Epic Encounters

“I wanted to look at Ram as a historical figure,” says Varma,who’s work was released in April. Apart from its fluent language,the vivid imagery of the book also impresses. Varma’s daughter Vandana has created vibrant paintings to go with the text. “The attempt was to conduct an in-depth research. The story has captivated the audience for centuries. I chose to focus on the historical basis and have taken some literary liberties and added characters to the story. The process was enjoyable,” says the retired IAS officer,who spent five years studying the Vedas among others. The book (Rs 1,000),narrates lesser-known episodes from the Ramayana,including the time spent by Ram in the forest. “ I wanted to offer new insights. It is another tribute to Ram. At the end of it,I discovered a man who was larger than life and there is no other like him,” says Varma.

Master storyteller Pratibha Nath’s The Story of Ram and His Friends In The Forest (Rs 495) also focuses on the life that Ram led in the forest and the animals and demons there. The former teacher and journalist,who has written many books for children,draws on Valmiki,Tulsidas and other sources. She presents a graphic description and brings alive the timeless epic through Sujasha Dasgupta’s brilliant illustrations,making the book a visual treat.

In his modern interpretation,The Ramayan (Rs 699),Ramesh Menon presents a writer’s version rather than a scholarly translation. The author wrote the Penguin publication over a period of ten years.

Keeping children in mind,Om Books has released Ramayana the Sacred Epics of Gods and Demons (Rs 500). The sublime theme of the epic written by Valmiki has been depicted with vibrant illustrations in the 250-page work that divides the life of Ram into various phases and has Sanskrit shlokas along with its English translation. The coloured pages are eye-catching and the large print is reader-friendly for children. The sales figures are soaring. “The books sell really well and are evergreen in nature. In fact they are popular gift items too,” says Pankaj P Singh of the Browser bookstore in Sector 8. The ever-popular tale continues to intrigue and inspire.