The Ramayana Character Library 2933 - Nala and Nila

In the great Ramayana, amidst the epic clash between Rama and Ravana, the bridge to Lanka stands as one of the most astonishing engineering feats ever imagined. Yet the architects behind it—the Vanara brothers Nala and Nila—are often overlooked. This book brings their story to light. In the Valmiki Ramayana, Nala is the son of the divine architect Vishvakarma, gifted with his father's knowledge. Together with his brother Nila, he oversees an army of bears and monkeys to build a causeway across the ocean. How did they plan such a project? What materials did they use? And what do different traditions say about the floating stones of Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, or the dragon's bridge of Southeast Asian tellings? Drawing from Valmiki, Kamban, the Jain Paumachariya, the Thai Ramakien, and living traditions from Rameswaram to Bali, this book examines the bridge as both a divine miracle and a human-scale endeavor. It explores the brothers' leadership, the challenges of the sea, and the legacy of the Setu. Whether you are a devotee, an engineer, or a student of mythology, Nala and Nila offers a fresh perspective on the epic's most tangible wonder. Part of The Ramayana Character Library. About the author Vikram Shastri Menon writes for The Ramayana Character Library.