The Ramayana (1829)

Begin with Rama’s exile and follow how it turns into the search for Sita after Ravana takes her. The Macmillan Collector’s Library edition uses Romesh C. Dutt’s abridged verse translation, with an introduction by Arshia Sattar. Try Book Eight, where Hanuman crosses to Lanka and finds Sita, for a short reading within the longer rescue story.