Ramakien

The Ramakien is derived from the Indian epic Ramayana, the 'Story of Rama', written more than 2,500 years ago by Valmiki and has 24,000 verses. In India alone, there are several versions of the story in different languages, such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Tamil and Assamese. The most important version is the original one in Sanskrit. It is not only a great literary classic but is also considered the holy book of the Hindus, in importance exceeded only by the Vedas. Beyond India, the story of the Ramayana spread over Southeast Asia and was translated in the vernacular of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, Laos and ...for more order our CDrom...

In Thailand there are a number of variations and forms of the Ramakien, the Thai version of the Indian epic. Some are sponsored by the royal court others are local versions, varying in form from tale or play to masked drama. It is also represented in several other forms of art, such as sculpture, murals and paintings (fig.). The most complete edition of the Ramakien is the play composed by Rama I (fig.) in 1785, the first king of the present Chakri dynasty. Due to its long and widespread popularity the Ramakien is also deeply interwoven into the Thai way of life, apparent in the different arts and in daily life. Pictures of characters and scenes from the Ramakien are found all over Thailand, expressed in several forms of art and in the nomenclature.

The story relates the birth of prince Rama, the son of queen Kao Suriya and king Totsarot of Ayutthaya (fig.), and his later marriage with Sida, the daughter of king Janaka. Sida is kidnapped by the demon king Totsakan who abducts her to Longka, the present Sri Lanka. Then follows the account of the lengthy battle between Rama and the ten-headed Totsakan, in which Rama is assisted by mythical half-man half-animal characters, including the courageous monkey-god Hanuman (fig.), always depicted in white. The battle brings the defeat of Totsakan and the salvation of Sida, after which Rama ...for more order our CDrom...

In khon, traditional dance performances, officially all parts including female roles are played by men. In lakhon both men and women perform. The themes may be shortened versions of the Ramakien, or other folk tales. The complete version of the Ramakien consists of 311 characters and an uninterrupted performance would last more than a month.

Khon dancers are dressed in rich brocade embroidered costumes and the human characters usually wear a chadah, a kind of conical headdress resembling a small chedi. The dancers that represent demons or monkeys wear masks in a variety of colours and shapes according to their character. By means of a complex combination of mudras and positions of the body, different situations, thoughts and feelings are expressed. Every hand position in combination with the pose of the body has an exactly defined meaning. The Sanskrit word 'mudra', usually translated as 'handposition' and also applied in Buddhist iconography, literally means 'seal' or 'print'. Only experienced khon adepts are able to distinguish the many gestures and their ...for more order our CDrom...

Nonthok

A popular story preceding the Ramakien epic has protagonists who are the previous incarnations of Rama and Totsakan. Nonthok, the later Totsakan, had the task of washing the feet of the gods who came to mount Krailaat to worship the chief god Idsuan. Whilst humbly performing his duty he was constantly teased by the gods. They pulled his hair and banged his head.

Weary of being tormented he complained to the chief god and asked him for a diamond finger that would kill when pointed to anyone hostile to him. Idsuan at first granted him his request but after too many victims died he reconsidered. He charged the god Narai -the later Rama- to silence Nonthok. Disguised as a female dancer Narai was able to tempt Nonthok into dancing with him. Because he didn't know how Narai urged him to imitate his movements. Copying him faithfully Nonthok unconsciously pointed his lethal index finger on his own knee and immediately fell dying to the ground.

The worst humiliation for Nonthok however was that he was killed by a being with human appearance. Because also Narai thought this punishment was too severe and humiliating he promised the possibility for revenge in a next life. Nonthok would come back as a hideous giant with ten heads and twenty arms, whilst Narai would be born as an ordinary mortal. The sequel is described in ...for more order our CDrom...