The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are two of India's greatest epics that have influenced the Hindu way of thinking and belief system. The two epics are believed to be partially based on historical events and are considered to be "itihasa" in Sanskrit, which means historical texts.
Even though they are two different stories, there are many similarities that can be found between the two as they share a similar historical and cultural background.
Ramayana and Mahabharata Comparison Overview
The Ramayana | The Mahabharata | |
---|---|---|
Similarities | Involvement of Hindu gods, including the avatars of Vishnu | |
Theme of duty | ||
Similar plot: 1. Royal princes are exiled 2. Winning the hand of a princess through a skills contest 3. Great war to defeat the enemy |
||
Differences | Attributed to Valmiki, around the 5th century | Attributed to Vyasa, from the 4th century |
Long poem containing 24,000 verses | Very long poem containing 100,000 verses | |
Idealistic story | Less idealistic, more realistic |
What's the story of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata?
Both Ramayana and Mahabharata are epics written in the form of poems and took place in ancient Hindu kingdoms on the Indian subcontinent. As they are both very long, it is difficult to summarize them without leaving out important details, but having said that, here is the essence of the stories:
The Ramayana
The word Ramayana literally means the journey of Rama. It is a story of the triumph of good over evil that is shown through the victory of Rama who defeated the demon Ravana who had abducted his wife. Rama is perceived as the ideal man in Hindu culture. He is portrayed as loyal, dutiful, righteous, courageous, wise, strong, and even handsome.
Rama was born as the eldest of the sons of the King of the Kosala Kingdom. However, due to turmoil in family relationships, he was exiled for fourteen years. As a dutiful son, he willingly went on exile with his wife, Sita, and his younger brother, Lakshmana. During the exile, Sita was abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka (present-day Sri Lanka). In his search for Sita, Rama befriended Hanuman, a monkey-human god, who was a great help to the prince.
Finally, they were able to defeat Ravana through a fierce battle and save Sita. However, this was not the end of the story as Sita had to prove her chastity by walking through fire before Rama was willing to take her back. Fortunately, with the help of the gods, she was able to do so and remained unharmed.
- 8-Day Royal Rajasthan on Wheels Tour
- 9-Day India Golden Triangle with Tiger Safari
- 9-Day India Golden Triangle with Varanasi
The Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is essentially the story of the rivalry between two bands of brothers in the Hastinapura Kingdom, which culminates in a great battle.
The Pandavas are the five sons of Pandu, the rightful king of the Hastinapura Kingdom. His eldest two sons were Yudhistira and Arjuna. On the other hand, the Kauravas are the one hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, who is Pandu's blind elder brother. The eldest of the Kauravas is Duryodhana, who is the main antagonist in the story. Duryodhana lives against dharma (moral order) and is portrayed as greedy, jealous, and evil.
In the story, Duryodhana invited the Pandavas to a game of dice where the Yudhistira staked everything and lost. Consequently, the Pandavas then had to go on exile for a total of thirteen years, during which they prepared themselves for war. At the end of their exile, the Pandavas and the Kauravas gathered their allies and went to war against each other.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
|
Very great experience our driver D was…
Very great experience our driver D was never late and always had waters and a cold towel for us and our tour guide Som was very informative and had amazing English I recommend them both highly for anyone else traveling More
Rylan Coache, Feb 2024
|
Excellent guide in Siem Reap
Our recent time spent in Siem Reap was made even more memorable by our expert guide, Som Piseth. Som was knowledgeable, attentive, flexible and super helpful - we learnt so much about Siem Reap and Cambodia in our 3 days with him. His English was excellent and his knowledge of, and pride in, his country was outstanding. We would highly recommend Som for anyone wanting an excellent guide in Siem Reap! More
Sharon Townshend, Feb 2024
|
Asia Highlights trip to Thailand
