1.10. Rama Story in Thailand

I. In Literature A peculiarity of the Ramayanic literature of Thailand is the total ignorance of the word Ramayana. Equally unknown is its creator, the poet Valmiki. The name of the Ramayana that the Thais are familiar with is Ramakien, a changed form of Sanskrit Ramakirti according to some or Ramakhyana according to others. It was not until the reign of King Rama VI of the present ruling dynasty who gave a scholarly exposition of the origin of the Ramakirti that the Thais came to know of the Ramayana and its author Valimiki, particularly the learned among them who took interest in Thai classics. As for the people in general, they are still blissfully ignorant of the original name of the epic and its creator. The Ramayanic influence on the culture of Thailand has found expression in three distinct forms, i.e., in literature, in dramatics and in painting and sculpture. Although the introduction of the Ramayana into Thailand can be traced back to a date as early as the 13 th century A.D., it is nevertheless, not until the beginning of the Ratnakosindra period (about 1781 A.D.), that the glory of Rama came to be expressed in beautiful epic poems. The influence of the Ramayana in those early centuries is noticeable in the names of kings and nobles and in literary excerpts. In Ayuthaya period, B.E. 1952-2310, A.D. 1409-1767, it was regarded as a sacred story. It was because of its influence that the first king of Ayuthaya was named Rama and his capital

Ayudhya (pronounced Ayuthaya). A number of events in the Rama story such as the bravery of Hanuman, the ungratefulness of Thorapi, the faithfulness of Sita are prominent mottos in Thailand. In the past most of the Thai people knew the Ramayana through oral tradition. It was not until king Taksin the Great of Thonburi, B.E. 2310, A.D.1767, that the Rama story came to be put in writing. To him belongs the credit of putting some episodes of the great story in verse which are still extant. Taksin's work consists of 2012 verses spread out in four volumes wherein they describe: (i) Phra Mangkut practising the art of bow. (ii) Hanuman courting Nang Vanarin. (iii) King Malivaraj adjudicating the case and giving his judgement as to who is at fault, Rama or Ravana, the case which was referred to him by Ravana. (iv) Totsakan (Dasakantha = Ravana) setting up the ceremony of making sand acid to be his weapon. The credit of giving a comprehensive account for the first time of the Rama story, however, goes to King Rama I (1782- 1809), the founder of the present ruling dynasty. He produced a voluminous work of 5,286 verses published in 2,976 pages covering all the incidents from the origin of Rama's dynasty to the story of his two sons. This is the only complete Ramayana in Thailand. King Rama II (1809-1829 A.D.), his son and successor, wanted to put the story on the stage. The story as described by his predecessor being too long and consequently not fit for the stage, he thought of abridging it. He rewrote it omitting some parts of it. His version is shorter, though still big enough. It has 14,300 verses. He divides his story in two parts. Part I starts from Hanuman's presenting Rama's ring to Sita in Lanka and ends with the coronation of Rama. Part II begins with the banishment of Sita and ends with the reconciliation between Rama and Sita. King Rama II's version being found suitable for stage, it began to be played as a mask which with its gaudy dresses of the actors and the actresses, the rhythmic movement of their delicate forms and the sweet melody of its catching music still has great appeal to CC-0. Prof. Satya Delhi: Digitized S 3 Foundation USA

Rama Story in Thailand 71 the people and is considered by them as the best Thai dramatic poetry. It may be pointed out here that the first literature produced for the mask dates back to the Ayuthaya period (1349-1647 A.D.). But like so many Ramayanic plays, the poet depended on some solitary events of the Ramayana and showed no evidence of continuity the like of which we find in the later work of King Rama II. The next to handle the Rama story was King Rama IV, the fourth king of the present ruling dynasty of Thailand-all its kings interestingly carrying the alternative name of Rama. Rama IV described in 1,664 verses just one episode of the Rama story, the journey and adventure of Rama in the forest during his exile. It is believed that Rama IV describes just this episode because it is an allusion to his own pilgrimage during monkhood before he became the ruler of Thailand, called then Siam. After king Rama IV, King Rama VI took up for description in verse some unconnected episodes in the Rama story. He was incidentally the last of the rulers as also the last of the writers to put his mite in giving the literary garb to the great story. The episodes that he describes are those of the death of the demon Tathaka, the wedding of Rama and Sita, the abduction of Sita, Hanuman's burning of Lanka, the banishment of Vibhisana, the disguise of Benjakai, Ravana's niece, as dead Sita, her floating against the stream to the vision of Rama, the construction by Rama's army of the bridge to Lanka, the battle between Rama and Ravana's armies, the Nagapasa by Indrajit and Laksmana's being pierced by Indrajit's Phrommat Arrow. All of these episodes with the exception of floating Benjakai and the Phrommat Arrow which are found in King Rama I's version as well are based on the Valmiki Ramayana and thus differ from all the other Thai versions of the Rama epic. Besides some episodes of the Ramayana, King Rama VI wrote a very important work on the Ramakien, the Ramayana as it is known in Thailand Titled Bo Koet Ramkien. It traces the sources of the Rama episode which diffgitized by $3 Foundation USA from the Valmiki

