Jatras, which were popular ancient plays, sparked his interest in the stories of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. In the latter, he was particularly impressed by the character of Rama and even more so by the soldierly devotion of his brother Lakshmana. However, he found that most of the characters in these stories seemed too good and perfect. It was the elderly warriors of the Mahabharata, with their flaws and qualities that were both human and superhuman, who appealed more to his imagination as a boy.