Tulasidasís Ramcharitmanas enjoys the place of pride among the hundreds of epics narrating the tale of Lord Ram not only in Indian languages but also in several languages of South-East Asia. It is venerated not only by Ramís ardent devotees but also learned scholars who admire it for its poetic beauty and ethical import.

For a long time the need was being felt for an abridged version of Ramcharitmanas for a growing section of the present-day reader, both in India and abroad, characterised by preference for English language and shortage of time.

This volume amply fulfils that need. Being based on a tried and tested abridged edition in Hindi, namely Manas Mangal, it presents the gist of the original Ramcharitmanas.

The success of The Spirit of Ramcharitmanas lies in the prudent pruning of the original in a manner that retains the flavour of the original and keeps in tact the moral, ethical, literary and aesthetic content of Manas which lend it the semblance of a scripture.

About Author

The author, Dr. Aruna Sitesh (1945-2007), was a teacher of English literature and a well-known Hindi writer, was the Principal of I.P. College, Delhi, University of Delhi (1997-2007), a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Chicago (1991-92) and Visiting Scholar at Rockefeller Foundation Study Center, Bellajio, Italy (1993). She edited Pratibha India for 24 years and was one of the Founder-Trustees of Sneh Bharti Charitable Trust.

Widely published in literary journals and periodicals, she authored six short story collections in Hindi and published as many critical studies and edited works in English. Recipient of many honours and awards including the Kriti Samman, Sahastrabdi Hindi Sewa Samman, Mahadevi Varma Kriti Samman and Indira Priyadarshni award.

Her story Teesari Dharati is anthologised among the immortal Hindi short stories currently under publication by Sahitya Akademi.

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