Ramarajyam 02 - Agnipareeksha Poem by Unnikrishnan Sivasankara Menon

Democracy in its present form
was unheard of anywhere in the world
but, a crude ‘will of the people'
is cited in the epic, Ramayanam.

After Ravan and his kin were killed
in a short but decisive war
and Sita was released
from his captivity in Lanka,

Ram ‘confirmed her chastity'
and proved her ‘pure' before the world
by Agnipareeksha, a test by fire
and accepted her as his queen.

Ram ascended the throne of Ayodhya
his government took care of every need
of every citizen, truly a rule by the will
of the people, known as Ramarajya.