Ramayana

by Daljit Nagra

The epic Ramayana ('The Travels of Rama') tells how Vishnu, incarnated as Rama, is sent into exile and his wife Sita is abducted by the Lord of the Underworld, until a monkey army helps him to win her back. The story's many variant versions span the cultures, religions and languages of Asia; Daljit Nagra's vibrant, energetic reworking draws on scenes from these traditions to create a new Ramayana for today's multicultural, multi-faith readers.

Genres: Poetry, Retellings, Mythology, India, Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2013

About the author

Daljit Nagra has published four poetry collections with Faber & Faber. He has won the Forward Prize for Best Individual Poem and Best First Collection, the South Bank Show Decibel Award and the Cholmondeley Award. His books have been nominated for the Costa Prize and twice for the T. S. Eliot Prize, and he has been selected as a New Generation Poet by the Poetry Book Society. He is the inaugural Poet-in-Residence for Radio 4 & 4 Extra, and presents a weekly programme, Poetry Extra, on Radio 4 Extra. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was elected to its Council, and is a trustee of the Arvon Trust. He has judged many prizes including the Samuel Johnson Prize, the T. S. Eliot Prize, the Costa Prize, the David Cohen Prize and the National Poetry Competition. His poems have been published in the New Yorker, Poetry Chicago, LRB, TLS and New Statesman. He has written for the Guardian and Financial Times. He teaches at Brunel University, London.

Reviews

[Teck Wu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing modern literary translation of Ramayana. A bit over the top, but I did enjoy the poetics. And it was also very action-packed. Not boring at all. Now the story is stuck firmly in my head!

Also, now I now where Diwali originates!

[HadiDee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exuberantly written with whacky fonts, extravagant layouts, one word lines, and casual modern language - "the issue boils down to kingly face-saving' and 'bishboshing' kingdoms. But sadly unreadable.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Retelling" an ancient Indian epic might at first seem an act of foolhardiness - but the Ramayana has evolved ever since it first emerged from the soil; versions exist across Asia and beyond. The latest version, from North London poet Daljit Nagra, is a brilliant and inventive act of storytelling - pacy, exciting and humorous while never letting go of the core message.

At its simplest, it is the story of the Indian hero Rama's quest to recover his wife Sita from her abduction by Raavana, Lord of the Underworld. From the first page of the prologue, the freshness of the language bursts forth - we are told that the heavenly gods are "gurgling with collywobbles" while Raavana is "bishboshing" their kingdoms and "toasting their earthly and galactic worlds!" The prologue's title, "Get Raaaaaaaaaaavana!" foretells the energy of the narrative which is enhanced by innovative typesetting, fonts, cadence and most of all word and sentence construction. Just one example will suffice: a sage, tracked down by "sweaty robe-flowing damsels" in a forest, is surprised to find "how juicy his loins jostled!" when confronted by their "double curves/ and extra-ample legs and feathery but cut-back handsome/ eye-brows."

This was my first full reading of the Ramayana - and I loved it.The story and the characters jump from the text and the division of the three hundred pages poem into five "books" (titles include "YOU HOT MONKEY!' for the entrance of Hanuman) and 43 "chapters" (my favourite was "Feel my Shakti, boy!") really helps with comprehension. Nagra shows that the best stories are simultaneously simple and complex.

As for the story itself, you will have to read it - but the complexity of love's at the heart of Nagra's version. The last lines are quite beautiful:

'Rama, without Sita you are mere air.

Rama and Sita, you are the twain essence of life.
You are the twain endurance of the essence.
You are the spirit. The spirit unbound.
You are the breath. The breath unbound.'

When Brahma had spoken,
the world stooped before Rama.

Rama, weeping, saying,
'Lord, I am only man.'

Rama by Sita side by side
unable to move or utter aught
save all now and evermore praying

Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

This book deserves a prize to go with Nagra's others. Brilliant!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent rendering of a great story in modern Welsh style (english)some parts I felt were too cursory but as a whole this book is a good one and brevity is a mercy devoutly to be appreciated (gratefully)

[Bhuvan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daljit Nagra's Ramayana is not your typical retelling of the ancient Indian epic. Nagra takes a bold approach, infusing the classic story with contemporary language, vibrant humor and a unique blend of cultures. He abandons traditional Sanskrit for a lively mix of English, Hindi slang, and even "Punglish" (a fusion of Punjabi and English). This creates a dynamic and accessible voice for a contemporary audience. The narrative is peppered with wit and humor, making the epic tale surprisingly lighthearted at times. Nagra draws inspiration from various Ramayana versions across Asia, weaving them into a story that reflects the richness of the epic's cultural reach.

