The Ramayana (रामायण) is an ancient Hindu epic about Lord Rama and Sita. It is one of the two most important ancient epics of India, the first one being the ancient Mahabharata. The epic was originally written by sage (rishi) Valmiki of Ancient India. The story of the Ramayana is about Prince Rama who has been exiled from his kingdom of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshman. The epic is structured into 7 sections: Balakanda (birth/childhood), Ayodhyakanda (preparation for coronation/exile), Aranyakanda (forest life), Kishkindhakanda (meeting Hanuman/Sugriva), Sundarakanda (Hanuman's journey to Lanka), Yuddhakanda/LankaKand (war), Uttarakanda (final years/exile of Sita). The Ramayana is a foundational text in Hinduism and has immense influence on Indian culture, literature, and art.