Ramayana. In his version of the Ramakien, King Rama VI uses original Sanskrit names for characters instead of the traditional distorted Thai forms. In this he was motivated, as he makes himself clear in the introduction to his version of the Ramakien, to make his subjects know the correct form of the names, the names as they occur in the Valmiki Ramayana. While at Oxford he is said to have come into contact with Sanskrit scholars. Hence his different orientation in Ramakien handling. Since the literary forms of the Ramakien were to provide text to the dance-drama, their composers made not an insignificant contribution to evolving techniques for acting and theatrical setting. But long before the work began to be staged, there was in vogue in Thailand a certain kind of play known as Hnang meaning hide or skin in which all Ramayanic figures were cut out of hide, painted in their characteristic colour; every Ramayanic character possesses a distinctive colour of his own; Rama being green, Laksmana golden, Hanuman purple, Ravana dark and so on. When staged, they were very similar to marionettes but their movements instead of being controlled by a string were controlled by hands. The Hnang is generally played in festivals at night. It may be mentioned here in passing, that the Hnang in Thailand was introduced from Java and is an adaptation of the Sanskrit Chayanataka. It is due to the complete owning of the Rama story, the Ramakien or the Ramakirti by the Thais that the names of the characters have come to differ from the original. A close look at the Ramakien shows that as for the names of the places and personalities three distinct systems are noticeable. First, original names are preserved intact which is the case with only two, Rama and Hanuman. Second, names entirely different from those in the original are used , e.g., Kucchi for Manthara, a derivative in all probability of Sanskrit Kubji or Kubja, Svaha for Anjana, Kallacana for Ahalya, Kakanasura for Tadaka, Khukhan for Guha, Mongkut for Kusa and Vajmrga for Valmiki. Third, a modified form of the original name is used, e.g., Satrud for Satrughna, Kuperans for Kubera.olone New Delhi. Pgitized by $3 Foundation USA and reason for such changes

Rama Story in Thailand 73 modifications could be the peculiar Thai phonetics. The vowel a in between two consonants is deleted leading to their conjunction while the one coming at the end of the word is made silent as in Bengali. Thus Garuda is pronounced in Thai as Grut. Moreover, being fundamentally a monosyllable language, with an inclination to stick to the sound of the word rather than the correct spelling, Thai adopts a modified form of a word with a part of it unpronounced. Thus, Laksmana is written as Laksmana but pronounced as Lak retaining the sound of the first syllable only and deleting all others. The same has happened with Pulastya, Vibhisana, Vidyujjihva and Mandodari etc., which are pronounced in Thai as Lastian, Bibhek, Chiuha and Mando (Montho) respectively. Bha in Thai is pronounced as pha. Bharata then becomes Phrot. Ravana is nowhere called as such. He is Raphanasun, Sanskrit Ravanasura or more popularly Totsakan, Sanskrit Dasakantha.' There are names which have only minor variations, e.g., Sida, Sanskrit Sita, Sukrip, Sanskrit Sugriva, Phali, Sanskrit Vali, Inthorachit, Sanskrit Indrajit, Kumphakan Sanskrit Kumbhakarna and so on. It may be mentioned here incidentally that some of the modified names do not go well with the Thai phonetic system. Though many Thai works refer to the God of wealth as Kuvera, in the Ramakien he is invariably referred to as Kuperan which is the Tamil form and may easily be recognized as a remnant of Tamil influence. The same may be said of Guha which in Thai becomes Khukhan. While talking of the names it may be pertinent to mention that the Ramakien has a number of new names to designate characters with no corresponding ones in the Valmiki Ramayana. Such for instance, are Binayaki or Benjakai, Maiyarab, Malivaggabrahma, Suvannamaccha, Macchanu, Mahipal Debasun, and Unaraj. Ramayana Story Now, a word about the story of the Thai Ramayana. The Valmiki Ramayana is divided into Kandas. The Thai Ramayana, on the other hand, has no sub-divisions. Even where it is in the form of a dramatic poem of actsofi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA acts or scenes. For purposes of