Our first tour guide in Bangkok, Marie, was great to tour around with. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. Our next stop in Chang Mai we were greeted by our new tour guide, Rafael. He too was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. He made it feel as if we were traveling around with a long time friend. Every time we arrived at a new destination, we were greeted at the airport by someone with a sign with our name making our travels easy. I would definitely recommend Asia Highlights to anyone looking for a well planned trip of a lifetime! More
Tricia, Feb 2024
|
Amazing Thailand experience
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and accommodating, especially Mayuree in Bangkok- absolutely wonderful. We felt taken care of and every step of the way was catered to our needs. More
Ashley White, Feb 2024
|
Private tour perfect for our times
Asia highlights organized a private tour with our requests. Everything was perfect ?? the driver Tom and the guide Ying were always on time with a smile in their face. Always willing to help and make our trip perfect. Bangkok is a very hot city so we minimized the time outside. The driver always had cold towels for us in the van and cold beverages. More
Virginia, Feb 2024
|
Thailand
We loved Chiang Mai and Susie did a great job showing us several temples, taking many pictures of us with the elephants at the sanctuary (a definite highlight of the entire trip!), and making sure we were well fed, which became a running joke between us.We had a very relaxing few days in Phuket enjoying the beautiful beaches. Kai was great, answering all of our questions and giving us a nice tour of the old town. The all-day speedboat tour of the Phi Phi islands started off a little shaky as the sea was quite rough so if you’re at all uncomfortable bouncing around in a speedboat, you might want to skip that tour. Things did calm down as the day went on and some of the areas they took us to for swimming, snorkeling, etc were really beautiful. A couple of the islands were too crowded with people. More
Andrea Roberts, Feb 2024
|
What a Wonderful Trip
What a Wonderful Trip! We booked with Sharon and our trip was great - guides were waiting for us at each stop, and they were all very nice and helpful. I cannot stress how amazing the guides were - they made the trip. More
Rachel, Feb 2024
|
Ask for Victor!
If you are traveling to Bangkhok you need to request Victor. He made our trip amazing! My family completed bucket list items with his guidance. He knew exactly how to get us places, kept us on time, made us feel safe, educated us on history, spoke excellent English and was genuinely a nice man! Everyone we encountered was awesome- but Victor is the reason for my 5 star review! More
Sandy, Jan 2024
|
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a…
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a wonderful trip to Thailand. We had a great time. The tour guides were wonderful as were the hotels you booked for us. We will definitely contact you to plan our next trip More
Carol Yeung, Jan 2024
|
Ying was the best
Ying was the best. She was really knowledgeable and kind. Thank you Ying for wonderful experience in Thailand! More
Sylvester Yeung, Jan 2024
|
Very well organized
Very well organized. Our tour guide, Ying, was amazing! She had full knowledge of every location we visited and made sure our itinerary was fulfilled as expected. She was extremely helpful for our airport experiences, and made sure we arrived at an appropriate time. More
David M. Kang, Jan 2024
|
Family trip to Thailand
We were lucky to be greeted by Marie and her driver.In Marie, we have made a friend for life. She is incredibly smart and knowledgeable about her home country. From the vast number of temples to safely traversing Chinatown.She helped give us tips on our free days, locate left behind lost clothing and arrange for pickup. She even helped check us in for our flight to Chiang Mai.She prepared us ahead of time for every event we had scheduled and bonded with our kids, 3x 13 year olds. More
Justin Levenbrook, Jan 2024
|
Thailand with and amazing tour guide Ying
I highly recommend Ying as a tour guide in Thailand. Her expertise in Thai culture, combined with her passion for food and genuine love for her country, made the tour an exceptional experience. If you're looking for a guide who will not only show you the sights but also immerse you in the local culture and help you discover delicious Thai cuisine, Ying is the perfect choice. More
Diana Irizarry, Jan 2024
|
Asia Highlights Thailand trip
Asia Highlights provided us with a great travel trip. They made it very easy to navigate through Thailand with everything going very smoothly. From the easy transportation to the great day itinerary everything was awesome. Will definitely look to use this agency again in the future. More
Taylor Jones, Jan 2024
|
Perfect 2 WK Thailand Trip for a Solo Female Traveler
