A Re-telling Again

This book is not a summary of any of the well-known Ramayanas; it is a full-fledged re-telling of the great epic . Indeed, as Shubha Vilas tells us , his friend ‘em-boldened’ him to ‘rewrite’ the Ramayana. A little later the author does clarify, ‘This book keeps Valmiki’s Ramayana front and centre, yet explores other versions , gently weaving in aspects of Kamba Ramayana’s beautiful poetic analogies and folk tales that are in philosophical alignment with Valmiki’s Ramayana.’ This is Book 1 narrating the ‘Balakanda’ which Vilas has entitled ‘ Rise of the Sun Prince’. Other kandas will follow; there is at the end of this volume a ‘preview’ of the second book, the ‘Ayodhya Kanda’, with the title ‘Shattered Dreams.’