Gita Press offers free download of Ramcharitmanas in 10 languages from Jan 16; here's how to get your copy

In anticipation of the January 22 Ram temple consecration ceremony, the Gita Press will provide complimentary downloads of the Ramcharitmanas from its website, according to an official statement. Established in 1923, this distinguished publisher has a substantial global footprint, having produced 95 crore books in 15 languages. Honored with the Gandhi Peace Prize in the prior year, the Gorakhpur-based publisher maintains a nationwide presence through its stores.

Drawing a comparison, Gita Press manager Lalmani Tripathi noted that in 2022, approximately 75,000 copies of the Ramcharitmanas were printed and distributed. However, following the announcement of the "Pran Prathistha" date at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the demand for the book has surged significantly, he explained.

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The ceremony's date, disclosed by the Ram temple trust on October 26 of the previous year and set to be graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has resulted in an upsurge in demand. "Due to limited space, we are unable to meet the demand for printing and distribution of the Ramcharitmanas," stated Tripathi.

"We do not have the preparedness to suddenly print and provide 2 lakh to 4 lakh copies of the Ramcharitmanas. Since last month, we have managed to make available 1 lakh copies of the book", he said.

Despite these efforts, Tripathi remarked that the demand remains unfulfilled, emphasizing that Gita Press lacks adequate stock.

"In many places, we have to humbly say that we do not have stock available. Recently, we received a demand for 50,000 Ramcharitmanas from Jaipur and a demand for 10,000 copies came from Bhagalpur, which we had to regretfully decline. This is the scenario across the entire country," the manager said.

To address this challenge, Geeta Press has decided to make Ramcharitmanas available for free download on its website. Tripathi stated that the press is currently uploading the text and will offer this service for 15 days, allowing 50,000 people to download the sacred scripture. If the demand continues to surge, this number may be increased to accommodate a larger audience.

"Currently, we are uploading the Ramcharitmanas to the Gita Press website. Starting from Tuesday (January 16), it will be available for free download. We will provide this service for 15 days, allowing up to 50,000 people to download," Tripathi said.

If the demand increases, "we will scale-up the traffic capacity, enabling up to 1 lakh people to download the Ramcharitmanas simultaneously", he said and added that this service could also be extended.

Follow these steps to download your copy of Ramcharitmanas:

1. Visit Gita Press' official website - https://www.gitapress.org/
2. A banner that reads "On the auspicious occasion of the consecration of Shri Ramlala, read Shri Ramcharitmanas for free in 10 languages" is displayed in the homepage.
3. Click on the languages of your choice
4. For example if you choose English, an issuu.com page opens up where you can read the holy book online for free.
5. Download option for the book will be available from January 16 onwards
6. Ramcharitmanas is available for free in the following languages: Hindi, English, Gujarati, Odiya, Telugu, Marathi, Kannada, Bangla, Nepali and Assamese

Since the announcement of the "Pran Pratishtha" (consecration ceremony) date, there has been a growing demand for the Ramcharitmanas, leading to increased pressure on its supply, he noted. Tripathi mentioned that people are so enthusiastic that they are contemplating widespread distribution of the Ramcharitmanas, the Sunderkand, and the Hanuman Chalisa for recitation on a large scale. Anticipating a surge in demand post the "Pran Pratishtha" ceremony, he suggested that visitors to Ayodhya might consider taking the Ramcharitmanas as 'prasad' to their homes.

"Considering that we publish books in 15 languages and have over 2,500 book distributors associated with us, we also need to take into account their demands as their livelihoods are dependent on it. We are exploring various options to expand our capacity so that we can meet the increasing demand for books," Tripathi said.