The name Ramayana is a tatpurusha compound of Rama and ayana translating to "Rama`s Journey". The Ramayana consists story of Rama whose wife Sita is abducted by the demon king of Lanka Ravana. Thematically the epic explores the tenets of human existence and the concept of dharma. The epic was an important influence on later Sanskrit poetry and Indian life and culture the Ramayana is not just an ordinary story: it contains the teachings of ancient Hindu sages and presents them in narrative allegory with philosophical and the devotional elements interspersed. The characters Rama Sita Lakshmana Bharata Hanuman and Ravana are all fundamental to the cultural consciousness of India.