Bank was our guide in Bangkok and he showed us around the city with ease and we were able to see and try things I never would have planned on my own. After Bangkok, our small group flew to Chiang Mai for Yi Peng lantern festival and that was a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! Pop was our guide in this city and she was knowledgeable, kind and caring which made our experience even more memorable. More
Tia, Dec 2023
|
We recently have just returned from Thailand
We recently have just returned one from a 5 week trip to Thailand through Asia Highlights. We had a wonderful time and Asia Highlights went beyond our expectations. They truly tried their best to make sure everything went smoothly and we were taken care of! Everyone was amazing and we would definitely use them in the future!! Many thanks to everyone that helped to make this an incredible once in a lifetime experience!! More
Karen Rocque, Dec 2023
|
Indochina Experience
On our 5th day of our trip with Asiahighlights. We felt well taken care of before and it hasn’t changed since we started from Bangkok to Hanoi (guide Kim was verrry knowledgeable!) to Halong Bay (spectacular scenery) to Hoi An (guide Nhieu Tran, giving great local (shopping) tips and insights). More
Stefan Eisenhut, Dec 2023
|
Accommodations by Asia highlights have
Accommodations by Asia highlights have been terrific so far. The Khmer Residence in Siem Reap as well as Eastin Grand hotel in Bangkok. Both had excellent pools and breakfasts.Tours in Siem Reap were particularly well given with an amazing mix of culture, history and humor throughout (Mr Poly). Tours in Bangkok by Mr Banks were informative and well organized with samples of Thai fruit and treats throughout. More
Chris Williams, Nov 2023
|
Seeing Bangkok with ease
In Bangkok, our tour guide, Ying, was wonderful. She navigated all the sights with ease, gave us interesting tidbits on Thai culture and history, helped us pick the right food at all the restaurants, and was just a pleasure to be around. We had a great time, and it was so nice to not have to worry about any of the details. More
Diane Elkins, Nov 2023
|
Thailand- October 2023!
The team in Thailand was also great. Shout out to our tour guides (Monchai in Bangkok, Indy in Chang Mai and Sonia in Phuket) they were the best!! It was 6 of us and they make us all feel right at home! Kudos! More
Mori P, Nov 2023
|
Similarities Between the Ramayana and Mahabharata
Despite being completely different stories, there are many similarities between the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Here are just some of them:
1.Presence of Hindu Gods
Hindu gods appear in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. In the Ramayana, Rama himself is the 7th avatar of the god Vishnu. His goal was to defeat Ravana and to restore dharma. Another Hindu god present in the Ramayana is Hanuman, Rama's helper. In Hindu culture, Hanuman is perceived as the god of strength and can be distinguished by his monkey-like appearance.
Similarly, there are Hindu gods present throughout the Mahabharata. Krishna himself, who is Arjuna's charioteer and advisor, is the 8th avatar of Vishnu. Krishna plays an important role through his encouragement of Arjuna to proceed with the war and defeat Duryodhana.
2.Similar Theme of Duty
Another similarity between the Ramayana and the Mahabharata is their main theme of duty, also known as the Hindu term dharma, which pertains to maintaining rightful order and morality. Rama agreed to go on exile for fourteen years in order to fulfill his dharma as a son. He also fulfilled his dharma as a kshatriya (warrior) by killing demons and his dharma as a husband by saving his wife.
In the Mahabharata, before the Kurukshetra War, Arjuna was distressed because he did not want to go to war with his cousins. However, through the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna explains to Arjuna that he must fulfill his duty as a warrior and proceed with the war even if he does not want to. Both stories idealize fulfilling one's dharma despite one's desires.
3.Similar Plot
There are also many similarities in the plot of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. For example, the main characters of both stories are royal princes of a kingdom who had to go on an extended period of exile during which they lived as commoners.
Another similarity is that both Arjuna from the Mahabharata and Rama from the Ramayana won the hands of their wives, Draupadi and Sita, through skill contests in a neighboring kingdom. Draupadi and Sita are both famed for their beauty.
Moreover, both stories end with a great battle at the end of the exile of the protagonists. Through this battle, Rama successfully defeated Ravana, while the Pandavas defeated Duryodhana and the Kauravas.
