The mythic adventure

Tripathi inside a cave in Hampi, which is believed to be the hiding place of Sugriva

The Ramayana is a story that every Indian knows," author Amish Tripathi tells mid-day, recalling a line he heard once about the epic being a story that all Indians are born with. "No Indian hears it for the first time because it is so ancient." And yet, he says, despite the familiarity, the details of many of its locations, characters and stories remain hidden. Tripathi, whose abiding interest in the mythological is well-known, has been roped in as an anchor for Discovery+'s new docu series Legends of The Ramayana. It will see him follow in the footsteps of Lord Ram, unearthing facts and legends about his epic travels with inputs from historians, mythological researchers and environmentalists. "What I liked most about the show's concept is that it is ancient and modern at the same time, because we are delving deep into the past and yet in a modern, rational and respectful way."

The series led Tripathi across 5,000 kms in a bid to retrace the king of Ayodhya's journey, a process which revealed that many details in the Valmiki Ramayana were, in fact, true. For instance, Tripathi cites, the text speaks of the Gupt Godavari on the outskirts of Chitrakoot, comprising mountain caves through which flows an underground river and where Ram along with Sita and Lakshman is believed to have stayed during their exile. While many may not believe that it exists, Tripathi shares that he shot in the location with hydrogeologist Dr Ritesh Arya, who helped trace the geological roots of the cavern and the mysterious river. They also shot at Rameswaram with an expert detailing how the Rama Setu, connecting India to Sri Lanka, could have been built, showing coral reef stones strong enough for construction and yet light enough to float on water. They also filmed in Sigiriya in Sri Lanka, the fabled capital of Raavan, an allusion to which, Tripathi recalls, found place in his own book Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta.

Amish Tripathi will host Legends of The Ramayana, following in the footsteps of Lord Ram. Pic/Satej Shinde

The travels and conversations also brought forth surprises. At the Kanak Bhawan in Ayodhya, believed to be a wedding gift from queen Kaikei to Ram and Sita, poet and author Yatindra Mishra tells Tripathi of a local tradition where male devotees charting a family connection with Sita worship Ram as his sisters-in-law, dressing up and positioning themselves as women. That Hampi, which was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, is also Kishkinda-Bali and Sugriva's land where Hanuman was also born, Tripathi says, is not known to many. Then there was the meeting with members of the Ramnami community in Chhattisgarh, which he calls a deeply emotional and inspiring experience for the author. In the 1890s, the sect's founder Parasuram, who was denied entry into a temple because of his caste, tattooed the word ‘Ram' on his forehead. "So, they [members of the sect] turned their bodies into temples, tattooing Ram's name in the Devnagari script all over themselves," says Tripathi. "Their devotion brought tears to my eyes."

The show also marks a new chapter for the author, not only in terms of his transition to the digital but also through his presence before the camera, the work requiring him to remember lines and wear make-up. He had to shoot at the edge of a cliff in Sri Lanka to the sound of waves crashing against the rocks below. "So, at one level, I was scared of dying and at another, I had to deliver a good line," laughs Tripathi, adding, "I have new respect for actors now."

WHAT: Legends of The Ramayana
WHERE: Discovery+
WHEN: Streaming from April 7