumstances, four days before his planned return to school in Switzerland. Rama IX - King Bhumibol Adulyadej (1927-2016) Bhumibol succeeded his brother in 1946 and reigned for 70 years, the world`s longest reigning monarch when he died. The American-born king became the face of Thailand, blending tradition with modernity and travelling the world with Queen Sirikit. During his reign, the country had 30 prime ministers, 10 successful military coups and 17 constitutions. His intervention in several political crises helped to end the bloodshed. He was awarded the United Nations` first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 3,000 royal development projects.

The 10 Ramas: The kings of Thailand's Chakri dynasty

<p>To mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of its diplomatic ties with India, Indonesia has released a special commemorative stamp on the theme of Ramayana.</p>

<p>The stamp, designed by Indonesian sculptor Padmashri Bapak Nyoman Nuarta, features a scene from Ramayana in which Jatayu fought to save Sita, the Embassy of India in Jakarta said in a statement.</p>

<p>A specially signed version of the stamp will be on display at the Philately Museum in Jakarta, the statement said.</p>

<p>The event was attended by India's Ambassador Pradeep Kumar Rawat and Indonesia's Vice Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


To mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of its diplomatic ties with India, Indonesia has released a special commemorative stamp on the theme of Ramayana.

To mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of its diplomatic ties with India, Indonesia has released a special commemorative stamp on the theme of Ramayana. The stamp, designed by Indonesian sculptor Padmashri Bapak Nyoman Nuarta, features a scene from Ramayana in which Jatayu fought to save Sita, the Embassy of India in Jakarta said in a statement. A specially signed version of the stamp will be on display at the Philately Museum in Jakarta, the statement said. The event was attended by India's Ambassador Pradeep Kumar Rawat and Indonesia's Vice Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir.

Indonesia releases special stamp on Ramayana theme

<p>Learning Hinduism and reading the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata have taken a chunk of Missy Franklin's time ever since the five-time Olympic gold-medallist swimmer announced a shock retirement in December last year.</p>

<p>Chronic shoulder pain forced the 23-year-old to call time on her career but on the bright side, it allowed her to do things that she couldn't do as an active athlete.</p>

<p>Earlier, she did Yoga for fun but after exploring Hinduism, it became a spiritual experience for the bubbly American, who is majoring in religion at the University of Georgia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I have been studying religion for a year now and it is so fascinating and eye opening. I love learning different cultures, people and their faith," Franklin told PTI on the sidelines of the 'Laureus World Sports Awards'.</p>

<p>"My own religion is Christianity but two classes I have found so intriguing are Hinduism and Islam. Because those are the two religions I did not know a lot about and after reading and learning about them, I think they are beautiful," said the winner of four gold medals at the London Olympics.</p>

<p>Besides a champion athlete, Franklin also comes across as a bright student who knows quite a bit about Hinduism. She is fascinated by the Ramayana and Mahabharata and has also made a conscious effort to learn the unfamiliar names in the two epics.</p>

<p>"I think the most beautiful aspect of Hinduism is the idea of Karma and of being good to one another, doing good deeds and how that all comes back to you, how the universe works.</p>

<p>"I find their myths and tales incredible, it is also fascinating to know about their gods, reading the Mahabharata and Ramayana has been such an amazing experience for me.</p>

<p>"The family names in Mahabharata would always confuse me but I remember learning about Ram and Sita in the Ramayana. How Sita lived her life, how loyal she stayed to Rama," she said.</p>

<p>As she is not competing anymore, Franklin has decided to not go for a second shoulder surgery. She doesn't swim much due to the constant shoulder pain but keeps herself fit with running and cycling. Yoga too has been in her routine for the last three years.</p>

<p>"My shoulder is still a bit painful because I chose not to get the surgery at all, so it is painful to swim. But for the first time in my life I am able to different kinds of exercises I have never done.</p>

