The Hindu Epic is the Ramayana, an ancient Sanskrit epic poem written by the sage Valmiki. It is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Mahabharata. The Ramayana tells the story of Rama, a prince of Ayodhya who is exiled from his kingdom and must battle the demon king Ravana to rescue his wife Sita. The Ramayana is an important part of Hindu culture and is widely read and studied throughout India and South Asia.