Maharishi Valmiki

In news– The Prime Minister has paid tributes to Maharishi Valmiki on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti.

A brief note on Maharishi Valmiki-

Valmiki Jayanti is also known as Pragat Diwas.
It is celebrated every year on the full moon day (15th day) of Shukla Paksha in the Ashwin month, as per the Hindu calendar.
It’s said that Maharishi Valmiki was born on Ashwin Purnima as per the Hindu lunar calendar.
Valmiki was born as Agni Sharma to a Brahmin named Pracheta (also known as Sumali) of Bhrigu gotra.
Maharishi Valmiki is also called the Adi Kavi or the first poet in the Sanskrit language.
He is also responsible for writing the first-ever Sanskrit shlokas.
It is believed that Maharishi Valmiki, who lived in Treta Yug, learned the story of Lord Rama from Narad Muni, and under his guidance, he wrote the epic Ramayana.
The Ramayana, originally written by Valmiki, consists of 24,000 shlokas and seven cantos (kandas).
He is also believed to be the author of Yoga Vasistha, a text that elaborates on a range of philosophical issues.
Vishnudharmottara Purana says that Valmiki reincarnated as Tulsidas, who composed the Ramcharitamanas, which was the Awadhi-Hindi version of the Ramayana.