Samuel DenHartog's Blog: The Road to 1,440 - Posts Tagged "rama"

When I began working on this book, I wanted to bring readers directly into the vibrant world of one of India’s greatest epics. The Ramayana is not just a single story but a vast collection of adventures, lessons, and relationships that span from the innocence of Rama’s childhood to the challenges of kingship and destiny. By dividing the narrative into the seven kandas, I was able to explore the epic in a way that honors its traditional flow while also making each episode feel complete on its own.

Readers will find themselves moving from the peaceful beginnings of Ayodhya to the wilderness of the forest where demons and sages share the same space. They will stand at the shores of the ocean as Rama’s army builds the great bridge to Lanka, and they will witness the courage of Hanuman as he leaps across the sea in search of Sita. Each chapter is designed to carry the reader into a world of wonder, where divine intervention and human choices are woven together with unforgettable power.

What excites me most about this retelling is the balance of grandeur and intimacy. The Ramayana is filled with battles, supernatural beings, and epic journeys, yet it is also a story of family bonds, loyalty between friends, and the struggles of love tested by hardship. By following the narrative through carefully chosen moments, I sought to highlight both the sweeping scale and the tender humanity that make this epic endure across centuries.

"Tales from the Ramayana Kandas" is a way to experience the magic of the ancient epic in a fresh form. My hope is that readers will come away with the sense that they have lived alongside Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman, and that these timeless stories still speak to us today with as much strength and beauty as ever.