Ramayan the TV series, was an epic recreation by Ramanand Sagar, who scripted, directed & produced, the entire series of the Hindu mytho...
क्या सबसे बेहतर कमाई वाला धंधा धर्म ही है?
— आनन्द सिंह (सत्या) (@ANANDsi46430243) June 18, 2023
पैसे कमाने के हज़ारों तरीके हैं,लेकिन धर्म को बेच कर पैसा कमाना बहुत आसान है। #धर्म#सनातन_संस्कृति #Ramayan #अदिपुरूष #ManojMuntashirShukla #मनोज_मुंतशिर_à¤à¤¡़वा_है #मनोज_मुंतशिर #रामायण pic.twitter.com/C3ADsOBFdH
Adipurush has been on the trending news for a while from its initial release. However, after screening it has created an uproar amongst all the religious communities of India, who had seen the original televised series Ramayan from the 1980's. The television series which aired its first episode on January 25, 1987 screening a total 78 episodes had literally glued the whole of India, to the 'then rarely owned' television sets. It was an era when having a Television at home would be like owning a supercar or superbike in this time.
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| 2020 Re-aired Poster of the 1987 'epic Ramayan TV series ' |
At that time, Ramayan became the most watched television series in the entire world, with over 82% viewership. Since there was nothing of such sort that could be played countrywide at the same time, it was so popular that it was not only with Hindu community but every member of the society almost watched it.
It also created an awareness of Hindu belief system amongst the non-Hindu's as to why Rama was revered to as God, was to an extent that they extended their support to ensure everyone who wanted to watch were somehow or the other made sure the aired series was played live on the TV sets.
The series had became a ritual in itself that people used to share the televised episodes with random & stranger people entering their homes just to watch. After a few initial episodes many of the owners of the TV's even made it a ritual to move their TV sets to location that is easily accessible to the onlookers who used to gather to even catch a distant glimpse on the tiny screen.
However, the recently released movie has created more of an uproar on the quality of words used and the way it has been depicted that has hurt to the people of other faith who had seen the original series and understood the whole historical epic of the India's most revered Ram (Rama) and Sita. Rama is known to be the reincarnation of Vishnu, the God of wealth & prosperity in Hinduism.
Everyone is offended! Muntashir is clueless about #Ramayan.#ManojMuntashirShukla pic.twitter.com/nGtjubcbJo
— Mahalaxmi Ramanathan (@MahalaxmiRaman) June 20, 2023
It was those days of Ramayan TV series that helped the bonding amongst various sects of the society that India is known for the rich diversity. It is also one of the bigger reason why our country has thrived; not just survived, so far, so good. With the advancement of technology, reach of gadgets has come to a point of self containment to this day, where one doesn't feel the need of the other next to themselves.
To narrate briefly on the Ramayana epic
It spreads the message of bonding amongst the first brothers, Rama & Bharatha, (sons of King Dasharatha, born to from different mothers), who respect and love each other, equally with their two other younger brothers Lakshmana & Shatrugna. Rama being the eldest, relinquishes the throne and embarks on a 14 year exile along with his wife Sita, joined by the younger brother Lakshmana. His exile was at the behest of the promise Rama made to Bharatha's mother Kaike who wanted her son to rule the empire.
As said earlier Rama being an reincarnation of Vishnu himself, is believed to have taken birth to kill Ravana, the demonic emperor in Lanka (modern day Srilanka) who used to trouble saints and other smaller empires. Rama being born in Ayodhya (in modern day Uttarpradesh, India), begins his exile and travels nearly 2000kms away down southwards gradually. During the exile he assists various scholars, saints and guru's.
During his stay, Ravana finds out about Rama, along with his brother Lakshmana has been given the task by valmiki to kill him for his misdeeds and as a challenge he cunningly kidnaps Rama's his wife on his Garuda Vimana (mythically large eagle/aircraft). Upon findings of the kidnap, Rama builds up an army of apes/monkeys, with Hanuman (the mythical monkey God) who was blessed with super powers which was unknown to himself until Rama reveals' it. With Hanuman and along with other monkeys, Rama reaches Lanka and kills Ravana in the wild battle that ensued on Lanka.
All this happens more or less in the 14 years, and finally Rama, Sita and Lakshmana return from their exile and finds out that Bharatha never assumed the throne and was only acting as an administrator on behalf of Rama. That was the love and devotion the Bharatha carried to his elder one and pleased by his devotion, Rama declares the whole of India as we know today as Bharatha Khanda (meaning the land of Bharatha) before assuming the throne and the empire.
Summary
With such high emotions running through the country for the years 1987-88, India witnessed some amazing brotherhood amongst all cast, creed and religions.
It was recorded by BBC, who recalls the event as, "during the telecast every Sunday morning, streets would be deserted, shops would be closed and people would bathe and garland their TV sets before the serial began." Such were emotions back then, all because of the epic recreation onscreen, more or less word to word true to the book.
So it is obvious to see the uproar on the recent movie Adipurush, which completely misses the point on emotions, message, words chosen, graphical rendering and de-glorifying the God himself. However, modern India with much more matured inhabitants chose to ignore the whole movie, and the Bollywood movie/film industry as a whole these days. All because of the degraded content it has produced time to time, that is failing to attract the majority populace. This is another reason, why the movies from South India has began to overthrow the much more established Bollywood productions.
Coming to the original Ramayana series, it was re-aired during the 2020 Coronavirus Lockdown and broke several viewership record globally which includes show sets a record for most watched TV show in the world with 77 million viewership as on 16th April, 2020. (source wikipedia)
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