Staff Reporter / New Delhi

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has said that Ramayana is a heritage of the entire mankind and best efforts must be made to preserve, propagate and deepen the understanding of the immortal epic.

Inaugurating Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra’s Dance Drama ‘SHRIRAM’ in New Delhi today, Mr Naidu said, Ramayana defines the relationship of human beings with each other and with mother earth, nature, birds and animals and it reminds people of the duty towards the world, society and family. He said, the Ram Rajya is waiting to be realized and a smallest contribution of people will help in realizing the ideal Ram Rajya, a truly enlightened ethical democratic society. Be it for controlling pollution, saving water or preserving the environment or any other similar issues of common good, each one has to take a small step on daily and regular basis.

Mr Naidu said, as global citizens in a global village now everyone has distinct duties and responsibilities towards each other, towards nature and environment, towards all the beings and elements that make this world. The Vice President said, people have to perfect the art of living together and this is the true spirit of the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. He said, the ideal of caring and sharing is at the core of Indian philosophy and people have a duty to perform in the larger interest of the society and the country.

The Vice President said, there are more than 300 versions of Ramayana in Indian literary tradition and a larger number in the Indian performing art traditions in songs, ballads, dance and theatre forms of all the regions. Mr Naidu expressed happiness that Ramleela of India is a folk tradition, which has been recognized by the UNESCO as world’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.