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Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God: Retracing the Ramayana Through India
The three-thousand-year-old epic Ramayana chronicles Lord Rama's physical voyage from one end of the Indian subcontinent to the other and his spiritual voyage from Man to God. In Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God, anthropologist and journalist Jonah Blank gives a new perspective to this Hindu classic -- retelling the ancient tale while following the course of Rama's journey through present-day India and Sri Lanka. Ultimately, Blank's journey -- like that of Lord Rama -- evolves into a quest: to understand the chimerical essence of India itself, in all its overwhelming beauty and paradox.
"Quite possibly the most perceptive book that I have come across on India since the British Raj ended." -- Pranay Gupte, The Washington Post
"What Hollywood attempted on the big screen with casts of thousands in Gandhi and A Passage to India, Jonah Blank has achieved in 350 stylistically rich pages." -- Los Angeles Times
"This informative and entertaining book is something to be thankful for." -- The New York Times Book Review
"Quite possibly the most perceptive book that I have come across on India since the British Raj ended." -- Pranay Gupte, The Washington Post
"What Hollywood attempted on the big screen with casts of thousands in Gandhi and A Passage to India, Jonah Blank has achieved in 350 stylistically rich pages." -- Los Angeles Times
"This informative and entertaining book is something to be thankful for." -- The New York Times Book Review
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
29 people are currently reading
1123 people want to read
About the author
Jonah Blank
15 books6 followersJonah Blank is an American author, journalist and foreign policy expert, specializing in the culture, history and affairs of the Indian subcontinent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
May 23, 2008
If Jonah Blank had come to me ten years ago and asked me if he should try to write a travel narrative through modern India using the 2500 year-old epic, THE RAMAYANA, as a point of departure for analyzing the landscape and the culture, I would have said, "don't be stupid--that's a lousy idea." The book is superb, so it is a good thing he didn't ask me first.
September 11, 2023
This book was just as good the second time around as the first, which isn't often the case for nonfiction for me. The author is so talented at connecting the underlying concepts that the Ramayana has for the Indian psyche with real people and history. Plus his retelling of the Ramayana is really good.
My original review is below.
==========
I've gotten a basic overview of the Ramayana from all the Indian movies I've watched. They do love to include bits of holy day celebrations acting out the story. Wanting to actually read it and see what Sita Sings the Blues skimmed over (highly recommended and streaming free online) I came across this book which seemed like an easy way into the story.
What a wonderful, easy-to-read book. The author tells the story in pieces and then looks at an particular aspect of India physically, spiritually, and culturally. So you have topics like Fate, Kings, Caste, Rites, and Love and it works to show the reader about what it means to be Indian ... as much as anything can. This meshed really well with what I'd gleaned from Indian movies and the research we'd undertaken after viewing them in order to be sure we understood context.
I benefitted from it in practical ways as well as getting a good look at the Indian national character. Turns out wrestlers venerate Lord Hanuman. As did the main character in Bajrangi Bhaijaan - who was trained in wrestling! Just another little bit of cultural context.
I read it in four days and kept quoting bits of it to the rest of the family, who are now awaiting their own turn at it. Keep in mind it was published in 1992 because a few bits are dated (especially about war and terrorism), although they still apply to different parts of India these days. You don't have to care about Indian movies. It is an entertaining and interesting travelogue aside from all that. Definitely recommended.
My original review is below.
==========
I've gotten a basic overview of the Ramayana from all the Indian movies I've watched. They do love to include bits of holy day celebrations acting out the story. Wanting to actually read it and see what Sita Sings the Blues skimmed over (highly recommended and streaming free online) I came across this book which seemed like an easy way into the story.
What a wonderful, easy-to-read book. The author tells the story in pieces and then looks at an particular aspect of India physically, spiritually, and culturally. So you have topics like Fate, Kings, Caste, Rites, and Love and it works to show the reader about what it means to be Indian ... as much as anything can. This meshed really well with what I'd gleaned from Indian movies and the research we'd undertaken after viewing them in order to be sure we understood context.
I benefitted from it in practical ways as well as getting a good look at the Indian national character. Turns out wrestlers venerate Lord Hanuman. As did the main character in Bajrangi Bhaijaan - who was trained in wrestling! Just another little bit of cultural context.
I read it in four days and kept quoting bits of it to the rest of the family, who are now awaiting their own turn at it. Keep in mind it was published in 1992 because a few bits are dated (especially about war and terrorism), although they still apply to different parts of India these days. You don't have to care about Indian movies. It is an entertaining and interesting travelogue aside from all that. Definitely recommended.
