The Ramayana and the Idea of India

Across India and beyond, the legacy of Rama lives in faith, folklore and civilisational memory.

In Indian history and culture, Prabhu Ramachandra and Shri Krishna hold a vital place as enduring legends and embodiments of Hindutva, reflected in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Rama’s life story was immortalised in the Ramayana by Maharshi Valmiki, who rose from a criminal past to become a revered rishi.

Traces of the Ramayana are found across India, and related archaeological findings are cited as evidence that it reflects historical reality rather than myth. The Rama Setu in the Indian Ocean is often presented as archaeological proof, with some claiming even NASA has validated its existence. Professor B.B. Lal’s Ramayana archaeology project brought renewed attention to remains linked to Rama’s birthplace in Ayodhya. Subsequent excavations were also cited as supporting the belief that Rama was born there. Today, the grand Ram temple at Ayodhya stands as a major landmark, drawing visitors from India and abroad.

A fully developed Ram temple was a cherished dream. As an archaeologist, I was deeply moved when I visited the Ram Temple in Ayodhya with my wife, impressed by its scale and completeness. I would like to see a similar vision in Amritsar: an international Rama University and Shri Ram Research Centre around the temple, celebrating Indian culture and the sciences of Indology that have shaped human development for centuries.

According to Burton, Indian temples were not just places of worship but also centres of learning, art, culture, religion, and spiritual awakening. They fostered social life, and their inscriptions reflected cordial and harmonious relationships.

The Message of Rama

A close reading of the Valmiki Ramayana and Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas shows that their central message is rooted in the moral values of Prabhu Ramchandra. D.C. Sarkar argued that while the Ramayana was mythic in nature, the Mahabharata had an archaeological basis. Recent studies suggest that both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are linked to sites across the Indian subcontinent.

The Ramayana’s cultural links span India. Prabhu Ramchandra is revered as Maryada Purushottam—the ideal man who upheld moral values in daily life—and as an incarnation of Vishnu, the Protector.

The Folk Editions

During his 14-year vanvas (exile), Ram travelled across India, leaving behind a rich legacy of folklore and oral traditions that still endure. Sita’s abduction by Ravana led to the war in Lanka, where Rama fought to rescue her. Throughout the struggle, he upheld moral values and ethics, deepening his place in the hearts of millions.

Cultural Symbolism

The Ramayana symbolises dharma, presenting Rama as the ideal son, brother, husband and king. In its second adhyay, Acharya Valmiki outlines principles of governance and public service through Bharata’s questions and Rama’s replies on statecraft. These ideas, rooted in lok dharma, can be seen as early ideals of democratic rule and are later echoed in Kautilya’s Arthashastra: a king is happy when his subjects are happy.

The Ramaraj Concept

Prabhu Ramachandra’s rule is portrayed as an ideal Rama Rajya—prosperous, harmonious and free from exploitation. It is seen as a model of good governance and social justice. Mahatma Gandhi, in Hind Swaraj, also drew on the ideals of Rama and Rama Rajya. These principles remain relevant to the study of governance and political democracy in ancient India.

Some view Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s leadership as reflecting the ideals of Rama Rajya and see a second phase of such governance under Narendra Modi. Both are presented as guided by the principles of dharma.

The Ramayana is the golden via media of both rajdharm and lokdharm, both leading to the highest point of the political graph. On the basis of the discussion, it is clear that Rama is a symbol of India's unity and integrity. The Ramayana has integrated the Hindu Kush region and also expanded into Southeast Asia.

Across the Southeast Asian archipelago—from Indonesia, Malaysia, Java, Sumatra and Borneo—the sacred imprints of the Ramayana remain deeply rooted in folk traditions. Shri Ram Mandir has become a significant Hindu temple and the site of Ram Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Rama, symbolising deep faith and the glorious traditions of India.

Ayodhya, as the sacred birthplace of Rama, has manifested rich archaeological traditions, and the present Ram temple has become a beginning light of Hindutva that will inspire millions of Indians in the future. History is a force of inspiration and a powerful cementing force for nation-building.

Shriram Temple at Ayodhya is witnessing this process as an enchanting and electrifying change. After the establishment of the Rama temple, its sacred waves are transmitting the message of development, modernity, and a fine-tuning of science and culture to transform India into a developed nation, Viksit Bharat, by 2047.

(The author is a researcher and expert in foreign affairs. Views personal.)