Five thousand copies of a new Khmer translation of the classic Hindu epic Ramayana
will be distributed free of charge by the Embassy of India to libraries and schools
across Cambodia next month. The first Khmer language book to be published and printed
in India, the new translation features elegant traditional illustrations of the ancient
Hindu tale of warriors, kings, saints and goddesses. The Ramayana embodies much of
the cultural heritage of India, and is known in various guises throughout Southeast
Asia.