Ranganatha Ramayanamu

Telugu has a very rich literary tradition, starting in the 11th century CE. Although there are more than forty adaptions of the Valmiki Ramayana which are partly or completely in Telugu, only four adaptions have covered the entire theme of the original epic. They are Ranganatha Ramayanam, Bhaskara Ramayanam, Molla Ramayanam, and Ramayana Kalpavruksham.

Structure and Manthara's Antagonism towards Rama.

Although Ranganatha follows the theme of the Valmiki Ramayana, he still made changes in some incidents which effects the course of events. The theme of the Ranganatha Ramayana has been classified under seven cantos.

• Bala Kanda (Chapter: Childhood; బాల కాండ): This covers the theme starting from the conversation between Valmiki and Narada to the return of Rama to Ayodhya after his marriage with Sita from Mithila.This canto describes an incident connected with young Rama and Manthara (whereas in the Valmiki Ramayana, Manthara's entry is in Ayodhya kanda). When Rama was playing with a ball and a stick, suddenly Manthara threw the ball far away from Rama. In anger, Rama struck her on the knee with the stick and her knee was broken. This message was conveyed to king Dasaratha by Kaikeyi. The king decided to send Rama and his other sons to school. This incident makes the king to think about his responsibility of educating his sons, so that they can learn and become wise. Manthara had developed a kind of antagonism towards Rama and was waiting for an opportunity to take revenge against him.
• Ayodhya Kanda (Chapter: Ayodhya; అయోధ్యకాండ)
• Aranya Kanda (Chapter: Forest; అరణ్యకాండ)
• Kishkindha Kanda (Chapter: Kishkindha; కిష్కిందకాండ )
• Sundara Kanda (Chapter: Beautiful;సుందరకాండ )
• Yudha Kanda (Chapter: War;యుద్ధకాండ)
• Uttara Kanda (Chapter: Last;ఉత్తరకాండ)