RAMAYANA

	Dasharatha was the King of Ayodhya and had three wives and four sons. Rama was the eldest and his mother was Kaushalya. Bharata was the son of Dasharatha’s second and favorite wife, Queen Kaikeyi. The other two were twins, Lakshmana and Shatrughna whose mother was Sumithra. In the neighboring city the ruler’s daughter was named Sita. When it was time for Sita to choose her bridegroom (at a ceremony called a swayamvara) princes from all over the land were asked to string a giant bow which no one could lift. However, as Rama picked it up, he not only strung the bow, he broke it. Seeing this, Sita indicated that she had chosen Rama as her husband by putting a garland around his neck. Their love became a model for the entire kingdom as they looked over the kingdom under the watchful eye of his father the king.
	A few years later, King Dasharatha decided it was time to give his throne to his eldest son Rama and retire to the forest. Everyone seemed pleased, save Queen Kaikeyi since she wanted her son Bharata to rule. Because of an oath Dasharatha had made to her years before, she got the king to agree to banish Rama for fourteen years and to crown Bharata, even though the king pleaded with her not to demand such a request. The devastated King could not face Rama and it was Queen Kaikeyi who told Rama the King’s decree. Rama, always obedient, was content to go into banishment in the forest. Sita and Lakshmana accompanied him on his exile. One day Rama and Lakshmana wounded a rakshasas (demon) princess who tried to seduce Rama. She returned to her brother Ravana, the ten-headed ruler of Lanka. In retaliation, Ravana devised a plan to abduct Sita after hearing about her incomparable beauty. He sent one of his demons disguised as a magical golden deer to entice Sita. To please her, Rama and Lakshmana went to hunt the deer down. Before they did though, they drew a protective circle around Sita and told her that she would be safe for as long as she did not step outside the circle. After Rama and Lakshmana left, Ravana appeared as a holy man begging alms. The moment Sita stepped outside the circle to give him food, Ravana grabbed her and carried her to his kingdom in Lanka.
	Rama then sought the help of a band of monkeys offer to help him find Sita. Hanuman, the general of the monkey band can fly since his father is the wind. He flew to Lanka and, finding Sita in the grove, comforted her and told her Rama would come to save her soon. Ravana’s men captured Hanuman, and Ravana ordered them to wrap Hanuman's tail in cloth and to set it on fire. With his tail burning, Hanuman escaped and hopped from house-top to house-top, setting Lanka on fire. He then flew back to Rama to tell him where Sita was. Rama, Lakshmana and the monkey army built a causeway from the tip of India to Lanka and crossed over to Lanka where a cosmic battle ensued. Rama killed several of Ravana’s brothers and eventually confronted the ten-headed Ravana. He killed Ravana, freed Sita and after Sita proved here purity, they returned to Ayodhya where Bharata returned the crown to him. Conclusion  Bharat had two sons,Taksha and Pushkala.The former founded Takshasila,to the east of the Indus,and known to Alexander and the Greeks as Taxila.The latter founded Pushkalavathy ,to the west of the Indus,and known to Alexander and the Greeks as Peukelaotis.Thus the sons of Bharat are said to have founded kingdoms which flourished on either side of the Indus River in the 4th Century before Christ.  Lakshman had two sons Angada and Chandrakethu.The former founded the kingdom of Karupada and the latter found the city of Chandrakanthy in the Malwa Country.Satrughna had two sons too named Suvahu and Satrughati.The former became the King of Mathura and the latter ruled in Visisha.  Rama had two sons Lava and Kusa.The former ruled Sravasti which was the capital of Oudh.The latter founded Kusavathy at the foot of the Vindhya Mountains.  The death of Rama and his brothers are in accordance with Hindu ideas of the death of the righteous.Lakshman died under some what peculiar circumstances.A messenger from heaven sought a secret conference with Rama and Rama placed Lakshman at the gate, with strict injunctions that those who intrude should be slain.Lakshman himself had to disturb the conference by the solicitation of the celestial rishi Durvasa,who always appears on earth to create mischief.And true to the order pass by Rama,Lakshman took his own life by penances and went to heaven.In the fullness of time,Rama and his other brothers left Ayodhya ,crossed the Sarayu,surrendered their mortal like and entered heaven.