April 23, 2014
The book provides a social commentary of India relating it to India's most loved story, The Ramayana. Jonah Blank highlights Spirituality, Romance, Adventure, Cynicism, Hope and much more. Each of it of the right quantity, not too much nor too little. A brilliant read indeed.
December 5, 2023
Wonderful book.
Read
August 31, 2017If you read the book solely for the connection to mythology, you might come away disappointed. It happened to me for most of the book until I framed it as a travelogue which happened to connect to the Ramayana and its principal characters in quite a few ways. In that frame, barring a couple of questionable occurrences, ("feni in Kerala" made me wonder whether calling Bruce Lee a cricketer was actually sarcasm) it does a wonderfully lucid job.
The book was published in 1992 and it is always a pleasure to travel in time through books because, to quote the author, it "presents a picture of a certain place at a certain time, as seen by a certain person at a certain stage of his own life". It is quite an interesting time to read this because 1992 was a landmark year for the powers that govern the country now. I'm referring to the demolition of the Babri Masjid. That's where this journey starts.
I think the problem was in my expectations. I thought this would be a linear journey - both in terms of the chronology of the events in the Ramayana, as well as in terms of covering the geography featured in the epic. It doesn't work that way. While there are definitely quite a few interesting explorations of the geography, the book is more a study on the deep impact that the epic has even today in the life of an Indian. Not just at an individual level, but the societal, cultural, and political aspects as well.
The writing is largely non judgmental, and it would seem that the author is in wonder and awe of the subcontinent. And that makes the humour actually work. From actors playing gods and demons in the television portrayal of the epic, and the fascinating variety of Indian idols (the original kind, not the TV show) to Tamil guerrillas, Sikh militants, and Page 3 crowds, karma yogis, sadhus, and Mother Teresa, the book covers a range of characters and scenarios that truly do justice to the burst of flavours that is India. And Sri Lanka too, because the last third of the book is largely set here.
The last 50 or so pages also bring out the sensitivity of the author through the characters he brings up- a widower who visits the Taj every Friday (when entry is free, for he cannot afford the daily fees) because his best memories of his wife are there, the leper from Andhra stuck in Calcutta whose happiness in life is his wife and son. These are poignant tales of ordinary lives, definitely not the kind that could be found in Ramarajya, but very much a reality in modern India.
Definitely worth a read if you're ok with traveling only 25 years in history, and not thousands.
The book was published in 1992 and it is always a pleasure to travel in time through books because, to quote the author, it "presents a picture of a certain place at a certain time, as seen by a certain person at a certain stage of his own life". It is quite an interesting time to read this because 1992 was a landmark year for the powers that govern the country now. I'm referring to the demolition of the Babri Masjid. That's where this journey starts.
I think the problem was in my expectations. I thought this would be a linear journey - both in terms of the chronology of the events in the Ramayana, as well as in terms of covering the geography featured in the epic. It doesn't work that way. While there are definitely quite a few interesting explorations of the geography, the book is more a study on the deep impact that the epic has even today in the life of an Indian. Not just at an individual level, but the societal, cultural, and political aspects as well.
The writing is largely non judgmental, and it would seem that the author is in wonder and awe of the subcontinent. And that makes the humour actually work. From actors playing gods and demons in the television portrayal of the epic, and the fascinating variety of Indian idols (the original kind, not the TV show) to Tamil guerrillas, Sikh militants, and Page 3 crowds, karma yogis, sadhus, and Mother Teresa, the book covers a range of characters and scenarios that truly do justice to the burst of flavours that is India. And Sri Lanka too, because the last third of the book is largely set here.
The last 50 or so pages also bring out the sensitivity of the author through the characters he brings up- a widower who visits the Taj every Friday (when entry is free, for he cannot afford the daily fees) because his best memories of his wife are there, the leper from Andhra stuck in Calcutta whose happiness in life is his wife and son. These are poignant tales of ordinary lives, definitely not the kind that could be found in Ramarajya, but very much a reality in modern India.
Definitely worth a read if you're ok with traveling only 25 years in history, and not thousands.
