Valmiki's Ramayana (Sanskrit epic: composition and early redactions, c. 500 BCE–200 CE)

1. Oral Rama narratives begin circulating widely

   Jan 1, 500 BCELabels: Oral Tradition

   • Britannica

2. Core Valmiki Ramayana composition begins

   Jan 1, 500 BCELabels: Valmiki

   • Britannica
   • WorldHistory

3. Written transmission expands alongside oral performance

   Jan 1, 300 BCELabels: Oral-Written Transmission

   • Britannica

4. Seven-book structure becomes the standard form

   Jan 1, 200 BCELabels: Seven K

   • Britannica

5. Major expansions and redactions continue

   Jan 1, 100Labels: Redaction

   • Philopedia
   • Britannica

6. Ramayana story referenced in early Tamil poetry

   Jan 1, 100Labels: Tamil Poetry

   • Purananuru

7. Uttarakanda increasingly treated as later layer

   Jan 1, 200Labels: Uttarak a

   • Sahapedia
   • Britannica

8. Manuscript traditions diverge into regional recensions

   Jan 1, 500Labels: Regional Recensions

   • Britannica
   • Wikipedia

9. Oldest surviving full manuscripts date to medieval era

   Jan 1, 1100Labels: Medieval Manuscripts

   • NewWorldEnc
   • Wikipedia

10. Baroda Oriental Institute launches critical edition project

    Jan 1, 1951Labels: Baroda Oriental

    • MSU Baroda
    • Wikipedia

11. First critical edition volume published (Bālakāṇḍa)

    Jan 1, 1958Labels: B lak

    • Cambridge
    • MSU Baroda

12. Seven-volume Valmiki Ramayana critical edition completed

    Jan 1, 1975Labels: Seven-Volume Edition

    • MSU Baroda
    • WorldCat

13. Ramayana performance tradition recognized by UNESCO

    Jan 1, 2008Labels: Ramlila

    • UNESCO ICH