Ramayana has fascinated me as an adult even more than it did during my childhood. As I navigate through knotty personal dilemmas it serves as source of inspiration and guidance.

I had heard a liberal take on the epic before this episode. To a large extent I felt that it was just a story and treated it as such in spite of my devotion towards Rama.

My friend Yash Sampat whom I met at the Enthu Book Club had a different view. He believes that Ramayana is Itihasa or history of Indian subcontinent.

Yash Sampat is a lawyer who practices in Delhi. He is also an active volunteer in Akshardham Temple and admires the Swaminarayan sect. He has found mentors in the learned gurus of the sect.

In this two-hour long conversation that felt like a 20 minute conversation, we explore several nuances of Ramayana, evidence supporting the view that Ramayana is indeed history (not just a myth) and Yash’s close connection to Swaminarayan sect’s heritage.

Link to PDF containing the detailed research done by Yash.