September 4, 2018
A fascinating tour through India, the book is a mixture of Blank's experiences while wandering with his thoughts and explications on the Ramayana. It's not a book I think that would be published these days, and it's self-indulgent in all the right ways. Blank is a wonderful writer and his encounters and travels are fascinating. His writing does exhibit all the know-it-all foibles of a 25 year, but an unusually interesting and well traveled one. Some of the attitudes probably wouldn't fly today, but worth a read as a picture of the India of its time/
December 13, 2007
I had begun the book expecting a travel narrative, which it isn't. Differences among the geographical areas of South Asia do come into play, but with the focus how modern Indian society got where it is now. At first, using a Ramayana episode to introduce each section seemed "gimmicky"; however, that approach soon made great sense.
March 12, 2024
A fascinating read and well worth reading. But as it was written in the early 90’s much of it is dated. India has undergone quite the transformation in 30+ years. I really loved how the author used the myth of Ramayana as a jumping off point for various topics.
March 10, 2025
Having read The Ramayana, this book was a must read for me. A modern travelog with elements of Indian mythology and history, retracing Rama's steps 2,500 years later... How clever for Blank to even think of this! Thoroughly fascinating. 4.5 stars.
June 29, 2019
I hoped to like this more than I did. It’s a good premise and occasionally shines and isn’t awful.
September 2, 2024
In this travelogue, the traveler follows the long journey taken by the blue-skinned god Rama and his betrothed Sita through Vedic India and Sri Lanka, as told by the ancient Indian epic the Ramayana. Fortunately, this travelogue does not spend much time on the usual personal adventures of the traveler, which can devolve into mere autobiography. Instead, the traveler uses his visits to various Indian and Sri Lankan locales as occasions to discuss the Ramayana as a work of religion and literature, and then to relate it to contemporary aspects and issues of the Subcontinent. Those aspects include caste, civil war, sexism, the Taj Mahal, Hindu monotheism, Sikhism, Bollywood, Hindutva, and the Ayodhya mosque/temple conflict (the book predates the actual destruction of the mosque, but clearly anticipates it). And more. Despite being an outsider (neither an Indian nor a Hindu), the traveler writes in an erudite and yet accessible style. Even better, he can be quite funny.
October 9, 2020
The book was light years away from what I had set out to expect from it: it is anything but a retracing of Rama's journey. While what I sought from it was something akin to Bruce Feiler's Walking the Bible, a journey that walks the route of the Five Books of Moses, this was much more something that Edward Luce or Mark Tully would have written. For that is exactly what the author is about, an expert with Indian foreign affairs. The author distills from episodes in the Ramayana values and themes that dominate India's civilisation - that of the Ramayana but also the present. Some chapters are straight let-downers. One obvious one is caste. Like most other works of current orientalism, this too fails to unravel and dissect the diversity, suffering, and extraordinariness of the institution. Two chapters I however revelled in thoroughly. One was race. The author's take on Ramayana's racism or portrayal of species of beings is its way of understanding different cultures. Instead of taking the route of critiquing this apparent racism the author instead explores the colour cultures of India and each one's unintelligibility to the other. My favourite passage was of course on Telugu cuisine:
The Telugu-speakers of neighboring Andhra Pradesh like their curries ferociously hot. Their cuisine is quite possibly the spiciest in the world, and they treat Aryan tenderfeet with goodnatured
contempt. "Like eating paper," they laughed to me ofthe foods of the north.
The Telugu-speakers of neighboring Andhra Pradesh like their curries ferociously hot. Their cuisine is quite possibly the spiciest in the world, and they treat Aryan tenderfeet with goodnatured
contempt. "Like eating paper," they laughed to me ofthe foods of the north.
September 29, 2024
I picked up this 35 year old book expecting I'm not sure what. Nothing about Indian literature had previously interested me much, despite two years study of sanskrit in college. Indian culture never particularly grabbed me much either, despite a longstanding practice of yoga in the western way. I guess I thought I should have another go at gaining some insight into the soon-to-be most populous country in the world.
But this book surprised me. Its retelling of Ramayana stories captured my interest more than whatever other versions I have seen. And the way he connects it back to modern (if not current) Indian culture is almost alway fascinating. I almost want ro read it again to retain more.
Although it is rather out of date now, even that manages to be interesting, because he chronicles a time just before the 1990's onslaught of techno-capitalism - a time period that inspires nostalgia in people of a certain age like mine. In addition, he captures kind of accidentally some of the events and places in which the hindu nationalist BJP party was born and began its slow march from a marginal U.S. designated terrorist organization to rulers of the entire country.
