Story of Ramayana for Kids

Story The Ramayana is one of the greatest epics of India, written by the sage Valmiki.  It tells the story of Ram, his adventures, and the triumph of good over evil. The epic teaches important lessons about truth, courage, loyalty, and devotion. Even today, the Ramayana inspires people of all ages to follow the path of righteousness and live with kindness and honour. myNachiketa presents the story of Ramayana for kids. Long ago, in the beautiful kingdom of Ayodhya, there lived a wise and kind king named Dasharatha. He had four sons—Ram, Lakshman, Bharat, and Shatrughn. Ram, the eldest, was brave, gentle, and loved by all. Everyone in Ayodhya knew that Ram would one day be a great king.

One day, the sage Vishwamitra came to the palace. “Ram,” he said, “I need your help to defeat dangerous demons who are troubling people.” Ram, always ready to help, bowed and said, “Respected father, may I go with your permission?” King Dasharatha smiled and gave his blessing. So, Ram, along with his younger brother Lakshman, set off on an exciting journey to help the sage.

Ram’s first adventure was in the forest. He helped the sage by defeating powerful demons with his bow and arrows.

After defeating the demons, the brothers travelled with Sage Vishwamitra to the kingdom of Mithila. There, King Janaka announced a great swayamvar for his daughter, Devi Sita. Many princes and kings had gathered to marry her, but King Janaka had set a nearly impossible challenge: whoever wished to marry Devi Sita had to lift and string the mighty bow of Bhagwan Shiva. One by one, kings and warriors tried, but none could even move the bow.

Then it was Bhagwan Ram's turn. With calm strength and devotion, he lifted the bow as if it were light as a feather, and when he bent it to string, the bow broke into two with a thunderous sound! Everyone was amazed, and Devi Sita placed the garland around Ram’s neck, choosing him as her husband.

Ram, Lakshman, and Devi Sita came back to Ayodhya. King Dasharatha decided to hand over the kingdom to his son Ram. The people of Ayodhya were overjoyed by this announcement and started preparations for Ram’s Rajyabhishek, the crowning ceremony.

Just before Ram was to be crowned king, one of Dasharatha’s queens, Kaikeyi, reminded the king of a promise he had made to her long ago. She wanted her own son, Bharata, to be king and asked that Ram be sent away to the forest for 14 years.

The people of Ayodhya were heartbroken after hearing this news. Ram, being a dutiful son, accepted this without complaint. “A promise must be kept,” he said. Devi Sita, full of love and loyalty, said, “Wherever you go, I will go with you.” Lakshman also chose to follow them. And so, the three set out on their journey into the deep forests.

At first, life in the forest was peaceful. But then came a strange encounter. A demoness named Shurpanakha saw Ram and asked him to marry her! Ram gently refused, telling her that he was already married to Devi Sita. Shurpanakha, now full of anger, tried to attack Devi Sita. But before she could harm her, Lakshman stepped in and punished her by cutting off her nose. Furious, Shurpanakha ran to her brother, none other than Ravana, the mighty king of Lanka with ten heads, and cried out for revenge.

Cruel and cunning Ravana, with the help of his uncle Maricha, set a trap. Maricha disguised himself as a dazzling golden deer and appeared before Devi Sita’s hut. Devi Sita was charmed by the deer's beauty and asked Ram to catch it for her. Ram chased the deer deep into the forest, leaving Devi Sita behind.

Devi Sita grew worried, as it was taking a long time for Ram to return. Suddenly, she heard Ram’s voice calling out for help; it was Maricha imitating Ram’s cry! Devi Sita sent Lakshman to help Ram, leaving her all alone. This was the moment Ravana was waiting for. Disguised as a holy sage, he approached Devi Sita, asking for alms. The kind-hearted Devi Sita stepped out to give him food, and in an instant, Ravana revealed his true form and carried her away in his flying chariot to Lanka.

When Ram returned, he was worried and upset after not finding Devi Sita there. But he did not give up. With Lakshman by his side, he began searching for her everywhere. On this journey, Ram met Hanuman, the mighty monkey warrior, and the vanara army led by Sugriva.

Hanuman leapt across the ocean to Lanka, found Devi Sita in Ravana’s garden, Ashoka Vatika, and gave her Ram’s message: “Be strong, Devi Sita, Ram will come to rescue you!”

When Ravana heard about Hanuman, he asked his men to set Hanuman's tail on fire. Hanuman warned him about the might of Ram by burning his golden palace with his burning tail.

Now, Ram and his army had to cross the vast ocean to reach Lanka. How could they cross such a huge ocean? The monkeys came up with a wonderful idea. They put big stones in the water, and to everyone’s surprise, the stones floated because they had Ram’s name on them. Slowly, they built a massive bridge across the sea—this was the famous RamSetu. With faith and teamwork, the army crossed over to Lanka.

A fierce and thrilling battle began, where Ram and his army of monkeys and bears fought bravely against Ravana and his powerful demon warriors. Ravana’s giant brother, Kumbhakarna, joined the fight, but after a fierce struggle, Ram killed him. Ravana’s mighty son, Meghanad, also fought with great power, but Lakshman defeated him in battle.

At one point, Lakshman was badly wounded. To save him, Hanuman flew across the mountains to bring the magical Sanjeevani booti, a life-giving herb. Lakshman was healed and returned to the fight.

Finally, Ram aimed a powerful arrow, blessed by the gods, straight at Ravana’s heart. Ravana fell, and with his fall, goodness triumphed over evil.

After the long battle, Ram finally rescued Devi Sita, and their hearts were filled with happiness. The 14 years of exile were over, and Ram, Devi Sita, and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya. The people of the city welcomed them with great joy, decorating the streets with flowers, music, and thousands of shining lamps. This grand celebration of light and joy is remembered even today as Diwali.

Ram became the king and ruled with love, justice, and care. His rule, called Ram Rajya, was a time when everyone lived happily and peacefully.

The Ramayana teaches us many valuable lessons through its characters. Ram shows us the importance of truth, courage, and keeping our promises. Devi Sita teaches us patience, loyalty, and inner strength. Lakshman reminds us about love, support, and standing by our family. Hanuman inspires us to be brave, selfless, and devoted. Ravana shows what can happen when pride and selfishness take over. By following the example of these characters, we can try to be brave, kind, and truthful in our own lives.