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In The Epic Footprint: Rāmāyana Beyond Borders, Deepali Patwadkar invites readers on an extraordinary journey through the many lands where the story of Rāma has traveled, taken root, and flourished. This is not merely a retelling of an ancient epic; it is a vibrant exploration of how the Rāmāyana transcended geography, language, and time to become a shared cultural inheritance of humanity.
Vālmīki's Rāmāyana found expression in the Vedas and Purānas, in Jain and Bauddha traditions, in the immortal poetry of Kālidāsa and Tulsidāsa, in the grand narratives of Vyāsa and Bhāsa, and in countless regional retellings across India and beyond. It was sung in royal courts and village squares, enacted on temple stages, painted on palace walls, and carved into stone by master craftsmen. Across Southeast Asia and other parts of the world, nations proudly embraced Rāma as their hero and the Rāmāyana as part of their cultural identity.
From this vast and glittering treasure trove, Deepali gathers precious gems. With meticulous research and artistic sensitivity, she traces the epic’s footprint across diverse lands, languages, and art forms. What may have seemed an overwhelming and nearly impossible task — mapping a saga so layered, ancient, and expansive — she accomplishes with rare grace, precision, and devotion.
This book is a tribute to the countless artists and sages who carried Rāmakathā across lands, and an invitation to readers to rediscover, and celebrate this timeless epic.
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Deepali Patwadkar
Deepali Patwadkar is an author, artist, and researcher with a deep passion for Indian culture, history, and philosophy. Known for bringing Indic traditions alive for contemporary audiences, she also serves as an adjunct faculty member in Indian Knowledge Systems and Epic Studies.
Her literary works include Rajmata Kunti: The Champion of RajDharma, Ahilyabai Holkar: The Guardian of Indic Civilization, and The Epic Footprint: Ramayana Beyond Borders. She has co-authored Sugriva’s Atlas with Nilesh Oak, a work that explores the geographical and civilizational dimensions of the Rāmāyana. Her other notable works include Deshvideshātil Bhāratiya Sanskrutichi Swastichinhe and Chitra Dnyaneshwari: Karma Yoga.
As an artist, her Dnyaneshwari-inspired paintings have been exhibited at the Bal Gandharva Gallery and other prominent venues in Pune. Her research papers on Indian culture, the Rāmāyana, and the Mahābhārata have been published in esteemed peer-reviewed journals. She also writes regularly for leading newspapers and magazines such as Maharashtra Times, Sakal, Mumbai Tarun Bharat, Saptahik Vivek, Prasad, and News Bharati, making scholarship accessible to a wider readership.
A keen stargazer and a Sunday gardener, Deepali Patwadkar lives in Pune with her husband and daughter.
