Ramcharitmanas
2023 JAN 27
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Art and Culture > Literature > Religion
Why in news?
- Bihar Education Minister Chandra Shekhar stoked a controversy after he claimed that Ramcharitmanas, an epic Hindu religious book which is based on Ramayana, “spreads hatred in the society”.
About Ramcharitmanas:
- Ramcharitmanas is an epic poem in the Awadhi language composed by the 16th-century bhakti poet Tulsidas.
- It is divided into seven chapters (Kand) that tell the story of Lord Ram from birth to his becoming King of Ayodhya.
- The Ramcharitmanas is based on the Ramayana, sage Valmiki’s great epic.
- It is one of the holiest book of the Indo-Gangetic region.
- It is considered by many as a work belonging to the Saguna school of the Bhakti movement.
About Tulsidas:
- Tulsidas, born Rambola Dubey; was a 16th century Ramanandi Vaishnava Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama.
- He wrote several popular works in Sanskrit and Awadhi, but is best known as the author of the Hanuman Chalisa and of the epic Ramcharitmanas, a retelling of the Sanskrit Ramayana based on Rama's life in the vernacular Awadhi.
- Tulsidas spent most of his life in the city of Varanasi and Ayodhya.
- The Tulsi Ghat on the Ganges River in Varanasi is named after him.
- He founded the Sankatmochan Temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman in Varanasi
- Tulsidas started the Ramlila plays, a folk-theatre adaptation of the Ramayana
- He lived in the time of Emperor Akbar, and some believe that he was in touch with Abdurrahim Khan-e-Khanan, the son of Akbar’s commander Bairam Khan, and they possibly exchanged some poetic communication as well.
PRACTICE QUESTION:
Consider the following statements regarding ‘Ramcharitmanas’:
1. It is authored by Kabir Das
2. It is composed in Awadhi language
3. It is considered as a work belonging to the Saguna school of the Bhakti movement
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1,2 and 3
Answer