Sundara Kanda

"Sundara Kanda" is the fifth book in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. It depicts the adventures of Hanuman. The original "Sundara Kanda" is in Sanskrit and was composed by Valmiki, who was the first to scrpturally record the Ramayana. Other versions of the "Sundara Kanda" exist in other languages as well, for instance in Bhojpuri, the language in which the saint Tulsidas wrote the Ramayana, titled Sri Ramacharitamanas. The Sri Ramacharitamanas was written much later than Valmiki's Ramayana. Sundara Kanda is the only chapter of Ramayana where the Hero is not Rama. The Mighty Hanuman is considered Hero of this chapter. Hanuman's selflessness, mighty strength and his devotion to Rama is explicitly expressed here

Sundara Kanda, translated in English means "beautiful book/chapter", depending upon the context for "kanda" which can also mean occurrence, occasion etc.. As the name suggests, the chapter is really beautiful, not necessarily in the literary sense, but in terms of the events covered. Very many happy events take place during the course of this chapter, mainly on account of heroics of Hanuman.

Its subject matter is brief, and the narrative covers a maximum of two to three days. It describes the venerable monkey Hanuman’s search for the heroine of the epic Sita, who, kidnapped by the vicious demon Ravana, is confined to a small garden inside the villain’s palace. [ [http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/sundarakanda The Beauty of Beauty: An Aesthetic Journey Into The Ramayana] , by Sri Nitin Kumar.]

This chapter is indeed recited by many religious Hindu individuals/families preferably on Tuesdays and/or Saturdays, both days having been earmarked for special prayers to Hanuman. The religious faith suggests that its recital brings harmony into the household.

Hanuman Chalisa is a different poetic contribution towards the heroics of Hanuman by poet Tulasidas. Though it mentions his achievements during Ramayana, it goes beyond that as well, encompassing complete life-cycle of Hanuman.

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