Variations of Ramayana
Sri Ram did NOT actually kill Ravan - at least not in the Adbhuta Ramayana - and here’s the tea.
Everyone celebrates Diwali as Ramchandra’s return to Ayodhya from Lanka after slaying the demon king Ravan, but the truth is there are over 250 recorded versions & regional adapatations of the Ramayana - each of them is equally valid because of the concept called Kalpas, which is one cycle of time.
Basically, our Sanatan Dharma sees time as a continuously repeating cycle and so divine stories unfold again & again with new twists.
The immortal crow-headed sage Kakabhushandi - mentioned in the Yoga Vashishta - claims to have seen dozens of Ramayana’s across different cycles.
First, the earliest source we know is the Mula Ramayana, a concise version narrated by Narada Muni to Valmiki, which inspires him to write the OG version that’s considered the most authoritative source.
Second, we have the Rāmopākhyāna in the Mahābhārata’s Vana Parva, which portrays Ram as fully human, not divine.
Third, the Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇa, part of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, reframes it as a dialogue between Shiva and Parvati - where the real Sītā remains hidden in fire, and an illusory form is taken by Ravan.
Fourth, Tulasīdās’ Rāmcaritmānas is a show of pure Bhakti - it’s poetic, emotional, and devotional, with divine interventions added for faith and wonder.
Fifth, the Adbhuta Rāmāyaṇa - which you’ll find in Tantrik circles - flips the story, making Sita the protagonist as the divine Shakti. She reveals herself as Mahakali & kills the thousand-headed Sahasramukha Ravana, showing that Shakti is the true cosmic power.
Sixth, we have Ananda Ramayana with new episodes like Hanuman’s coronation as king of monkeys & legends glorifying Rāma as the Supreme Being
South India gave us Kamba, Ranganātha, and Molla Rāmāyaṇas.
Bengal gave Kṛttivāsī Rāmāyaṇa, where Ram performs Durga Puja before the war.
And Assam has its Saptakanda.
Most interestingly, in the Buddhist Daśaratha Jātaka, there’s no Ravan at all - and Ram, Lakshman and Sita are depicted as siblings.
But that’s just India. What if I told you there are international versions, too!