India, March 29 -- Ram Navami has just been celebrated. On this occasion, my thoughts go to the beautifully lyrical way in which Tulsidas (1532-1623), in the Ramcharitmanas, describes this iconic moment. Tulsi was a committed Ram bhakt. In fact, he was to Ram what Surdas was to Krishna. Anyone less than such a complete and unwavering devotee could not have written the Ramcharitmanas. The epic, written in Avadhi-an easily comprehensible language in north India-is still sung and recited by millions upon millions. The unprecedented popularity of the Manas led the historian Vincent Smith to call Tulsidas the greatest man of his age in India, greater even than Akbar himself, of whom the poet was a contemporary.

Tulsidas describes the time and...