<p>"I love running, cycling, I do yoga and a bunch of stuff I get to pursue that I never did before. I am travelling way more now because I don't have to train,? said Franklin, who is getting married later this year," she said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another thing on her to do list is visiting India, the country which has the largest Hindu population in the world. Thanks to her time at the University of Georgia, she also knows a lot more about the history of Yoga.</p>

<p>"Learning about the true roots of yoga and its process, how actual Yogis live their life of renunciation, it is so incredible. I have been doing Yoga recreationally for three years but after learning more about it through Hinduism, it has definitely become a more spiritual experience for me.</p>

<p>"In the west, I think the spiritualism of Yoga was left out and that is a huge generalisation. But it is great learning about what Yoga is all about and how it is about that connection with the divine and creating that oneness," she added.&nbsp;</p>


Learning Hinduism and reading the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata have taken a chunk of Missy Franklin's time ever since the five-time Olympic gold-medallist swimmer announced a shock retirement in December last year.

Learning Hinduism and reading the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata have taken a chunk of Missy Franklin's time ever since the five-time Olympic gold-medallist swimmer announced a shock retirement in December last year. Chronic shoulder pain forced the 23-year-old to call time on her career but on the bright side, it allowed her to do things that she couldn't do as an active athlete. Earlier, she did Yoga for fun but after exploring Hinduism, it became a spiritual experience for the bubbly American, who is majoring in religion at the University of Georgia. "I have been studying religion for a year now and it is so fascinating and eye opening. I love learning different cultures, people and their faith," Franklin told PTI on the sidelines of the 'Laureus World Sports Awards'. "My own religion is Christianity but two classes I have found so intriguing are Hinduism and Islam. Because those are the two religions I did not know a lot about and after reading and learning about them, I think they are beautiful," said the winner of four gold medals at the London Olympics. Besides a champion athlete, Franklin also comes across as a bright student who knows quite a bit about Hinduism. She is fascinated by the Ramayana and Mahabharata and has also made a conscious effort to learn the unfamiliar names in the two epics. "I think the most beautiful aspect of Hinduism is the idea of Karma and of being good to one another, doing good deeds and how that all comes back to you, how the universe works. "I find their myths and tales incredible, it is also fascinating to know about their gods, reading the Mahabharata and Ramayana has been such an amazing experience for me. "The family names in Mahabharata would always confuse me but I remember learning about Ram and Sita in the Ramayana. How Sita lived her life, how loyal she stayed to Rama," she said. As she is not competing anymore, Franklin has decided to not go for a second shoulder surgery. She doesn't swim much due to the constant shoulder pain but keeps herself fit with running and cycling. Yoga too has been in her routine for the last three years. "My shoulder is still a bit painful because I chose not to get the surgery at all, so it is painful to swim. But for the first time in my life I am able to different kinds of exercises I have never done. "I love running, cycling, I do yoga and a bunch of stuff I get to pursue that I never did before. I am travelling way more now because I don't have to train,? said Franklin, who is getting married later this year," she said. Another thing on her to do list is visiting India, the country which has the largest Hindu population in the world. Thanks to her time at the University of Georgia, she also knows a lot more about the history of Yoga. "Learning about the true roots of yoga and its process, how actual Yogis live their life of renunciation, it is so incredible. I have been doing Yoga recreationally for three years but after learning more about it through Hinduism, it has definitely become a more spiritual experience for me. "In the west, I think the spiritualism of Yoga was left out and that is a huge generalisation. But it is great learning about what Yoga is all about and how it is about that connection with the divine and creating that oneness," she added.

