A retelling for children, based on the Ramayana, traditionally attributed to the sage Valmiki. This is a short version; the full story is much longer.
Long ago, in the city of Ayodhya, lived a kind and brave prince named Rama. Everyone loved him, and the king planned to make him the next ruler.
But one of the queens asked the king to keep an old promise: to send Rama away to live in the forest for fourteen years. The king was heartbroken, but a promise is a promise. Rama agreed without complaint, and his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana chose to go with him.
In the forest they lived simply and happily, until one day the demon king Ravana of Lanka tricked them and carried Sita away to his island kingdom.
Rama and Lakshmana searched everywhere. On the way they made wonderful friends, especially Hanuman, a monkey of great strength and devotion, who leapt across the ocean and found Sita in Ravana’s garden.
With the help of a great army of monkeys and bears, Rama built a bridge of stones across the sea to Lanka. After a long battle, Rama defeated Ravana and Sita was free.
At last, the fourteen years were over, and Rama, Sita and Lakshmana set off for home.
The people of Ayodhya were overjoyed. It was a dark, moonless night, so to light the way and welcome them home, everyone placed little clay lamps along the paths, on rooftops and in every window. The whole city glowed.
That is why, at Diwali, many families light rows of lamps: to remember Rama’s homecoming and to celebrate light overcoming darkness.
Talk about it
- Why did Rama agree to go to the forest?
- What made Hanuman such a good friend?
- Why do you think the people lit lamps?
- What does “light overcoming darkness” mean to you?