But this book surprised me. Its retelling of Ramayana stories captured my interest more than whatever other versions I have seen. And the way he connects it back to modern (if not current) Indian culture is almost alway fascinating. I almost want ro read it again to retain more.
Although it is rather out of date now, even that manages to be interesting, because he chronicles a time just before the 1990's onslaught of techno-capitalism - a time period that inspires nostalgia in people of a certain age like mine. In addition, he captures kind of accidentally some of the events and places in which the hindu nationalist BJP party was born and began its slow march from a marginal U.S. designated terrorist organization to rulers of the entire country.
December 28, 2024
Just finished reading Jonah Blank’s
compelling book. Beautifully written, honest and insightful unlike many 'best-selling' propaganda books on Hinduism.
I would try to write a detailed review later.
The vivid description of Holi on page 247 is spot on and brought back nostalgic memories.
“On Holi, straight-faced farmhands and dour dhobis become as playful as kindergarteners. Throughout the north it is a celebration to mark the end of winter and the return of balmy days.”
“Friends, relatives, and total strangers stalk each other through the streets and inner courtyards… shrieking with glee as they splash each other with all the colors known to man.”
“…every victim accepted the bath with good humor.”
compelling book. Beautifully written, honest and insightful unlike many 'best-selling' propaganda books on Hinduism.
I would try to write a detailed review later.
The vivid description of Holi on page 247 is spot on and brought back nostalgic memories.
“On Holi, straight-faced farmhands and dour dhobis become as playful as kindergarteners. Throughout the north it is a celebration to mark the end of winter and the return of balmy days.”
“Friends, relatives, and total strangers stalk each other through the streets and inner courtyards… shrieking with glee as they splash each other with all the colors known to man.”
“…every victim accepted the bath with good humor.”
October 4, 2025
Enjoyable book. Almost like a travel guide with an emphasis on spiritual and philosophical thoughts in the Indian /Sri Lankan cultures. The trail of the Ramayana and its relation within the modern world of the sub-continent followed by a devote author who carefully weaves the story of the Ramayana with his experiences in various parts of the lands.
I found it well written, clear and with the help of the people he encounters a thoroughly satisfying read. I was reminded of my own journey in India so it also awakened memories and allowed me to make comparisons to situations I had found myself in while traveling there.
I reccomend this book to anyone trying to understand more of the mindset and history which still holds captive an entire population. 👍🏻
I found it well written, clear and with the help of the people he encounters a thoroughly satisfying read. I was reminded of my own journey in India so it also awakened memories and allowed me to make comparisons to situations I had found myself in while traveling there.
I reccomend this book to anyone trying to understand more of the mindset and history which still holds captive an entire population. 👍🏻
June 3, 2020
This took me a while to read but I'm glad I took my time with it. Having grown up with the Ramayana, I was really curious how someone might use it as a lens into Indian history and culture. This book succeeded in both depth and breadth. However, sometimes the poetic conclusions fell flat for me. Also, I didn't like how many concepts were explained using western (British/American/Christian) reference points - I can understand why the author did that, but to me it made it more apparent that I was viewing India through a white lens.
Overall, though, I learned a lot about a large range of topics and I thought using the Ramayana to frame those topics was clever.
Overall, though, I learned a lot about a large range of topics and I thought using the Ramayana to frame those topics was clever.
February 20, 2021
Read this book in the year 2000 about thirty-one years ago while learning Leadership in the 21st Century at the Indian Institue of Management, Ahmedabad.
The Journey of Ram and Jonah's trail on the path is interesting to read. This book was published after the success of the television serial Ramayana by Ramanand Sagar.
Johna Blank takes the journey, in modern India and Sri Lanka, and follows the same path as described in the EPic. He sees this from the perspective of an Anthropologists and a Journalist. The book is a recommended reading for all who are interested in learning about a different perspective about the Ramayana.
Happy Reading.
The Journey of Ram and Jonah's trail on the path is interesting to read. This book was published after the success of the television serial Ramayana by Ramanand Sagar.
Johna Blank takes the journey, in modern India and Sri Lanka, and follows the same path as described in the EPic. He sees this from the perspective of an Anthropologists and a Journalist. The book is a recommended reading for all who are interested in learning about a different perspective about the Ramayana.
Happy Reading.
December 17, 2025
Arrow of the Blue Skinned God is a vivid, insightful fusion of travel writing, mythology, and cultural anthropology. Jonah Blank retraces the Ramayana not as a distant legend, but as a living narrative embedded in modern India where faith, geography, and daily life intertwine.