After shock retirement at 23, Missy Franklin finds peace in Hinduism

<p>Go to any part of Angkor Wat or Angkor Thom, two brilliant temples complexes in Siem Reap, the display from Ramayana and Mahabharata on the walls of the complex will blow you away.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The beauty lies in the detail. The walls of Angkor Wat have full illustration of both epic tales and Samudramanthan which is known as the tale of churning of the seas from which both celestial nectar and poison came out.</p>

<p>The walls have detailing of fight between monkey king Bali and Sugreev and Lord Ram taking a position to go for a kill. The detailing of Mahabharat is also particularly stunning.&nbsp;</p>

<p>From Bhishma being pinned by Arjuna’s arrows to vicious detailing of the 18-day battle adorn the walls of the complex.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The churning of the sea details both Sheshnag and Hanuman involved in the celestial exercise to make ‘devtas’ immortal.</p>

<p>There are abandoned temples, huge where once Lord Shiva was worshipped whom the people in Cambodia also call Rudra.</p>

<p><img alt="Angkor Wat Temple" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="97be0fbd-4e10-4cfd-9d5e-3f8ade95dc77" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/angor%20vat.jpeg" /></p>

<p><em>(Angkor Wat temple was constructed during the reign of King Suryavarman II, who ruled from 1113 to at least 1145.)</em></p>

<p>These motifs not only co-exist with Buddhist iconography but also continue to influence the cultural life of Cambodia. The marriage ceremony involves the use of banana (fruit) which is an ancient symbol for fertility.</p>

<p>Even Kaleva (red thread) is used during marriage rituals. Local names are also derived from both Ramayana and Mahabharata tales but pronounced differently. Chandra is pronounced as Chantra and so on and so forth.</p>

<p>Even before, Hinduism got reorganized by the British Raj through law and codification of rituals, there existed a universal appeal of classical Hinduism which still finds space in cultural life of South East Asian countires.</p>

<p><img alt="angkor wat" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3e729c63-d749-4c06-9057-8f0ede00fc1b" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202019-01-05%20at%2017.25.05.jpeg" /></p>

<p>Though Narsimha avatar is a tale which people know across North India as a fight between a devotee called Prahlad, his daitya father Hirnakashyap and Narsimha avatar of Vishnu.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is only in South India one finds temples of Narsimha avatar and not in the North India. But you re-discover this tale in Angkor Wat.</p>

<p>The city was also known as Param Vishnu Lok before the Kings of Cambodia converted to Buddhism.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hinduism as a religion is not a political force today but it is still of daily life.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Whether it is Ravan, Nandi or Bhakta Hanuman, they all co-exist with Buddhist influences. Cambodians are more aware of this heritage than many Indians.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Both these late ancient monuments show the power of India’s two most important epics which shaped many parts of the world. Both these tales continue to shape Indian politics and culture.</p>

<p><img alt="angkor wat" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0992ed8d-c0d5-4140-9aac-cd480ad41f66" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202019-01-05%20at%2017.23.04.jpeg" /></p>

<p>Walking around the late ancient temple complexes reminded me of Ayodhya in Faizabad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Many Indians today can only relate Ayodhya to the birth place of Lord Ram.&nbsp;</p>

<p>That is one aspect of the city. It was also culturally influenced by both Jainism and Buddhism tremendously.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This has done great harm to India and Hinduism as it undermines rich cultural history.</p>

<p>In Siem Reap both Buddhist and Hindu influences have been illustrated for tourists.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The complex is clean and neat and habit of not littering is encouraged.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ayodhya on the other hand is gifted with an infrastructure which only exists on papers. That should change.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I do not think that by erecting a tall statue of Lord Ram would change anything.</p>

<p>Some parts of the temple complex in Siem Reap have been maintained and restored by the ASI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It makes one proud that we have contributed in keeping alive, India’s cultural contribution abroad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Today BJP is fighting over the birth place of Ram in Ayodhya.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Today, the battle lies in the Supreme Court, but the true message is lost in the bitter political contest. God can be discovered, remembered and felt anywhere in the world. I found him in Siem Reap.<br />
<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


Go to any part of Angkor Wat or Angkor Thom, two brilliant temples complexes in Siem Reap, the display from Ramayana and Mahabharata on the walls of the complex will blow you away.

