Ramayana, called Ramayanam in Hindi, is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Mahabharata. Together, they form the core of Hindu history and culture.
A monumental work in world literature, the Ramayana contains about 24,000 verses, divided into seven books (kandas) and about 500 chapters (sargas). Within Hindu tradition, it is known as Adi-Kavya — the first poem — symbolizing moral duties and ideal relationships.
The epic beautifully depicts ideal characters such as the perfect father, ideal brother, ideal servant, ideal wife, and ideal king.