#515 - My First Prayer to Lord Ram
by Chitwan Mittal & Sarita Saraf and illustrated by Aparajitha Vaasudev
“My First Prayer to Lord Ram” by Chitwan Mittal & Sarita Saraf and illustrated by Aparajitha Vaasudev. Published by AdiDev Press. A delightful translation of an eternal prayer written by Tulsidas in Awadhi which can be understood easily and appreciated by children.
The story of the Ramayana is a well known one. Tulsidas was a saint and poet from the sixteenth century renowned for his devotion to Lord Ram. He is well known for his retelling of the Ramayana called “Ramcharitamanas” in the Awadhi language which used to be the language of the common people in those times. The book presents an exquisite translation of Tulsidas’ prayer for younger readers making it an engaging read. The prayer written more than 400 years ago remains a favourite across the world to date.
The book proved to be a source of delight for me and my 9.5 year old son. He was engrossed by the descriptions of Lord Ram and found the prayer so soothing. The accompanying illustrations are just fabulous and evoke a feeling of devotion and pride. My son couldn’t stop admiring them. Every double spread in the book showcases a single line from the prayer in Awadhi written in Devanagari script (Hindi) as well as the Roman alphabet (English). The meaning of the verse is then written in simple words in English which can be easily understood by everyone. The devotion of Tulsidas gets portrayed wonderfully through his praise of Lord Ram and why one should worship him. The qualities of Lord Ram such as kindness, courage, compassion, beauty and purity come alive through the descriptions. The book is a perfect means of introducing the glory of Lord Ram. There is a QR code in the book which can be scanned to listen to audio clippings of each line. An effective way to get the pronunciations right.
The book is the second one from the “My First Prayer” series. We had earlier loved reading “My First Hanuman Chalisa” which was the first book of the series. The best thing about books such as these is that they can be read over and over again without anyone’s help to understand the meaning. We are loving the series and looking forward to more such books which are much needed for children as well as adults like me! A MUST READ for sure.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 6/7 and above.
Where to buy from?
The publishers AdiDev Press here.