analysis the Ramakien story is divided into three parts. The first part describes the creation of all beings, human, demoniac and simian. It begins with the third incarnation of Narayana. The story goes on to describe the birth of king Anomatan, the founder of the dynasty of Ayodhya who was succeeded by his son Ajapal who in turn was followed by his son Dasaratha, father of Rama. Next is described the birth of Rama, his brothers and Sita. Then is taken up for description the origin of the demons, their kingdoms, their families, their conflicts which is followed by the description of the creation of Lanka, the birth of Ravana and his marriage with Mandodari and the birth of the simian characters. In the Valmiki Ramayana while the birth of the human and simian characters is described in the Balakanda, the birth of the demons is described in the Uttarakanda. After describing the origin of the different characters the Ramakien starts to unfold the main story, the sending away of Rama and Laksmana to forest to save the Rsis from the trouble caused by the crow-demon Tadaka, the marriage of Rama and Sita, Rama's banishment, Bharata's going to him and meeting him in the forest, Rama's meeting with Sabari and Agastya, his encounters with Surpanakha and other demons, Sita's abduction, Rama's meeting with Hanuman and Sugriva and the killing by him of Valin. The second part deals with the preparations for the battle with Ravana, Hanuman's visit to Lanka and his exploits therein, the building of the causeway to Lanka, Vibhisana's joining Rama, the Binayaki episode (a new episode), Rama's encounter with Maiyarab (a new episode), the fight with Kumbhakarna and his defeat, Laksmana's battle with Indrajit and the latter's death, the fight between Rama and Ravana, the episode of Malivaggabrahma (a new episode), Ravana's meditation, his death at the hands of Rama and the handing over by Rama of the throne of Lanka to Vibhisana. The third part of the Ramakien describes the quelling of an insurrection in Lanka by Rama's brothers, the banishment of Sita, the birth of sher two sonsolation New Delhi Digitized by S 9 Foundation USA, Rama's fight with his sons, Rama's

Rama Story in Thailand 75 attempt to win Sita back and the intervention of the gods to bring about reconciliation of the estranged couple. The story of the Ramakien does not stop here. It goes on to describe the exploits of Rama's sons. The story in the Ramakien differs from that of the Valmiki Ramayana in two respects. One, it introduces some altogether new episodes which do not figure in the original narrative. Two, even where the incidents described are the same, there is difference in detail, major or minor. Since it is not necessary that the Thai narrative should be based on that of Valmiki, this difference is inevitable. Grafting on a foreign soil also contributes to it. The local elements do creep in when something from outside is brought in. This is most noticeable in the case of Hanuman, the celibate monkey god of Valmiki who turns in the Ramakien into a romantic hero making love with any pretty lady he comes into contact with, marrying her and begetting sons therefrom. Rama's bhakta he is, but not to the extent of self-denial. Recipient of the material reward from Rama for the services rendered to him, he accepts the kingdom of Lopburi. Unless the story of the Ramakien is known, it will not be possible to appreciate fully the points of difference between the narratives in the Ramakien and in the Valmiki Ramayana. Full books on this have been written in English by at least three scholars, Mr. M.L. Manich Jumsai, Mr. J.M. Cadet who has primarily based himself on the bas reliefs of Wat Phra Jetubon and Swami Satyanand Puri, an emissary of Tagore in Thailand who spent long years carrying out a thorough study of Thai history and culture and by far the most knowledgeable of the Indian immigrants to that country. An attempt is being made here to put the spotlight on such of the episodes as are entirely new to the Valmiki's narrative or those which differ materially from it . First we take up the new episodes. The Episode of Anomatan It is said that in times of yore a demon of miraculous power of the names of Hirantayaksa dived on the mountain Cakravala . Digitized by Foundation USA