While Nagra's innovative approach breathes new life into the Ramayana, it might not be for everyone: The use of slang and modern references might jar readers expecting a more traditional telling. The story moves quickly, potentially skimming over some details for readers unfamiliar with the original Ramayana.

Nagra's Ramayana is a vibrant and audacious reimagining of the classic epic. His use of modern language, humor and a multicultural perspective make the story fresh and engaging for contemporary readers. However, those seeking a more traditional portrayal or a deep dive into the narrative details might find this version a bit too fast-paced and unconventional.

If you're looking for a fresh and accessible entry point into the Ramayana or if you enjoy playful retellings with a modern twist, then Nagra's Ramayana is definitely worth exploring.

[W.S. Luk · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Just as our stories recall and revive our long line,/so it is we only attain greater knowledge of our circumstances/once we feel the earth we are/daily sharing..."

This energetic reworking of Hindu myth plays with dialect, slang, and page layout, creating a visually stimulating and humorous take on this narrative. Knowing Nagra's style primarily from shorter poems like "Look We Have Coming To Dover!", I was initially unsure how it would combine with the elevated language and epic subject matter of the original narrative, but was pleasantly surprised by how well they worked together. While some of the initial sections of the book are comparatively dry, the concluding battle between Rama and Ravana is told with electrifying force, with clashing fonts and swirling arrangements of text building on the effect of Nagra's verse.

[Anastassia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not know how this translation/compilation compares to the original versions told by the cultures amalgamated into this volume, nonetheless I loved it! The writing was at times poignant and at times humorous. I was pleasantly surprised as the comedic vocabulary and phrases used. I am not thrilled with Rama, because he went on a likely avoidable murder-rampage to get back his kidnapped wife Sita, upon which he decided that they could no longer be together due to her staying in the home of another man (her kidnapper), and upon her subsequent heartbreak allowing Sita to sacrifice herself on a fire, before she was saved by a holy deity who deemed Rama an idiot and that Sita was amazing and Rama was nothing without her. Well, it’s true that he’s only human! 😂😂😂😂

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had hoped that this modern retelling would bring more to this epic story but other than putting in some modern stylization to the poetry and some modern slang peppered with Hindi words that only a Hindi speaker would understand this added nothing to my understanding of this tale.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loads of fun, can't wait to read it again!

[Paul Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you like Marvel comics this one is for you; I however do not like Marvel comics.

[Nancy Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was lots of fun until the very end when Sita was thrown into the fire. All she did was wait for Rama and he threw her away like trash. How annoying.

[enricocioni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superfun! I was hesitant to read this book because so often modernised retellings of ancient mythology can be fluffy, superficial, cringily preoccupied with being "cool". I had a Classics teacher in school who would spend most of her lessons peddling her awful "edgy" translations of Catullus and Sophocles, and trying to convince us that the Roman poet Horace and Danny DeVito were the same person. But Daljit Nagra's book vastly surpassed my expectations! It is fun, well-paced, chock-full of witty wordplay and rich in memorable imagery. A storm of arrows forming a vast umbrella protecting chanting sages from demonic fireballs! An army of monkeys and bears marching in dragon formation! Snakes slithering out of the earth to exude their venom all over a warrior's spear! I also appreciate how Nagra made an effort to use several different versions of this myth as inspiration, Thai as well as Indian as well as Cambodian and Laotian (and perhaps others, I don't know). And I was surprised by the quantity of scenes where Rama debates genuinely interesting/inspiring questions of morality with the other characters. All in all, a great book, really recommend it!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. It's my first taste of the Ramayana and it had a lot of movement and felt like spoken word. I think if it had been a story that I knew well I might have found it a tad frustrating and I understand the wide range of star ratings and reviews. But if you are new to the story I'd highly recommend this as a starting point. I feel I have some of the main characters in my head now and a sketchy plot outline which will make reading more weighty texts easier.

[A J · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting translation.

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

No. Perfectly unreadable. No.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the language

however

on reaching the end I only hate this book.