The Ramcharitmanas, which was written in the sixteenth century at a vibrant time of religious reform by the poet-saint Tulsidas, had a significant role in opening up the story of Ram and his heroic deeds against Ravan, the demon king of Lanka, to the general public for the first time. This story was formerly only known to the priestly class who could read the Sanskrit epic The Ramayana by Valmiki. Tulsidas sparked a spiritual revolution by reinterpreting Valmiki's work in the local tongue as a poem that should be absorbed through recitation rather than reading, thus altering the religious and social landscape of northern India. Tulsidas's greatest opus is brilliantly brought to life by Rohini Chowdhury's excellent translation, and her thorough introduction offers important light on the poet and his work, placing them both in the wider context of Hindi literature.