Outlook asked people across India who Ram is and what the Ramayana means to them. Here is what we found.
Ram was a divine embodiment of all the virtues—kindness, empathy, generosity, and affection. He was simple and free from flamboyance. I believe anybody who embraces his virtues and qualities gets closer to the spiritual domains of righteousness and divinity, and that is why we call him maryada purushottam.
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I am a part of a theatre group in Jaipur, and we are organising a Ram Leela wherein I am playing the role of Sri Ram. Before donning the character of Ram, and rehearsing for the role, I spent months reading and researching about him and his life, and I tried to embrace as many good qualities he possessed. This journey has been spiritually enlightening for me in more ways than one, and I feel the change within me. I have become more empathetic, attentive, and calm. I believe the changes that Shri Ram brought to my soul will never leave my body. Sri Ram to me is not just a deity, but a way of life.
(As told to Peerzada Muzamil)
Nitin Saini is a theatre artist and an actor who has featured in well-known television shows like Crime Patrol