Go to any part of Angkor Wat or Angkor Thom, two brilliant temples complexes in Siem Reap, the display from Ramayana and Mahabharata on the walls of the complex will blow you away. The beauty lies in the detail. The walls of Angkor Wat have full illustration of both epic tales and Samudramanthan which is known as the tale of churning of the seas from which both celestial nectar and poison came out. The walls have detailing of fight between monkey king Bali and Sugreev and Lord Ram taking a position to go for a kill. The detailing of Mahabharat is also particularly stunning. From Bhishma being pinned by Arjuna’s arrows to vicious detailing of the 18-day battle adorn the walls of the complex. The churning of the sea details both Sheshnag and Hanuman involved in the celestial exercise to make ‘devtas’ immortal. There are abandoned temples, huge where once Lord Shiva was worshipped whom the people in Cambodia also call Rudra. (Angkor Wat temple was constructed during the reign of King Suryavarman II, who ruled from 1113 to at least 1145.) These motifs not only co-exist with Buddhist iconography but also continue to influence the cultural life of Cambodia. The marriage ceremony involves the use of banana (fruit) which is an ancient symbol for fertility. Even Kaleva (red thread) is used during marriage rituals. Local names are also derived from both Ramayana and Mahabharata tales but pronounced differently. Chandra is pronounced as Chantra and so on and so forth. Even before, Hinduism got reorganized by the British Raj through law and codification of rituals, there existed a universal appeal of classical Hinduism which still finds space in cultural life of South East Asian countires. Though Narsimha avatar is a tale which people know across North India as a fight between a devotee called Prahlad, his daitya father Hirnakashyap and Narsimha avatar of Vishnu. It is only in South India one finds temples of Narsimha avatar and not in the North India. But you re-discover this tale in Angkor Wat. The city was also known as Param Vishnu Lok before the Kings of Cambodia converted to Buddhism. Hinduism as a religion is not a political force today but it is still of daily life. Whether it is Ravan, Nandi or Bhakta Hanuman, they all co-exist with Buddhist influences. Cambodians are more aware of this heritage than many Indians. Both these late ancient monuments show the power of India’s two most important epics which shaped many parts of the world. Both these tales continue to shape Indian politics and culture. Walking around the late ancient temple complexes reminded me of Ayodhya in Faizabad. Many Indians today can only relate Ayodhya to the birth place of Lord Ram. That is one aspect of the city. It was also culturally influenced by both Jainism and Buddhism tremendously. This has done great harm to India and Hinduism as it undermines rich cultural history. In Siem Reap both Buddhist and Hindu influences have been illustrated for tourists. The complex is clean and neat and habit of not littering is encouraged. Ayodhya on the other hand is gifted with an infrastructure which only exists on papers. That should change. I do not think that by erecting a tall statue of Lord Ram would change anything. Some parts of the temple complex in Siem Reap have been maintained and restored by the ASI. It makes one proud that we have contributed in keeping alive, India’s cultural contribution abroad. Today BJP is fighting over the birth place of Ram in Ayodhya. Today, the battle lies in the Supreme Court, but the true message is lost in the bitter political contest. God can be discovered, remembered and felt anywhere in the world. I found him in Siem Reap. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Cambodia diary: Ramayana and Mahabharata, India’s two oldest and most durable brand ambassadors

<p>UP deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma made a controversial comment on Friday by claiming that Sita was a test tube baby.</p>

<p>He said that Sita was born from a concept similar to test tube as she was born from an earthen pot&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said, "People say Sita ji was born from an earthen pot, which means at the time of Ramayana, a concept similar to test tube baby must have existed".</p>

<p>Referring to the Mahabharata he further went on to say that the live streaming technology must have existed during the Mahabharata.</p>

<p>He said,"Today, the live telecast is being done, but I think a similar technology was present at the time of Mahabharata when Sanjay presented a 'live telecast' of the battle of Mahabharata to Dhritarashtra".</p>

<p>The latest comments by the BJP leader has added to the list of the BJP ranks who have created controversy by their statements.</p>

<p>Earlier Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb had said that the internet and satellite were not new to the country and existed even during the Maharabharat era.</p>

<p>He had also advocated the people should not run after government jobs instead they should milk cows.</p>