With clarity and reverence, Blank captures India’s contradictions and spiritual depth, making the ancient journey of Rama feel immediate and human. This is a compelling read for anyone seeking to understand India not just as a place, but as an experience shaped by story, devotion, and enduring myth
With clarity and reverence, Blank captures India’s contradictions and spiritual depth, making the ancient journey of Rama feel immediate and human. This is a compelling read for anyone seeking to understand India not just as a place, but as an experience shaped by story, devotion, and enduring myth
January 16, 2019
Somewhat outdated but very interesting. The book consists of the author’s retelling of the Ramayana as he travels to the places depicted in the epic. He wrote thematic chapters based on subjects such a love and war based on what he experienced along the way. He speaks Hindi and some Urdu so he could talk to people who did not know English. He speaks to all classes ranging from generals to rickshaw wallahs. This book is a good introduction to India.
December 1, 2024
This is the best book I've read on India to date. While it is now quite dated, Blank walks through India in a narrative manner, following along to the story underlying the Ramayana. Not only does Blank make an incomprehensibly complex nation approachable, but also fosters a deep interest in the underlying culture of India. I can think of no better resource for people unfamiliar with India or Hinduism to first learn about the subject.
November 25, 2017
Although I had taught about the Ramayana superficially as a teacher of World History and had read excerpts, I had never gone into it more thoroughly. This epic is the heart story of so many people and this account fully shows that. Insightinful into the values of India and how different they are sometimes from those of the west.
April 9, 2020
I love this book. I read it years ago when I found it in the travel section of the library. It is more of a religious / philosophy / history book than a travel book. For some reason, I find this book fascinating and it is one of the very few that I have read twice. If you enjoy reading about India and Hinduism - give this book a try.
January 9, 2020
one of the very very few examples of good books in the "white people write about india" genre. provides a nice outside perspective, and gets relatively few things wrong. works best as a personal travelogue, less so as a theological discourse. but recommended reading.
May 6, 2017
Nice dose of history and an attempt to understand India through the ramayana..
September 6, 2020
A bit dated and boring in long stretches. The approach of combining his travel with that of the Ramayana was....suitable. But not incredible. I was happy for it to end.
January 22, 2024
DNF. Got really excited for this topic but came it at from a journalistic perspective vs a sacred perspective and it was not what I was looking for.
April 1, 2024
I gave it two separate attempts and could never get past page 60. I think that tells me what I need to know.
December 9, 2024
DNF. wanted to love this but just not captivating or interesting to me.
November 24, 2025
Very dense and the Raymana got lost in the information about India.
March 4, 2015
This book was recommended to me by the authors sister who is a bookclub friend. She knows I have read some novels about India and its people and I feel like it's an interesting "subject". This is definitely not a novel but for anyone who is curious about India, this is a good study about the history, culture, and religions of this vast country. The story of the Ramayana is intriguing but I found the book difficult to read in some parts because there are so many unfamiliar concepts!
some "favorites" follow:
"What matters, is how you treat others. Plain and simple. And it is the very same for Hindu, non-Hindu, even for those who have no belief in God at all. Be kind to others. Not very difficult, eh?"
"Love God and treat all humans with kindness" says one guru "The rest of theology will follow from that. The Ramayana is not the stuff of petty bickering. It is an epic of self-sacrifice, of unbending morality; of trust, and of love."
"Every happy home needs a Chamber of Wrath. It is a place where people go when they are angry or sad, so that their sour mood does not infect the other members of the household." (this is a reference to the household of King Dasaratha who had 300 wives :)
I felt like I learned a lot and would love to visit the "multifaceted jewel that is India".
some "favorites" follow:
"What matters, is how you treat others. Plain and simple. And it is the very same for Hindu, non-Hindu, even for those who have no belief in God at all. Be kind to others. Not very difficult, eh?"
"Love God and treat all humans with kindness" says one guru "The rest of theology will follow from that. The Ramayana is not the stuff of petty bickering. It is an epic of self-sacrifice, of unbending morality; of trust, and of love."
"Every happy home needs a Chamber of Wrath. It is a place where people go when they are angry or sad, so that their sour mood does not infect the other members of the household." (this is a reference to the household of King Dasaratha who had 300 wives :)
I felt like I learned a lot and would love to visit the "multifaceted jewel that is India".
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews