Thai Ramayana Portrays Rama As Hero, Ravana Not Demon
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Thai version of Rama's tale differs substantially from Valmiki's Ramayana, though the basic plot is essentially the same. Ravana is not a demon in the Thai version, but a human being, said Kangwan Guespond, an artist from the Sri Ramakien Troupe, Thailand.
Kangwan, who essayed the role of Ravana, spoke to Free Press on the sidelines of the ongoing seven-day 'Antarrashtriya Shriramleela Utsav' at Ravindra Bhavan here on Thursday. He said that for the Thais, Rama is not a god and neither is the Ramayana a religious text. For them, the story of Rama is just another literary work, which is staged in a dramatic adaptation for entertainment purposes.
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According to Kangwan and other members of the troupe, the story of the life of Rama and his exploits is called 'Ramakien' (Glory of Rama) in Thailand. It is an ancient text, based on the Buddhist Dasaratha Jataka.
The basic theme of 'Ramakien' is the same as that of Valmiki's Ramayana, though there are many vital differences, too. Unlike the Ramayana, in which Ravana is killed by Rama after a long battle, in 'Ramakien' the story has a happy ending. " The story focuses more on the love between Rama and Sita than on religious themes," he said.
The names of the characters are also different. Thus, Ravana is called Thoskan, Ram is Pha Ram, Laxmana is Pha La and Sita is Seeda. 'Ramakien' is about 500 years old and survives from ancient times when the rulers of Thailand were influenced by Hinduism. Now, Thailand is a Buddhist country, with Hindus forming a tiny part of the total population, Kangwan added.
Epic battles come alive in Khon
Besides, the Sri Ramakien Troupe staged Thailand's renowned Khon dance drama at the venue's open-air stage. The performance featured dramatic episodes depicting the 'Seetha Haran' (abduction of Sita) and the epochal Ram-Ravana War. Recognised as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, Thailand's traditional Khon masked dance-drama interprets the ancient epic through graceful choreography, intricate masks and elaborate costumes inspired by 'Ramakien', the Thai adaptation of the Ramayana
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