Shri Rama permeates the Indian psyche and ethos. Not only has his life inspired a large number of literary works in many Indian and Asian languages but also even the illiterate Indian knows couplets from the Ramacharitmanas. However, the primary source of the Rama saga is Valmeeki's Ramayana in Sanskrit, which is the basis of this well researched fictional portrayal of this Great Soul. Rama is the epitome of traditional values and propriety, hence, the epithet maryada purushottama, an excellent man of propriety. The novel covers all important events of his life and presents them in a lively readable manner.

What is special is the human treatment of the god. A rewarding work of fiction,delightful and instructive. The appendices clarify some of the controversial issues in the Rama saga. The book will ennoble and at places move the reader to tears.

This book is the English translation of much-acclaimed Hindi novel Ramagatha which has been translated into other Indian languages also.

Selected Comments on the Hindi edition of Rama Saga

Ramagatha is the first fictional presentation centring around its origin, i.e., the Valmeeki Ramayana... Ramagatha is not merely a novel...but an entirely new experiment of the novelist, a novel as thesis, a research version of Valmeeki Ramayana in elegant Hindi...in its entirety an excellent work of Rama literature and a boon for the readers unacquainted with Valmeeki Ramayana. - Dr. Mohan Gupta, I.A.S., Tulasee Sadhana

Prof. Tripathi by writing the realistic novel Ramagatha on the great soul Rama seems to have become himself a new Valmeeki. - Dr. Ramasharan Gaur, Ex-Secretary, Delhi Hindi Akademi.

Prof. Rama Nath Tripathi has devoted his life to the study of the Rama saga. He has made a comparative study of the saga found in different Indian languages, which is amply manifested in his Ramagatha, especially well considered observations in the appendices.... In the novel we find more of Rama as a forest dweller and people's servant rather than as a king.... The novelist had been to the forest with him and has seen wild animals and tribals affectionately. He has trodden on forest paths and felt the pricking thorns. - Prof. Shashibhushan Singhal, Indraprastha Bharatee.

The Valee-Sugreeva-Tara-Ruma episode in the novel is the best example of the novelist's genius and originality...in which morality of man-woman relationships (love-marriage, polygamy, etc.) has been tested with a novel view. - Dr. Ramaprakash Agrawal, Pashyantee Quarterly

Prof. Tripathi is known as the encyclopaedist of Rama literature. In Ramagatha we find him as researcher, poet, story-teller and patriot. The reviewers find the novel as dissertation-novel or novel-dissertation. - Dr. Ramagopal Singh, Anuvada Bharatee

Such creativity is possible only when the writer has deep-rooted feelings for the country, its history, geography and culture. - Dr. Rukmini, Panchajanya Weekly, Delhi.

About Author

RAMANATH TRIPATHI (b. 1926, Etawah, U.P.). Ex-Professor of Hindi, Delhi University has devoted his life to great soul Rama having earned Ph.D. and D.Litt. on different aspects of the Ramayanas.His knowledge of Sanskrit, Bangla, Oriya, Assamese, Nepali, Gujarati, etc. makes him a unique scholar of Rama literature.Writer of forty books in different genres, Prof. Tripathi has received many honours and awards.

PRABHAT KUMAR PANDEYA (b. 1945, Ahraura, U.P.) is Professor of English at the Banaras Hindu University. Academic, story-writer, poet, he has translated poems, stories and books from Hindi into English and vice-versa. Translation is his passion.

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