<p>After a series of bizarre remarks, the Chief Minister was called to New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Today, live telecast is being done, but I think a similar technology was present at the time of Mahabharata, when Sanjay presented a 'live telecast' of the battle of Mahabharata to Dhritarashtra: Dinesh Sharma, UP Deputy CM <a href="https://t.co/0AQ3ptHnIW">pic.twitter.com/0AQ3ptHnIW</a></p>
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He said, 'People say Sita ji was born from an earthen pot, which means at the time of Ramayana, a concept similar to test tube baby must have existed'

UP deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma made a controversial comment on Friday by claiming that Sita was a test tube baby. He said that Sita was born from a concept similar to test tube as she was born from an earthen pot He said, "People say Sita ji was born from an earthen pot, which means at the time of Ramayana, a concept similar to test tube baby must have existed". Referring to the Mahabharata he further went on to say that the live streaming technology must have existed during the Mahabharata. He said,"Today, the live telecast is being done, but I think a similar technology was present at the time of Mahabharata when Sanjay presented a 'live telecast' of the battle of Mahabharata to Dhritarashtra". The latest comments by the BJP leader has added to the list of the BJP ranks who have created controversy by their statements. Earlier Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb had said that the internet and satellite were not new to the country and existed even during the Maharabharat era. He had also advocated the people should not run after government jobs instead they should milk cows. After a series of bizarre remarks, the Chief Minister was called to New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Today, live telecast is being done, but I think a similar technology was present at the time of Mahabharata, when Sanjay presented a 'live telecast' of the battle of Mahabharata to Dhritarashtra: Dinesh Sharma, UP Deputy CM pic.twitter.com/0AQ3ptHnIW — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 1, 2018 ×

Sita was a 'test tube baby', says UP deputy CM Dinesh Sharma

<p>Some months ago, my friend&rsquo;s young son asked me about Hanuman, the secrets behind his prowess, especially his amazing size-reduction abilities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His father gave me a nod of approval, &lsquo;Aunty does know something about history for children.&rsquo;</p>

<p>This one short exchange encapsulates the challenges facing history, especially how it is shaped and narrated for younger readers. At first glance, there is everything wrong in the above exchange; the two statements contradict each other. But then understanding may, and indeed does, come from mistaken notions.</p>

<p>First, of course, there is the clear difference between myth and history. Latter is more exact, the rational subject of study, almost like a science with its belief in evidence and argument. And then there&rsquo;s also the play of imagination. Myths, on the other hand, are ancient tales that have travelled. The strange thing is that history can and indeed does tell us about how myths travel or changed shape through the centuries, why some myths and figures became popular, while others perished by the wayside.&nbsp;</p>

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<p><strong>When it comes to history, and the way it might be told to the younger</strong><strong>&nbsp;reader, I might then begin by saying: Don&rsquo;t disbelieve everything, argue your way out.&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Doing so especially matters in this age of the Internet, when WhatsApp and other social media has made almost everyone an armchair historian; expert of facts (verifiable or otherwise) available at the mere tap of a button. Images are expertly edited, photoshopped so to be passed off as truth &ndash; irrefutable, definite historical truth. Certain kinds of photos, of course, are ineluctably more popular, for example, those used to discredit any opponent/enemy and/or to demonstrate chest-thumping patriotism.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some months ago, a photo held up on television by a prominent political party spokesperson showed two Indian soldiers holding up the national flag on a mountain peak, that was passed off as Siachen. This was sad and grotesque in every measure. For one, patriotism hasn&rsquo;t anything ever to do with photoshopping. And then, the original is the well-known 1945 photo taken by Joe Rosenthal of US soldiers on Iwo Jima in the Pacific, during World War II.</p>

