(Bhagwan Rama stands as an epitome of perfect moral and societal conduct, a radiant embodiment of truth and virtue. He radiates as the triumphant emblem of righteousness prevailing over wickedness. Lord Rama’s essence lies in his unwavering commitment to Dharma, the sacred duty of righteousness, which he faithfully upholds in his roles as a prince, a brother, a husband, a son, and a likable human being. His resolute dedication to moral principles remains unshaken even in the face of daunting adversity, a testament to his steadfast allegiance to righteousness. He eternally champions the cause of what is just and virtuous. He is dear to all and he loves all.)

To be accurate, a notable and substantial tradition of writing narratives based on the life of lord Rama can be traced in Kashmiri literature as early as the 19th century. Around seven Ramayanas are available: namely Ramavataracharita (1847 AD), Shankar-Ramayana (1870), Vishnupratap-Ramayana (1904–14), Ananda Ramavataracharita (1888), Rammayan-i–Sharma (1919–26), Tarachand Ramayana (1926–27), and Amar–Ramayana (1950).

Ramavataracharit, which is available in published form, is the most well-known and significant of these. The remaining Ramayanas are either unpublished or just have their names stated. There is a handwritten manuscript (Kalmi-Nuskha) of the “Vishnu Pratap Ramayana” by Pt. Vishnu Kaul, available who wrote it between 1904 and 1914. A 1976 study project titled “Critical Study of Vishnu Pratap Ramayana” was conducted on this Ramayana at the University of Kashmir.

Among the available and unavailable Ramayanas of Kashmiri mentioned above, ‘Ramavataracharit ‘ has a special place in Kashmiri literature and stands out for its popularity. The story of lord Rama with profound devotion has been sung in this godly book. The author of ‘Ramavataracharit’ is Pandit Prakashram, a resident of Kurigam, district Kulgam, Kashmir.

Prakashram was an ardent devotee of Goddess Tripurasundari. By her grace, he was bestowed with the unique boon of reciting and composing poetry. It is said that he worshiped the Goddess daily and spent hours in her adoration. One day it was raining heavily. Darkness had already befallen. Prakashram saw a palanquin coming towards him from a distance. The carriers of the palanquin called out to Prakashram. When Prakashram drew nearer, the curtain of the Palanquin went up. Goddess Tripurasundari was actually herself sitting in the palanquin.

Prakashram was delighted to see the Goddess. His eyes gleamed up. After a few moments, Bhagwati/Goddess disappeared. After being blessed with the divine Darshana/audience of the Goddess Tripursundri, Prakashram’s body and mind got engrossed in the praise of the Almighty and he started composing beautiful verses. His prominent works are (1) Ramavatarcharit, (2) Lavakush-charit, (3) Krishnavatar, (4) Akanandun, and (5) Shivlagna.

Out of these five works, only ‘ Ramavataracharita ‘ and ‘ Lavkush-Charita ‘ have been published. ‘Lavkush-charit ‘ is printed at the end of ‘ Ramavatara-charit’.

The basis of Prakashram’s ‘Ramavatara-Charita’ is Valmiki’s Ramayana and ‘Adhyatma Ramayana’. The entire story is divided into seven chapters. ‘Lavakush-Charita’ has been added to the epic at the end. The poet has mainly used two types of poetic styles: the narrative style and the lyrical style. The main story-events have been described in the narrative style while in the lyrical style, worship-praise related and other devotional-songs (Leelas) have been composed. In these songs, the devotional heart of the poet has become so overwhelmed that at some places the original storyline has been repressed under the force of this awe-inspiring devotional flow of these lyrics.

Needless to mention that ‘Ramavatara-Charita’ is replete with epic characteristics as laid down in classical Indian poetic tradition. In the beginning of the epic, the poet pays rich tribute to Lord Ganesha as follows:

Namo Namo Gajendraya, Ekdantadharay ch

Namo Ishwar Putraya Shri Ganeshaya Namo Namah ,

Godnya Sapnun Sharan Shri Raj Ganishas

Karan Yus Chu Rakhya Yath Man Lukas,

Doyim kar satgoras pannis namaskar

Diyi suy gore panun yemi bavasari tar. (p. 27)

(First of all, take refuge in Lord Ganesha, who protects this human world. After that, bow down to the Satguru/Your Master, who shall help you in crossing the sea of this materialistic world.)

Like Tulsi, Prakashram’s devotion is of servitude. Due to this, in the entire Ramayana, he is seen less as a poet and more as a devotee. This thing becomes clear from the praises, devotional songs, prayers, etc. included in ‘Ramavataracharit’. If observed carefully, Prakashram has conceptualized the entire story of lord Rama as a spiritual allegory, according to which almost all the main characters and storylines assume a symbolic dimension. The eternal conflict between truth and falsehood is at the helm of this allegory. In the context of ‘Ramayanuk Matlab’ (meaning of Ramayana), these lines of the poet are worth reading: –

Gaurav gandmach Chhi Vath, Boz can daar,

Chhu kyah rozun, chh bozun Ramavatar.

Ti Bozna suutya vondas anand assi,

Yi kath rath yaad, ishar vyaad Kasi.

Ti vuchhak Panu daygat kyah che haavi,

Katyuk osukh che, Kot-Kot vatanavi. (p. 33)

(The Gurus/masters have prepared a path, listen to it with care. Nothing will remain here, only the story of Ramavatar will remain. Your heart will be contented/alleviated after listening to this expressive story. Listen to this with attention and all your diseases/misfortunes will go away and you will realize yourself as to where you will transcend by the grace of God.)

