The Book I Have Liked The Most

"Some books are to be tasted, others are to be swallowed and some few are to be chewed and digested."

Books are the precious life-blood of masterminds. They contain the best thoughts and feelings of their writers. They are written after years of labor and patient study. A good book is the outcome of years of labor spent by the author.

I have a great passion for books. I have a small library of my own. I feel a great satisfaction while I sit in my library. Books have given me much, taught me much. They offered me the company of the greatest minds of the world of the past and present. As my library grows, so grows my mind and soul. I have found the fulfillment of my nature in books. Books have given me the experience of ages. I feel myself rooted in the past. It is as though I have been going through a process of purification.

I have read a number of books so far on literature, history, and religion. Out of all the books, the Ramayana has appealed to my mind the most. It is one of the most widely read books in India. I have read it many times; I am never tired of reading it. Hindus almost worship it. It was written by Valmiki-a great sage. He wrote it in Sanskrit.

Tulsi Das translated it into Hindi. The story is very interesting. It tells us something about the great virtues of our heroes. It also teaches us obedience to parents, devotion to the husband, and love for the people at large.

Ramayan teaches us high ideals of duty. It is a highly instructive book. It is full of inspiring thoughts and high ideals. It depicts the Indian way of life and culture. Everyone must read it. Moreover, its get-up is beautiful. The cover is made of cardboard. The type is bold and attractive. The paper used is superior. It contains beautiful pictures in great numbers. Many films are also made on this great epic.

Basically, Ramayana narrates the story of Lord Rama who ruled Ayodhya. His father king Dasaratha had three queens named Kaushalya, Sumitra, and Kaikayee. The king was blessed with four sons Rama from Kaushalya, Lakshmana and Shatrughan from Sumitra, and Bharat from Kaikayee. Kaikayee managed to make her son king and send Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita, wife of Rama to exile for fourteen years. In exile, Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, managed to take away Sita to Lanka in order to marry her. Rama brought back Sita after killing Ravana and returned to his kingdom in Ayodhya.

The language, the style, and the purity of thought that one finds in this great epic have greatly impressed me. Each time I read this great work of art, it widens my knowledge and opens new horizons.