<p>One doesn&rsquo;t really need to be an expert to figure out if something&rsquo;s been photoshopped. It is as easy to photoshop something as it is to disbelieve the effort. But the example above might make us think, for example, about the photo&rsquo;s history (even if it a &lsquo;false&rsquo; one), when and why was it taken. Such a thought exercise, coupled with the search for evidence and clues, might lead us down to the present, make us ask why such an exercise relating to photoshopping history was even necessary. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>It&rsquo;s as necessary then, almost as a counter to the first rule to: Disbelieve everything, and to trust the evidence you glean for yourself.&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>But this leads us in turn to evidence itself &ndash; which sadly, is indeed easy to concoct. Photoshopping is just a small part of this. A search on the Internet shows up the many pseudo-history sites that spread hatred; stories of the past being nothing but an endless series of conspiracies, conquests and battles; of humiliations heaped and then avenged. &nbsp;</p>

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<h5>There are always new narratives, there is always new evidence that emerges. It&rsquo;s vital to remember how this &lsquo;evidence&rsquo; is used.</h5>
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<p>What then is evidence all about? How does one gather evidence &ndash; and does anything in the past, that which is gone, offer up credible evidence? This is where context comes in, and imagination too. For example, one might imagine a time in the future, with someone looking back to our own era. Evil does exist and people find reasons of all kinds to commit evil. Then there are nuances to it too. What makes such systems of tyranny develop? &nbsp;These may, in turn, give rise to other systems that turn out to be even more so. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>It is important than to see what lies beneath. And the context.&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>It is assumed that history is a dry subject; a series of unequivocal statements and dates of the past. But understanding the context also reveals history&rsquo;s vibrancy. There are many sides to a story, and history is never just one story. It is never a story about kings and tyrants, though for a while they did get to write their side of history.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Just as there is a many-sidedness to history, it is an ever-changing subject. There are many perspectives to it, many schools of thought &ndash; which makes it a lively subject, never dull, never really about the dead (pun intended). There are always new narratives, there is always new evidence that emerges. It&rsquo;s vital to remember how this &lsquo;evidence&rsquo; is used.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>And while there is new evidence, it is especially important to distrust it - the newer it looks, the more one might distrust it till proven. (Especially yes, when it comes to photos).&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>For example, it is possible to show stones as evidence across the sea to represent Rama&rsquo;s mythical bridge, but this should only make us ask questions. Not just whether it&rsquo;s possible for a bridge to last for aeons and centuries, but how does something show up in satellite imagery; as students of history, stories like this must make us go into the past in various ways &ndash; whether it&rsquo;s geological history, climatic change, and about the Ramayana itself.&nbsp;The many versions of it, the ones written in the different Indian languages, and the versions of women and other marginalised groups. It might make us ask if symbols are more important than the stories themselves.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>History must make us ask all the right questions; questions that matter to the present, while they draw on the past. &nbsp;</h5>
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<p>History then isn&rsquo;t just one story, but many stories that exist concomitantly. This makes the past, a fully lived in time-period, a constantly changing place, full of mysteries, of heroes known and unknown. Faced with the immensity of such discoverable riches (of knowledge), violence and hatred seem forces to be countered, for it is, yes about context and what made for this context. History must make us ask all the right questions; questions that matter to the present, while they draw on the past. &nbsp;</p>

<p>It&rsquo;s not a hand me down&nbsp;subject, but the one that makes us not just question things like a science but it seeks empathy and imagination &ndash; as with the humanities. History might yet help us understand ourselves better, and understanding the past is just a step toward a better, more humane future. It&rsquo;d be nice to start early, it makes the work of history writers that much more challenging and at times, inspiring.&nbsp;</p>


History might yet help us understand ourselves better, and understanding the past is just a step toward a better, more humane future.

