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'''Ramavataram''' (இராமாவதாரம்), popularly referred to as Kamba Ramayanam (கம்ப இராமாயணம்) is a Tamil epic that was written by Kamban during the 9th century. Based on Valmiki's Ramayana in Sanskrit, the story describes the life of King Rama of Ayodhya. However, ''Ramavatharam'' is different from the Sanksrit original in many aspects - both in spiritual concepts and in the specifics of the story line.
Kamban wrote this epic with the patronage of ''Thiruvennai Nallur Sadayappa Vallal'' , a Kongu Vellala Gounder (caste) Pannai kula cheiftain (திருவெண்ணை நல்லூர் சடயப்ப வள்ளல்) . As a mark of respect for his patron, Kamban refers his name once in every 1000 verses.
The epic is quite well known both in Tamil literary world and in Hindu spiritual world for the color of the poems and for the religious value.

Contents

Structure

Compilation

Literary Significance

Religious Significance

Structure

The book is divided into six chapters called ''Kandam''(காண்டம்) in Tamil.

★ Bala Kandam (Chapter: Childhood; பால காண்டம்)

★ Ayodhya Kandam (Chapter: Ayodhya; அயோத்யா காண்டம்)

★ Aranya Kandam (Chapter: Forest; ஆரண்ய காண்டம்)

★ Kishkinta Kandam (Chapter: Kishkintha; கிஷ்கிந்த காண்டம்)

★ Sundara Kandam (Chapter: Beautiful; சுந்தர காண்டம் )

★ Yutha Kandam (Chapter: War; யுத்த காண்டம்)
The Kandams are further divided into 118 sections called ''Padalam'' (படலம்) in Tamil. These 118 sections contains approximately 12,000 verses of the epic.

Compilation

As with many historic compilations, it was very difficult to discard the interpolations and addendum which have been added over a period of time to the original. This task was taken up a committee of scholars headed by 'Prof. T P Meenakshi Sundaram' called the '''Kamban Kazhagam''' (Kamban Academy). The compilation published by this committee in 1976 is what is used as the standard today.

Literary Significance

Kamban's use of Virutham (விருத்தம்; Tempo) and Santham (சந்தம்; Tune) in various verses is effective in bringing out the human emotion and mood setting for story telling. He achieves the Virutham and Santham by effective choice of words.

Religious Significance

Till date, this epic is read by a lot of Hindus during prayers. In some house holds the entire epic is read once during the Tamil Month of Aadi. It is also read in Hindu Temples and other religious associations.
The chapter, ''Sundara Kandam'', is considered quite auspicious and is the most popular. The chapter talks about the hardships faced by the main charcthers in the epic, their practice of restraint and hopes for a better tomorrow.