Lord Ram Rooted In Diversity

The story of Lord Ram is deeply entrenched in the socio-cultural fabric of not only India but across South Asia. The epic Ramayana holds great significance in neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thai-land, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbeki-stan, China, Japan, and Korea to name a few. Lord Ram takes a unique form across different regions and cultures. He is considered the righteous ruler, the ideal king, a perfect son, husband, brother, and human being.

A Melting Pot

In a diverse country like India, Lord Ram is worshipped in unique traditional ways across different communities and cultures. Not many people know that the Ramnami community from Chhattisgarh are ardent followers of Lord Ram. Even today, many elders from this community have the words 'Ram' tattooed all over their bodies. They are called purnanakshik. They don a headgear of peacock feathers and wrap a cotton shawl with the word ‘Ram’ printed on it. They chant ‘Ram’ nonstop. They sing hymns and dance during a three-day harvest festival (December-January) in Sarsiwa, Raipur. “Their devotion towards Lord Ram is commendable. They don’t cremate the dead because of the Ram tattoos all over their body. They bury them,” says Amish Tripathi, a renowned author, mythology scholar and former diplomat.  

Rhythm Divine

Everybody is left spellbound with Rajasthan’s rustic charm, rich heritage, textiles, and soul-stirring music. Musicians and singers from the Manganiyars community are Muslims but they staunchly carry forward the centuries-old tradition of singing devotional songs to Lord Krishna and Lord Ram.

“Music transcends all religions. Every note they sing strikes a chord. The talent and tradition is passed down from generation to generation,” says Amish, a culture expert, who has done meticulous research on the subject for the documentary, Ram Janma-bhoomi: Return of a Splendid Sun. Interestingly, some of the musicians have names like Shankar Khan, Krishna Khan, etc. Padma Shri Malini Awasthi, a folk singer from Uttar Pradesh, who sings in Bhojpuri, Awadhi, and Hindi points out how the oil pressers sing praises and the hardships faced by Lord Ram while they toil the entire night. “It is their unique way of worshipping Lord Ram. They consider him as one of them. Oil pressing is a tedious task. They sing to Lord Ram all night as it helps them forget their burdens and worries,” she explains.

One Among Us

While most people revere Lord Ram as the top deity or righteous king, men from a minuscule community in Janakpuri, Mithila jokingly trade barbs at Lord Ram. They consider Lord Ram as their Jijaji (brother-in-law). They wear women’s attire and call themselves sakhis or gopis. They are not transgenders. They are married men with families and kids. “They sing and dance in temples of Ayodhya during Shravan, Ram Vivah, and Ram Navami festivals. They essentially believe that they are from Goddess Sita’s family so by default Ram becomes their Jijaji (brother-in-law),” explains Yatindra Mishra, a celebrated poet, author, art and cinema scholar, and member from the royal family of Ayodhya in the documentary. These men (sakhis and gopis) affectionately poke fun at Lord Ram through traditional songs and then offer him food during puja in the evening. Traditionally it is believed that Lord Ram smiles at their pranks, eats the food, and blesses them.

A Royal Salute

In the heart of India (Madhya Pradesh) the town of Orchha in Niwari district is often referred to as the ‘Ayodhya of Bundel-khand.’ Here Lord Ram is revered not as a deity but a ‘King’. The erstwhile princely town has a unique tradition of paying a royal salute to ‘Shri Ram Raja’ thrice every day. It is a tradition carried out during the Bundela dynasty era between 1554 and 1594. Locals living in this beautiful town situated on the banks of the Betwa River believe that Lord Ram spends his daytime in Orchha and returns to Ayodhya at night. In the Konaseema village of Andhra Pradesh, locals worship Lord Ram (aka Bondha Rama) by placing a banana trunk (Bondha) in the ground and performing a big puja on it assuming it is Lord Rama. The puja, bhajans, and celebrations go on for nine days from Ugadi (New Year’s Day according to the Hindu calendar).

“Lord Ram travelled extensively so each region has its unique way of worshiping him,” says bestselling author and public speaker Anand Neelkantan. The Ramanandi sect around Gangetic Plain, and in Nepal worships Lord Ram as a child (aka Ram Lalla). From morning to night, the devotees follow the tradition of taking care of the deity like a child — waking up, bathing, changing clothes, feeding, singing a lullaby, etc.

Different Perspectives

As per the epic, Lord Ram spent a substantial time in exile. Many tribal communities welcome and worship Lord Ram through unique storytelling traditions. When you ask Amish about the political row over whether Lord Ram ate vegetarian or non-vegetarian food, he quips, “Don’t go by those TV debates. I would request people to read the different versions of Ramayan. The answers are all there in the scriptures. It is a matter of perspective. Each person sees Ram the way he or she wants. One needs to be inclusive and willing to respect and accept another person’s perspective of Lord Ram.” Talking about the Ram Rajya hype, Amish categorically says, “We should not expect any leader, guru, or politician to deliver Ram Rajya in India. As responsible citizens of a society, it is our responsibility to be inclusive and ensure everyone is treated equally and fair. That is what Lord Ram teaches us.”

Each person sees Ram the way he or she wants. One needs to be inclusive and willing to respect and accept another person’s perspective of Lord Ram.”

— Amish Tripathi, author, mythology scholar

Ram Resonations

Lord Ram and Ramayana are embedded in the cultural and traditional practices of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines, Japan, Korea, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran to name a few.

Matter of Faith

• People from the Ramnami community, Chhattisgarh have 'Ram' tattooed all over their bodies.

• Manganiyars Muslims, Rajasthan sing Hindu devotional songs for Lord Krishna and Lord Ram.

• A group of men from Janakpuri, Mithila dress up like women and consider Lord Ram as their Jijaji (brother-in-law). They call themselves sakhis and gopis of Goddess Sita and playfully trade barbs at Lord Rama.

• In Orchha town Lord Ram is revered as a King (Sri Ram Raja) and given three royal salutes daily.

• The Ramanandi sect worships Lord Ram as a child (aka Ram Lalla) from morning to night.

• In the Konaseema village, Andhra Pradesh, locals worship Lord Ram (aka Bondha Rama) by placing a banana trunk (Bondha) in the ground and performing a big puja around it.

In the Konaseema village of AP, locals worship Lord Ram (aka Bondha Rama) by placing a banana trunk in the ground and performing puja on it assuming it is Lord Rama