Evidence of Rama's Existence

The finest literary work on the subject of the recent controversy (and indeed the finest literature on most controversies of this nature) is to be found here. With this definitive reference out of the way, i shall now proceed to offer three definitive sources, which prove beyond any doubt that Lord Rama existed (whatever Science and History may say).

My grandmother. Not only did she tell me lots of great stories (she also found a few where the Great Lord Rama got scolded by his mother!), she told them over and over again. I enjoyed them every time. Her trick was, that she never told me the whole story, and it was never "Come i'll tell you the story of the Ramayana", but was "Do you know what Rama did in the Dandakaranya when he was still a student?" or some such similarly important question. It was not until i graduated to literacy that i found a more definitive account of the Ramayana

This was Amar Chitra Katha. These brilliant comic books were to be read and re-read, and then enjoyed in my grandfather's animated voice. His eyes danced as he recounted with glee all of Rama's triumphs and his voice dropped into almost a whisper as he narrated the evil deeds of Ravana. These tended to be more traditional and long story telling sessions, aided by the excellent illustrations of the Amar Chitra Katha. Rama was blue (as Krishna was later to be when i graduated to the Mahabharata and other stories).

Then came Ramanand Sagar. This disastrous television production is the third bit of evidence that Rama did actually exist. They actually showed him on TV! For some odd reason he seemed to smile a lot without apparent cause, and boy did he inspire songs! He walked unnaturally slowly and his speech was painstakingly new age pseudo-traditional. He was also not blue. All this almost disqualified this television show as authentic Ramayana (the Amar Chitra Katha is still the standard Ramayana reference if you haven't read Tulsidas's translation). But historically speaking (since this is the subject of this note), my grandparents and other sundry elders, who I'm sure knew what they were talking about, seemed unanimous that Mr. Sagar, inspite of all the gratuitous smiling, had done a really good job. 

Coming to this latest finding from the Archaeological Survey of India - who have found no historical evidence that Lord Rama existed - this is highly likely. Many other kings, many other armies, many other romances (not to speak of many other aeroplanes) and many other epics (in other people's eyes of course, not mine!) have occured on the same land that was once lucky enough to host Lord Rama. Modern Science has not quite reached the Ramayana stage yet. But it will get there. The technology does not exist today which can definitively attribute a connection between India and Sri Lanka to Lord Rama. But in my view, there are some things which are best left out of the purview of technology. This is not dissimilar to other equally important debates about technology use in cricket. There are those who feel that technology should be used to adjudicate LBW rulings, but i am of the view, that a law which was meant to be "in the opinion of the umpire", should remain that way. The debate about use of technology and scientific methods in the context of the Ramayana are not in the spirit of things. For example, it would be very boring to learn from some fancy carbon dating analysis that Rama would have been 8756 years old this year!

In any case, when i was small, the Ramayana was a good excuse (the Amar Chitra Katha variety of course) to not study science. I see no reason why I shouldn't extend the same reasoning in the matter of Lord Rama's existence. I did learn one lesson from the Ramayana though. Rama and the people of Ayodhya would have led a much happier life (not to speak of Luv and Kush and Laxman and Urmila and Dasharatha and Bharata and everybody else), had Manthara not played the devil's advocate successfully.

Let's not encourage pointless Mantharas (government, politicians - both secularists and Hindutva types). We risk a great deal. Lord Rama learnt it the hard way, so we would learn it easily. I think the blue, youthful Rama from Amar Chitra Katha was and still is cool - he did great things. If you think thats naively new age and blithe, think again - it is exactly why the story of Rama has inspired such unflinching faith that it has endured since unknown antiquity. That we don't know how old it is, somehow adds to the power of the story.