Differences Between the Ramayana and Mahabharata
Having said all the similarities above, there are also significant differences between the two epics:
1.Different Authors
The Ramayana is traditionally thought to be written by a sage called Maharishi Valmiki around 5th century BC, making it older than the Mahabharata. Valmiki wrote himself into the story. According to the story, when Sita was banished by Rama after Rama became king, Valmiki provided shelter for her and her two sons.
Likewise, the authorship of the Mahabharata is also shrouded with legends and its author is incorporated into the story. It is believed that Vyasa, who is the grandfather of the Kauravas and Pandavas, dictated the story to Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of knowledge. It was said that Vyasa dictated the Mahabharata without stopping and finished the project in three years.
However, scholars debate whether Vyasa was the real author or just a symbolic author. The literal meaning of Vyasa is "compiler". It is likely that the Mahabharata was compiled by many people over several centuries.
For more about India tour, please contact our travel advisors.
2.Different Length
The Ramayana itself is a very lengthy story with almost 24,000 verses. It is more than twice the length of the bible, but the Mahabharata is even longer. The Mahabharata is the longest epic poem ever written, consisting of 100,000 verses, or 1.8 million words in total which is 4 times the length of the Ramayana.
The story of the Ramayana covers a much shorter period than the Mahabharata. It begins with Rama's father's struggle to have children and ends with Rama's triumph over evil. The plot is relatively less complicated and follows a clearer progression.
On the other hand, the Mahabharata covers up to four generations of stories, beginning with Arjuna's great grandparents. The Mahabharata's plot is also much more complex as there are numerous side stories about many of the various characters involved.
- 12-Day Classic Rajasthan Tour: Explore the Land of Kings
- 9-Day India Highlights and Food Tour
- 9-Day Classic South India Tour
3.Different Philosophies
The Ramayana is an idealistic story where the distinction between good and bad is clear. Rama is a good person. He is the ideal son, brother, and husband. Ravana, on the other hand, is the evil lustful demon that needs to be defeated.
The Mahabharata is a less black-and-white story with less than ideal characters. The main protagonists in the story, Arjuna and Yudhistira, are portrayed as honorable individuals with character flaws. Yudhistira, the rightful king, lost everything in a game of dice due to his greed and weakness for gambling.
Like Rama, Arjuna also won his wife, Draupadi in a contest. However, he did not defend Draupadi with the same passion that Rama sought to rescue Sita. Arjuna willingly shared her with his brothers, making her the wife of five husbands. He also did not come to her defense when she was assaulted by the Kauravas.
While the Ramayana shows how a person should live in righteousness and in accordance with dharma, the Mahabharata shows that in real life, things are often more complicated.
The Significance of the Ramayana and Mahabharata
Even though the Ramayana and the Mahabharata were written many centuries ago, they are still very popular in India and even in some Southeast Asian countries.
Performances based on the Ramayana and the Mahabharata can be seen during various festivals in India. For example, theatrical productions of the Ramayana (Ramlila) can be seen at the end of Navratri, which is a 9-day Hindu festival that takes place in September or October.
Performances based on the Mahabharata can also be watched during the Mahabharata festival which takes place in December. This festival is celebrated in Kurukshetra, Haryana, the location of the great battle in the story.
- 12-Day Family Holiday in India
- 10-Day Royal Rajasthan and Camel Festival Tour
- 8-Day Diwali Festival in India Golden Triangle Tour
Or contact our travel advisors to customize your India trip.
Explore India with Asia Highlights
Learn more about the Ramayana and the Mahabharata as you visit India's cultural sites and watch exquisite cultural performances. At Asia Highlights, we provide tailor-made tours and will help you plan a memorable journey across this enchanting country.
More information about India you may like:
Why Asia Highlights (10,000+ reviews & 98.8% 5-star rating)
- Save Your Time:
- Less research, more enjoyment!
- Real-time 1V1 expert planning
- Maximize Your Flexibility:
- Personal local guide and ride
- Explore at your own pace
- Celebrate Your Journeys:
- Specially-crafted family adventures
- Celebrate milestones with style!