At another place, the poet says: –

So-yach Sita, Satuk Soth Rama-Lakhyaman

Hyamath Halumat, Asat Ravun Dorjan. (p. 31)

Piousness is Sita, Ram, and Lakshman are the bridge symbolizing the Truth. Courage is Hanuman and the Evil is in the form of falsehood i.e. Ravana.

Prakashram’s Ram is the protector of the people, the savior of the land, and the remover of sins. He is the incarnation of God Vishnu even though he is the son of King Dasaratha. He has incarnated only to finish and destroy sins on the earth.

Although the basis of the main story of ‘ Ramavataracharit ‘ is Valmiki’s Ramayana yet the poet has tried to make slight variations in the narrative according to his talent and vision. In many places, the poet has announced some new (strange and original?) beliefs in the composition of the story. Regarding the birth of Sita, the belief of the poet is that Sita was, in fact, the daughter of Ravana-Mandodari. Mandodari was an Apsara/fairy who was married to Ravana. He had a daughter whom astrologers pronounced lethal for Ravana’s coterie. As a result, Mandodari, as soon as the child was born, without informing her husband Ravana, locked her in a chest and threw her in the river. Later, during the preparation for the Yagya, King Janaka was grateful to find her while digging on the banks of the river. That’s why Mandodari gets overwhelmed with affection after seeing the abducted Sita in Lanka. See the lines:

Tujin tami kauchi kyath hyath lalanovan

Gamech kauli yaili leban lauli kyath sovun

Vuchiv tas maji ma mazuk mushuk aav

Laban yaili chas baban daud thinchi tas drav. (p. 145)

(Then that Mandodari lifted her in her lap and swung her after seeing back Sita once thrown in the water. Look! sensing the smell of her own flesh and blood, the mother’s breasts burst forth with a rapid flow of milk.)

Another variant available in ‘Ramavatarcharit’ is that of Sita’s abandonment by Rama. Not considering Rajak(washerman’s) incident as the main motive for Sita’s exile, the poet has blamed Sita’s younger sister-in-law (?) who creates a rift in the pure love between husband and wife. The story goes on like this: One day she asks her sister-in-law (Sita ji) what was the shape of Ravana, how did he look etc? At least tell me his features. Sita ji inadvertently draws a sketch of Ravana on paper, which the sister-in-law, later, shows to her brother and creates a split in the relationship between Sita and Ram:

Dopun tas kun yi wuch bio yi kya chhuy

Dohay sita yath kun vuchith tulan huya ,

Me neems churi pata asi paan maran

Vadan Varah Ta Netarv Khoon Haran. (p. 399)

(Showing Ravana’s picture: Look brother, what is this? Seeing this, Sita laments every day. Ever since I stole this picture, tears are flowing down from her eyes. If she knew that her sister-in-law had stolen this paper/picture of her, she will not spare me alive.)

According to Kashmiri scholar Dr. Shasishekhar Toshkhani, “The biggest feature of ‘Ramavacharacharit’ is the predominance of the local environment. The social, cultural, and geographical environment of the Prakashram’a era has had such a profound impact on the work that it has become completely Kashmirized by the inclusion of local elements. These elements are so abundantly set in the work that even the names of many characters have been manufactured according to the Kashmiri pronunciation. Like Jatayu is ‘ Jatayan ‘ here, Kaikeyi is ‘ Kiki ‘, Indrajit is ‘ Indrajeth’ and Sampati is ‘Sampath’ etc. The local environment is reflected so much in the way of living, customs, costumes, etc. that the life of Kashmir in the 19th century becomes tangible. Lamenting over Rama’s exile, Dasaratha is shown distressed searching for Rama in the familiar beauty spots and pilgrimages of Kashmir. (Page 092-93) In the Ashoka garden of Lanka, the poet has enumerated and shown all the flowers that spread their colors in the valley of Kashmir. (p. 200) Ram’s marriage also takes place according to the customs and rituals prevalent among Kashmiri Hindus like door-worship, flower-worship, etc.”

“Lavkush Charit” enthusiastically records Sita’s returning to Earth in Shankarpur village (situated at a distance of about 5 kilometers from Kurigaon, the original place of dwelling of the poet. (Page 47.) Legend has it that even today near the ‘ Ramkund-Spring’, when it is said: ‘ O, Sita, see Ramji has come, your Ramji has come’, then bubbles rise from the water of the spring. It may be a folk belief born out of emotion, but Kashmiri poet Prakashram has understandably given this honor, out of reverence, to his native place connecting the belief with Ramkatha.

To sum up, ‘ Ramavatarcharit ‘ is a valuable text of the story of lord Rama available in Kashmiri language and literature, in which the poet has recited the events related to the life history of Rama with utmost devotion. The description-style and imaginative power of the poet is so impressive and drenched with local color that it seems as if all the incidents of ‘Ramavatar-Charit’ are happening in the Kashmir division and not in Ayodhya, Janakpuri, Lanka, etc. This is the significant quality of ‘Ramavatarcharit’ and that makes this Ramayana very discrete and very special. Undoubtedly, this beautiful poetic work, abundant with the unique local color of ‘Kashmiriyat’, has a special place in the rich Ramayana tradition of Indian literature.

A paperback edition of the Hindi translation of Ramavtarcharit done by the author is coming out from Gyanmudra Publication Group, Bhopal, shortly.