The seventh avatar of Vishnu, Prince of Ayodhya, and the Ramayana's central figure — held across the tradition as maryada purushottama, the ideal man who never wavers from dharma regardless of personal cost.
रामायण · Ramayana
Rama is exiled from Ayodhya for fourteen years on the eve of his coronation, honoring his father Dasharatha's promise to Kaikeyi. Accompanied by his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, he lives in the forest, builds alliances with the vanara (monkey) kingdom through Hanuman and Sugriva, and wages war against Ravana of Lanka after Sita's abduction, ultimately returning to Ayodhya to be crowned king.
Diwali, already covered in this site's festivals chapter, marks his return to Ayodhya; Dussehra marks his victory over Ravana. Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, already covered in this site's Rishi Parampara chapter, remains the most widely read retelling of his story across North India today.