Some months ago, my friend’s young son asked me about Hanuman, the secrets behind his prowess, especially his amazing size-reduction abilities. His father gave me a nod of approval, ‘Aunty does know something about history for children.’ This one short exchange encapsulates the challenges facing history, especially how it is shaped and narrated for younger readers. At first glance, there is everything wrong in the above exchange; the two statements contradict each other. But then understanding may, and indeed does, come from mistaken notions. First, of course, there is the clear difference between myth and history. Latter is more exact, the rational subject of study, almost like a science with its belief in evidence and argument. And then there’s also the play of imagination. Myths, on the other hand, are ancient tales that have travelled. The strange thing is that history can and indeed does tell us about how myths travel or changed shape through the centuries, why some myths and figures became popular, while others perished by the wayside. There are many sides to a story, and history is never just one story. × When it comes to history, and the way it might be told to the younger reader, I might then begin by saying: Don’t disbelieve everything, argue your way out. Doing so especially matters in this age of the Internet, when WhatsApp and other social media has made almost everyone an armchair historian; expert of facts (verifiable or otherwise) available at the mere tap of a button. Images are expertly edited, photoshopped so to be passed off as truth – irrefutable, definite historical truth. Certain kinds of photos, of course, are ineluctably more popular, for example, those used to discredit any opponent/enemy and/or to demonstrate chest-thumping patriotism. Some months ago, a photo held up on television by a prominent political party spokesperson showed two Indian soldiers holding up the national flag on a mountain peak, that was passed off as Siachen. This was sad and grotesque in every measure. For one, patriotism hasn’t anything ever to do with photoshopping. And then, the original is the well-known 1945 photo taken by Joe Rosenthal of US soldiers on Iwo Jima in the Pacific, during World War II. One doesn’t really need to be an expert to figure out if something’s been photoshopped. It is as easy to photoshop something as it is to disbelieve the effort. But the example above might make us think, for example, about the photo’s history (even if it a ‘false’ one), when and why was it taken. Such a thought exercise, coupled with the search for evidence and clues, might lead us down to the present, make us ask why such an exercise relating to photoshopping history was even necessary. It’s as necessary then, almost as a counter to the first rule to: Disbelieve everything, and to trust the evidence you glean for yourself. But this leads us in turn to evidence itself – which sadly, is indeed easy to concoct. Photoshopping is just a small part of this. A search on the Internet shows up the many pseudo-history sites that spread hatred; stories of the past being nothing but an endless series of conspiracies, conquests and battles; of humiliations heaped and then avenged. There are always new narratives, there is always new evidence that emerges. It’s vital to remember how this ‘evidence’ is used. × What then is evidence all about? How does one gather evidence – and does anything in the past, that which is gone, offer up credible evidence? This is where context comes in, and imagination too. For example, one might imagine a time in the future, with someone looking back to our own era. Evil does exist and people find reasons of all kinds to commit evil. Then there are nuances to it too. What makes such systems of tyranny develop? These may, in turn, give rise to other systems that turn out to be even more so. It is important than to see what lies beneath. And the context. It is assumed that history is a dry subject; a series of unequivocal statements and dates of the past. But understanding the context also reveals history’s vibrancy. There are many sides to a story, and history is never just one story. It is never a story about kings and tyrants, though for a while they did get to write their side of history. Just as there is a many-sidedness to history, it is an ever-changing subject. There are many perspectives to it, many schools of thought – which makes it a lively subject, never dull, never really about the dead (pun intended). There are always new narratives, there is always new evidence that emerges. It’s vital to remember how this ‘evidence’ is used. And while there is new evidence, it is especially important to distrust it - the newer it looks, the more one might distrust it till proven. (Especially yes, when it comes to photos). For example, it is possible to show stones as evidence across the sea to represent Rama’s mythical bridge, but this should only make us ask questions. Not just whether it’s possible for a bridge to last for aeons and centuries, but how does something show up in satellite imagery; as students of history, stories like this must make us go into the past in various ways – whether it’s geological history, climatic change, and about the Ramayana itself. The many versions of it, the ones written in the different Indian languages, and the versions of women and other marginalised groups. It might make us ask if symbols are more important than the stories themselves. History must make us ask all the right questions; questions that matter to the present, while they draw on the past. × History then isn’t just one story, but many stories that exist concomitantly. This makes the past, a fully lived in time-period, a constantly changing place, full of mysteries, of heroes known and unknown. Faced with the immensity of such discoverable riches (of knowledge), violence and hatred seem forces to be countered, for it is, yes about context and what made for this context. History must make us ask all the right questions; questions that matter to the present, while they draw on the past. It’s not a hand me down subject, but the one that makes us not just question things like a science but it seeks empathy and imagination – as with the humanities. History might yet help us understand ourselves better, and understanding the past is just a step toward a better, more humane future. It’d be nice to start early, it makes the work of history writers that much more challenging and at times, inspiring.

