Uncle Pai's AMAR CHITRA KATHA completed 50 years in 2017. Commemorating this ACK released a set of 6 volumes of Valmiki's Ramayana, one each for the 6 Kandas. In this 50th year widely shared are the 50 lesser known details of Ramayana. Enjoy reading n sharing with family and friends.

1. RAMAYANA
50 lesser known details
Amar Chitra Katha
Half – century Not Out

2. Valmiki Ramayana : 6 Kandas
• Bal Kanda
• Rama’s Boyhood
• Ayodhya Kanda
• Rama’s life in Ayodhya till his banishment
• Aranya Kanda
• Rama’s life in the forest and Sita’s abduction by Ravana
• Kishkinda Kanda
• Rama’s stay in Kishkinda, the capital of his Vanara Ally Sugriva
• Sundara Kanda
• Rama’s journey to Sri Lanka
• Yudhha Kanda
• Rama’s battle with Ravana, recovery of Sita and their return to Ayodhya.
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6. 50 lesser known details - 1
• Who told Valmiki to write about Rama ?
• NARADA
• When Valmiki realised that he could write in verse, who was the first
person that he revealed this to ?
• BHARADWAJA, his student.
• Who was the Rishi who conducted a yagna so that Dasaratha could bear
sons ?
• RISHYASHRINGA, who was married to Dasaratha’s daughter, Shanta.
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7. 50 lesser known details - 2
• Rama and Lakshmana were taken into the forest by Vishwamitra to
learn how to hunt. It was at this point that Vishwamitra also bestowed
upon Rama other valuable rewards. What were they ?
• Rama was given 50 weapons, which had not been granted even to gods,
including the Dhandachakra, Vishnuchakra and Brahmastra.
• Four great elephants supported the globe – what are their names ?
• VIRUPAKSHAin the East, MAHAPADMA in the South, TAUMANASA in the
West, BHADRA in the North.
• Who was the Rishi who was so enraged when his sacrificial ground was
flooded by Ganga that he drank her up ?
• JAHNU, The Ganga is also known as Jahnavi because the Rishi released her
from his ear.
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8. 50 lesser known details - 3
• On returning to Ayodhya from Sita’s swayamwar, who challenged Rama
to string yet another invincible bow ?
• PARASHURAMA
• Who was the charioteer who drove the chariot when Rama, Sita,
Lakshmana left for the forest ?
• SAMANTRA, who was also a minister in Dasaratha’s court.
• Which was the first river that Rama, Lakshmana and Sita had to cross
on their way out from Ayodhya ? It was here that they were able to skip
away from people of Ayodhya who were following them.
• River TAMASA
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9. 50 lesser known details - 4
• Where were Bharata and Shatrughna when Dararatha died ?
• In KEKEYA, where their mother Kaikeyi was from. It is believed that Kekeya
was modern-day Afghanistan.
• Who was the famous figure who gave Sita jewellery and also a set of
clothes that could never be soiled, during her exile ?
• ANASUYA
• In which forest did Rama, Lakshmana and Sita spend their first 10 years
of exile ?
• DANDAKARANYA where they met all rishis and destroyed the rakshasas who
were disturbing their meditation.
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10. 50 lesser known details - 5
• Who is the first rakshasha that Rama, Lakshmana and Sita encounter in
Dandakaranya?
• Viradha, who was in fact a gandharva named Tumburu, who turned into a
rakshasha after being cursed by Kuber.
• Who was the rishi whose wives lived under a lake and made a lot of
music?
• Rishi Mandakarni’s five wives lived beneath Lake Panchapsara.
• There were two rakshashas — Ilvala and Vatapi — who assumed the
form of sages. Who killed them?
• Rishi Agastya. Ilvala would cook Vatapi and feed them to sages. Vatapi would
tear open their stomachs once inside, but neither he nor Ilvala could kill
Agastya.
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12. 50 lesser known details - 6
• How did Jatayu and Dashratha become friends?
• When Dashratha chases Shanideva across the sky, Shani burns his chariot. As
Dashratha falls, Jatayu steps in and rescues him.
• Who does Surpanakha go to when Lakshmana cuts off her nose and ears?
• Her brothers Khara and Dooshana.
• Where do Khara and Dooshana live with 14,000 rakshashas ?
• Janasthana.
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13. 50 lesser known details - 7
• Which river flowed besides Panchavati, which was close to Janasthana?
• Godavari.
• Rama kills all but one rakshasha in Janasthana. Who is the one who
escapes and takes the news to Ravana?
• Akampana.
• Which rakshasha dissuades Ravana from fighting Rama because he has
suffered at Rama’s hands earlier in the story?
• Maricha.
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14. 50 lesser known details - 8
• What is the one important detail which is not in the original Ramayana and
was added later in Tulsi’s Ramayana?
• There is no Lakshmana Rekha in Valmiki’s Ramayana.
• What does Sita say to Lakshmana so that he would follow Ram into the
jungle where Rama had gone to hunt the golden deer
• “O horrible and merciless Lakshmana. Disgrace of your race. I think you have
cunningly followed us to the forest as an agent of Bharata or maybe you want me
for yourself.”
