Greetings for the Season!
Faiths travelled across the seas first, then on horseback with the men and women who espoused their beliefs. Just as Buddhism travelled south and then east and north, Hinduism did too. Judaism, Christianity and Islam, sailed across the Arabian seas to settle on Indian shores, even before the conquests from the north.
As we savour this intermingling this season, in the midst of world turmoil and needless violence, let us light up the lives of the less fortunate, regardless of the faith she or he was born into.
Indonesia, a republic with a Muslim-majority population spread over 17,000 islands including Sumatra, Java, Sulwesi and others boasts a special cultural heritage –the Ramayana. Walk into the handicraft boutiques with their exquisite leather puppetry and the figures of the much loved Ramayana will be proudly on show. The celebrated popularity of the Ramayana here is a testament to the epic’s enduring cultural legacy. Yes, there is a Ramayana in Indonesia too; where, while the first half of the Indonesia Ramayana is similar to the Indian version, the second half includes the powerful Javanese deity Dhayana and his three sons.
Scripted in the old Javanese language, it became known as the Kakawin Ramayana. The text and performances, watched with joy among Indonesians even today, were centuries ago used to revive Hinduism at a time when Buddhism was well established in Sumatra, West and Central Java through shadow puppetry (Wayang Kulit and Wayang Purwa).
Historians trace the Kakawin Ramayana back to the Medang Kingdom (732-1006 AD) in Central Java when it was written in the old Javanese language. The other Indonesian version of Ramayana is the Balinese Ramakavaca, which is a developed version of the Kakawin Ramayana. The Javanese consider the Kakawin Ramayana, derived from an array of Sanskrit-based metrical patterns, as the ultimate in artistic expression and remains the lengthiest of all Old Javanese texts. A large number of preserved palm leaf manuscripts of Java and Bali attest to its popularity and adaptation.
Fascinatingly, the Kakawin Ramayana differs from the original Indian version in interesting e ways. According to several literary scholars, the source of the old Javanese Kakawin Ramayana was possibly the Sanskrit poem Bhattikavya written by Indian poet Bhatti around the 7th century AD as the first half of Kakawin Ramayana is almost identical to the rendering of Bhattikavya. But Indian scholars find that the latter half almost indistinguishable from the original.
Though the characters of Rama, Sita, Lakshman, Hanuman, Ravan, etc. remain fundamental to its narrative, the Kakawin Ramayana also has several Javanese indigenous deities like Dhayana, (regarded as the Guardian God of Java Semar or ‘Twalen’ in Balinese literature) and four his sons called the four Punokawan or “clown servants”. However, these characters are most popular and figure prominently in all Wayang performances.
Sita, almost akin to the Janaki Ramayan in southern parts of India, is depicted powerfully. While a section of the north and western Indian Ramayana depicts her (more recently) paints her as a soft, demure and loyal woman, Indonesia’s Kakawin Ramayana portrays her as strong, individualistic and bold, depicted as fighting with Asuras in Ravana’s Lanka instead of waiting for Rama to rescue her!
It is not uncommon in Indonesian Wayang performances to see Sita’s character being played with her chin and head up in a defiant position. She is portrayed as a bit weak for desiring the golden deer, while Rama is shown as a wee bit imperfect since he trusted people over Sita after she was rescued from Lanka.
Hanuman is a much-respected and revered character in Indonesia as he figures in many of the historic dance and drama artworks such as Wayang Wong found in Javanese culture and Odalan celebrations and other festivals in Bali. In many medieval era Hindu temples, archeological sites, and manuscripts discovered in Indonesia, Hanuman features prominently along with Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Vishvamitra, and Sugriva.
On the island of Java (Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia lies on the northwest coast of Java), the Ramayana is performed in many cities through wayang kulit or puppet shows that can last multiple nights and also through Wayang Wong tradition, a lovely theatrical dance.
In Java also stands the ancient heritage city of Yogyakarta, which, experts say, is derived from Ayodhya in India. Nearby is located Prambanan, a 10th-century UNESCO World Heritage-Inscribed temple compound. It is famous for stunning reliefs illustrating the Ramayana. Residents with tourists enjoy the exquisite dance performance based on the epics that are performed here regularly. Often with the sun setting in the background an open air performance holds guests enthralled. Bali too — Uluwatu and Ubud—host Ramayana-themes dances for Indonesians and visitors.
Then there is Thailand where one of the classics of Thai literature is Ramakien (Ramakian), is the Thai version of the Ramayana. Researchers tell us that Indian traders brought Ramakien to Thailand. As trade and business ties became stronger, the popularity of Ramakien also became widespread. Also, it is learned that the name of the historic city of Ayutthaya (around 80 km from country capital Bangkok) is a transliteration from Ayodhya. Even in 2023, you can see paintings and statues depicting Ramakien are on display across Thailand. The plot of the epic has similarities, whereas the depictions of characters and stories differ. The Thai theatre dance –famed khan dance –also draws from the epic.
Khan, an ancient theatrical art included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, was originally performed only at the royal courts. The style combines graceful movements, war choreography, rituals, traditional music, narration, singing and poetry. Equally beautiful are the exquisite khan masks, jewellery and richly embroidered costumes, all of which require the highest skills in craftsmanship. Traditionally, all actors and dances wore the masks but today, some prefer a form of makeup influenced by Thai mural paintings.
Another Ramayana-based art form is nang yai, or grand shadow puppets, in which performers manipulate large, leather puppets while dancing to the melodies of the piphat (instrumental) ensemble.
Cambodia
It’s not just the famed Angkor Wat temple complex at Krong Siem Reap, located on a site measuring 162.6 hectares that is touted as the largest religious structure in the world. In Cambodia, stone reliefs on temples from as far back as the 10th century depict scenes from the Ramayana, and historian researchers say that the Cambodian version of the epic, the Reamker, dates to the 16th or 17th century. Again, while the kernel of the story is similar as the Indian Ramayana, it contains a few episodes unique to Cambodian culture. An example is that of an encounter between Hanumana and Savann Maccha, the mermaid, a favourite of Cambodian audiences, and this is often performed as a stand-alone piece in theatrical depictions, even today.
The Reamker dance form serves as an inspiration for various genres of performance in Cambodia – classical dance-drama, masked dance-drama, and shadow puppet plays. On special days, performances of the traditional shadow puppet shows. SbekThom, are also very popular. Key scenes from the Reamker are depicted in ancient sculptures at Angkor Wat too.
And then Myanmar….
In neighbouring Myanmar (Burma) –today the scene of violent turmoil– the oral tradition of the Ramayana is believed to date as far back as the reign of Kind Anawrahta (1044-77). The story – known as Yama Zatdaw in Burmese – was, it is believed, orally passed on from generation to generation up till the 16th century, especially in oral courts. In later decades, it was turned into a Burmese classical drama, with music and songs.
Today, Ramayana performances are very popular in Burma and yama zat pwe (dramatic performances of the story), marionette stage shows are held very often. Its use of an exuberant, acrobatic, and highly stylised form of traditional Burmese dance as well as intricate costumes, marks it apart from all other versions of the Ramayana. Scenes from the Ramayana can also be found as motifs or design elements in Burmese lacquer ware and wood carvings.
Faiths travelled across the seas first, then on horseback with the men and women who espoused their beliefs. Just as Buddhism travelled south and then east and north, Hinduism did too. Judaism, Christianity and Islam, sailed across the Arabian seas to settle on Indian shores, even before the conquests from the north.
As we savour this intermingling this season, in the midst of world turmoil and needless violence, let us light up the lives of the less fortunate, regardless of the faith she or he was born into.
Greetings for the Season!
–Editors