Lord Hanuman, History, and why children should be encouraged to ask questions

A northern Indian state will soon begin a multi-million dollar search in the Himalayas for a mythical plant believed to hold life-saving properties, a local minister said today.<br />
<br />
Uttarakhand will spend 250 million Rupees ($37 million) of state money hunting the herb Sanjeevani Booti, which is credited in the ancient Hindu text Ramayana with restoring life to the brother of a god.<br />
<br />
While many wild plants with medicinal properties grow in the Himalayas, there is scant evidence that the plant ever existed, with sages and modern researchers failing for centuries to find it.<br />
<br />
&quot;We have to try and it will never go to waste. If we are determined we will certainly find it,&quot; Surendra Singh Negi, the state&#39;s minister for alternative medicine, told AFP.<br />
<br />
The minister said the search will focus on the Dronagiri range of Himalayas near the Chinese border, one mountain of which is mentioned in the epic Ramayana as being the site where the magical herb grows.<br />
<br />
&quot;We have set an initial budget of 250 million Rupees ($37 million) for the project,&quot; Negi said.<br />
<br />
Scientists will start work in August, the minister said, adding that the central government has refused to fund the project.<br />
<br />
Ancient texts say the plant has life-restoring properties, grows in the high mountains of the Himalayas and glows in the dark.<br />
<br />
According to Ramayana, the monkey god Hanuman was tasked by the god Rama with fetching the herb after a healer said it would cure his dying brother Laxman.<br />
<br />
But Hanuman failed to identity the plant, instead uprooting the entire mountain and carrying it thousands of miles to treat the mortally injured prince during a war with demons in what is now Sri Lanka.<br />
<br />
India&#39;s 5,000-year-old medicine system Ayurveda uses herbs to cure ailments and has seen a revival under Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s government.<br />
<br />
(AFP)

The herb Sanjeevani Booti is credited in the ancient Hindu text Ramayana with restoring life, but there's scant evidence it exists

A northern Indian state will soon begin a multi-million dollar search in the Himalayas for a mythical plant believed to hold life-saving properties, a local minister said today. Uttarakhand will spend 250 million Rupees ($37 million) of state money hunting the herb Sanjeevani Booti, which is credited in the ancient Hindu text Ramayana with restoring life to the brother of a god. While many wild plants with medicinal properties grow in the Himalayas, there is scant evidence that the plant ever existed, with sages and modern researchers failing for centuries to find it. "We have to try and it will never go to waste. If we are determined we will certainly find it," Surendra Singh Negi, the state's minister for alternative medicine, told AFP. The minister said the search will focus on the Dronagiri range of Himalayas near the Chinese border, one mountain of which is mentioned in the epic Ramayana as being the site where the magical herb grows. "We have set an initial budget of 250 million Rupees ($37 million) for the project," Negi said. Scientists will start work in August, the minister said, adding that the central government has refused to fund the project. Ancient texts say the plant has life-restoring properties, grows in the high mountains of the Himalayas and glows in the dark. According to Ramayana, the monkey god Hanuman was tasked by the god Rama with fetching the herb after a healer said it would cure his dying brother Laxman. But Hanuman failed to identity the plant, instead uprooting the entire mountain and carrying it thousands of miles to treat the mortally injured prince during a war with demons in what is now Sri Lanka. India's 5,000-year-old medicine system Ayurveda uses herbs to cure ailments and has seen a revival under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. (AFP)

Indian state to spend $37 million hunting mythical 'life-saving' plant

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