• What animals drew Ravana’s chariot
• Mules.
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15. 50 lesser known details - 9
• How old was Jatayu when he defended Sita and was killed by Ravana?
• He was 60,000 years old.
• Who is the rakshasha who attacks Rama and Lakshmana and resembles the
Greek one-eyed ogre, Cyclops?
• Kabandha. While Cyclops has his eye in the middle of his forehead, Kabandha’s eye
is in the centre of his chest.
• What is the name of the mountain where Sugreeva had taken refuge from
Vaali?
• Rishyamukha located in Kishkinda, which is the modern-day Hampi.
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16. 50 lesser known details - 10
• How does Rama tell Lakshmana to help Sugreeva to distinguish himself from
Vaali?
• Rama tells Lakshmana to place a garland of gajapushpi flowers on Sugreeva so
that he could differentiate between the two and kill Vaali.
• Where do Rama and Lakshmana stay in Kishkinda to wait out the monsoon
before they begin looking for Sita?
• In a cave on Mount Prasravana.
• Sugreeva directs his vanar sena towards a horse-shaped submarine fire in
the Eastern quarter of the earth? What is the fire’s name?
• Hayamukha.
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18. 50 lesser known details - 11
• What is the name of the peak on which Vishnu placed his first stride when he
conquered all three worlds in his Vamana avatar?
• Saumanasa.
• From which asura does Vishnu take away the 1000-spoked Sudarshana
Chakra?
• Hayagriva.
• From whom does Vishnu take away the conch Panchajanya?
• Panchajana.
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19. 50 lesser known details - 12
• Who is the female ascetic that Angad’s army meets and who directs them to
the ocean?
• Swayamprabha.
• Who plots to devour Angad’s army when they reach the ocean and sit on the
sands as they contemplate death?
• Sampati, the King of vultures, who is also Jatayu’s brother.
• Who helps Hanuman realise his strengths?
• Jambhavan.
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20. 50 lesser known details - 13
• Which mountain rises out of the sea and offers a resting place for Hanuman?
• Mount Mainaka. Mythology describes mountains as creatures that could fly, but the gods and
sages were incensed that they landed without paying heed to a yagna that was in progress and
caused several interruptions and damage to mortals. So Indira decided to clip the wings of all
mountains. Vayu, the god of wind helps Mainaka escape this plight and since Hanuman is the
son of Vayu, he offers to help him in his hour of need.
• Who is the rakshashi who interrupted Hanuman on his way to Lanka?
• Surasa, the mother of nagas, is asked by the gods to test Hanuman. She changes into a fearful
ogress and tells Hanuman to fly into her mouth as she wanted to eat him. Hanuman tricks
Surasa by becoming very small and flying in and out of her cavernous mouth.
• Who is the first to encounter Hanuman in Lanka?
• The guardian spirit of Lanka who also goes by the name Lanka or Lankini.
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21. 50 lesser known details - 14
• From whom had Ravana snatched the Pushpak Vimaan?
• From his half-brother Kubera, who is the god of wealth.
• When Sita is in Lanka, who is the rakshasha who takes pity on her and
befriends her?
• Trijata, a venerable old rakshasi kept to guard Sita.
• Sita reminds Rama that he had used the Brahmastra on the most ordinary of
birds because it dared to attack her? What was this creature?
• A crow. Rama charged a blade of kusha grass with the power of the Brahmastra
and sent it after him. The crow tried to escape but finally had to come back to
Rama and ask for shelter.
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22. 50 lesser known details - 15
• Who was the son of Ravana who was a master of the mystical arts?
• Indrajit.
• What is the name of the mountain on which Lanka stood?
• Mount Trikuta.
• What prevents Hanuman from getting burnt when he burns down
Lanka?
• Sita’s prayers to Havyavahanam or Agni, the god of fire. This is also why fire
feels like ice on Hanuman’s skin.
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24. 50 lesser known details - 16
• Apart from Vibhishana, who else advises Ravana to not go to war with
Rama?
• His brother Kumbhakarana and his grandfather, Malyavan.
• Who are the two spies sent to the vanara sena in the guise of birds?
• Asuras named Shuka and Sarana.
• When Indrajit binds Rama and Lakshmana with arrows that are serpents,
who rescues them?
• Garuda.
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25. 50 lesser known details - 17
• Rama is usually carried by Hanuman on his shoulder while Ravana rides
a chariot. But Rama too is advised by the gods to ride a chariot during
the final battle with Ravana. Who sends his personal chariot for him?
• Indra, king of the gods.
• When Rama is unable to kill Ravana, he is dejected. How does he
overcome this to bring the battle to an end?
• Rishi Agastya advises Rama to chant the prayer called Aditya-Hrudayam or
the heart of the sun. This gives him the strength to fight and win.
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26. Reena Puri, executive editor, ACK
• I have read Homer’s epics and loved them, but I don’t think there is any
body of work in the world that can compare with the Ramayana.
• The scale and the grandeur, the storytelling and the complexities — they
are unparalleled
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