- 7-Day India Golden Triangle Tour
- 8-Day Diwali Festival in India Golden Triangle Tour 2024
- 9-Day India Tiger Safari and Golden Triangle Tour
- 9-Day India Golden Triangle with Varanasi
- 11-Day India and Nepal Tour
- 11-Day India Holi Festival Tour 2024
- 14-Day Rajasthan Tour Package for Westerners
- 14-Day Romantic Honeymoon Trip in India
- 14-Day India, Nepal, and Bhutan Tour
- 2-Week Luxury India Tour
- 21-Day India, Nepal and Bhutan Tour
- India Itineraries 2024: from 5 Days to 1 Month
- 2 Weeks in India 2024/2025: Top 4 Itineraries
- How to Plan a Trip to India 2024/2025: 7 Easy Steps for You
- How to Plan an Awesome Family Trip to India in 2024
- Plan an Awesome Trip to India, Bhutan and Nepal (6 Tips)
- How to Plan an India and Nepal Trip 2024/2025
- How to Plan a Trip to India for Holi 2024
- A Complete Guide to Experiencing Diwali
- How Much Does a Trip to India Cost?
- Is India Safe to Travel? Women & Kids (Tips for 2024/2025)
- Best (and Worst) Times to Visit India 2024, Rainy Season?
- Best Times to Visit the Taj Mahal?Expert Tips in 2024
- Weather and Where to Go in India in Janurary 2024/2025
- Weather and Places to Go in India in February 2024/2025
- Weather and Places to Go in India in March 2024/2025
- Weather in India in April: Temperatures and Where to Go
- Weather in India in May 2024 & Travel Tips for First-Timers
- Weather in India in June: the Monsoon Begins — OK to Travel?
- Weather in July in India: Too Wet to Travel?
- August Weather in India: Still Rainy? (5 Places to Go)
- Weather in September in India: Rainy or Not?
- Weather in India in October: Best Time for Pleasant Weather
- Weather and Where to Go in India in November 2024
- Weather in India in December 2024 & Tips for First Visits
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
It was a whirlwind across a number of cities, but a very comprehensive experience across the many sides and cultures of China. Most days had sufficient activities, but weren’t overwhelming, which was great.Across cities, we had excellent tour guides, like Kitty (Beijing), Jenny (Xian), William (Guilin/Yangshuo), Kris (Shanghai), and Tony (Yellow Mountains.)
moreFrom the time we landed in Beijing until we left, we were well taken care of. My wife and I had Lily Liu as our guide and she was amazing. From arranging visits to all the different sights, to teaching us the history, it was fantastic.
moreThe tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history
moreWe made a private tour through South China in January 2024. Altogether Chengdu was the highlight. We had an incredible day at Emeishan. In Chengdu our guidewas Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreOther highlights are too many to mention but here are a few Ken taking us to the Terracotta Warriors and our food tour in Xian was amazing,
moreOur day volunteering at the Panda Base was truly unforgettable. Helen, our guide, provided us with invaluable insights about Chengdu and the pandas, enriching our tour with her knowledge and expertise. We're grateful to Helen for accompanying us throughout the day and showcasing the highlights of China.
moreWe had a booking with China Highlights through Silvia Ye who guarenteed a perfect organisation. In Chengdu our guide was Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreWe traveled to China during the Chinese new year and we had Kris as our guide and he is simply knowledgeable,helpful and great.
moreWe visited Guilin for 2 days and stayed in the Guilin Waterfall hotel. Guilin was absolutely beautiful! Our guide, William, was very knowledgeable and kind! He taught us so much about Guilin and the surrounding area! We really enjoyed trying the specialty rice noodles of Guilin. Our highlight was the Li river cruise.
moreAmazing tour and the guide Mr. 贺霄 was very accommodating with our needs and request as we have bought our 2 years old with us. Well explained for all the place we visited. Any additional cost were informed well ahead and didn't felt any pressure if we opt not to go for additional detour. The trip was relaxing/ laid back/no rushing with zero shopping!
moreGet Inspired with Some Popular Itineraries
At Asia Highlights, we create your kind of journey — your dates, your destinations, at your pace. You can have any trip tailor made for your travel.