He oppressed the gods who approached Isvara for succour. Narayana at the behest of Isvara fought with him and killed him. On coming back to his abode of milk-ocean he saw a lotus on it and a beautiful child encased in its petals. Narayana forayed to Krailasa to dedicate it to Isvara according to whose injuction, it, named Anomatan, was to be the first king of the world. Jambudvipa was chosen for his rule. His capital was Ayodhya which was laid for him by Indra at the behest of Isvara and was named on the first letters of the four Rsis he (Indra) met on the way, Achanagavi, Yugagra, Daha and Yaga. The Episode of Binayaki or Benjakai Ravana ordered Benjakai, a demoness, to assume the form of Sita, feign dead and float down the river near Rama's camp with the intention to dupe Rama into believing that his beloved wife was no more. The ruse succeeded for a while. Rama going to the river to take his morning bath noticed the corpse and recognizing it to be that of Sita fell into deep mourning. So did Laksmana, who came there along with Hanuman. The latter refused to accept that Sita was dead. To test as to whether it was a corpse or not, he put it on a lighted prye. Shrieking Benjakai leapt into the sky in her true form only to be dragged to the earth by Hanuman. Whipped by Sugriva she revealed her identity. Coming to know that she was Vibhisana's daughter Rama forgave her in spite of the former asking him to kill her and ordered Hanuman to see her off to Lanka. While escorting her the gallant monkey made love to her who later bore him a son called Asuraphad. The Episodes of the Quarrel between Nilaphad or Nila and Hanuman and the Episode of Suvannamaccha To reach Lanka it was necessary to build a causeway. The monkeys gathered round both the heroes, Nilaphad or Nila and Hanuman and the mighty work of laying a bridge over the ocean began. Nila and Hanuman had settled between themselves the work to be done by each ofthing. New Delhi, Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA Thus Hanuman was to get in position

Rama Story in Thailand 77 the stones that Nila would pass on to him. Now, Nila nursed a grievance against Hanuman on account of the bad treatment he thought he had meted to his uncle Jambu. Taking the present one as the right opportunity to take revenge he became overfast with the handing over of the stones which Hanuman with all his efficiency could not set in time. After some time the order of duties was reversed. In order to teach Nila a lesson, Hanuman tied a stone each to his hair and began passing it on to Nila much to his discomfiture. A quarrel ensued between the two. It being an act of indiscipline and a bad example to the rest of the army, Rama decided to punish both. He sent Nila to Kiskindha to act as Sugriva's regent and to arrange for the supply of provisions to the army. Hanuman he charged with the completion of the causeway within seven days. The great monkey acted with speed. Stone after stone came to be hurled into the sea. The tumultuous noise of the whole operation reached Ravana's ears who getting restless sent his mermaid daughter Suvannamaccha to obstruct it. Suvannamaccha set about with her host to remove the rocks from their positions. Hanuman was surprised to find the rocks vanishing. He dived into the sea and saw Suvannamaccha and thousands of fish at work to remove the rocks. Hanuman looked at the pretty mermaid and fell in love with her. She also responded to his love. The result was that before Suvannamaccha returned to her father she had become a mother to Hanuman's son Macchanu whom she discharged from her womb and left on the seashore for fear of her father. The Episode of Maiyarab Ravana invited his friend, the invincible Patala king Maiyarab to assist him in killing Rama. Maiyarab went to Rama's camp and with the help of a sleeping powder made all his companions asleep. He kidnapped unconscious Rama to Patala and thought of putting him into boiling water. After waking up everybody looked for Rama. Vibhisana applied his mind to the problem and came to know that it was Maiyarab who had kidnapped Rama. He asked Hanuman to go to Patala to rescue him, Haruman USA met

with many obstacles on the way, an elephant, a fiery mountain, a swarm of mosquitoes. He overcame them one by one and was able finally to reach Patala, find out Rama with the help of his son Macchanu, a mermonkey born of the mermaid Suvannamaccha whom Maiyarab had adopted as his son. Hanuman gave a fight to Maiyarab, killed him and brought Rama back to his camp. The Episode of the Judgment of Malivaggabrahma When one demon after another was falling in the face of Rama's or Hanuman's superior power, Dasakantha became extremely worried and thought of some way to get rid of Rama. One way was to persuade his grandfather Malivaggabrahma or Malivaraja Brahma, the lord of gods, Gandharvas, Nagas and other supernatural beings, the Brahma of unfailing words to pronounce a curse on Rama. Dasakantha sent for him through the demons Nanyavik and Vayuvek and requested him to pronounce his judgement on his dispute with Rama who had invaded his country. To look impartial Malivaggabrahma descended along with his host of gods neither in the Rama's camp nor in Lanka but in the battlefield which according to him belonged to neither of the disputants. Dasakantha placed before him his charge of the invasion of his country by Rama. Just as he was, Malivaggabrahma would not pronounce his judgement unless the gods witnessed the trial and Rama given a chance to reply to the accusation. He also wanted to listen to Sita who was brought into his presence in the company of the monkeys and the demons. On her evidence and on that of the gods Malivaggabrahma found Dasakantha guilty and cursed him to death by Rama's weapon. Thus Dasakantha's plan got totally misfired. The Episode of Ravana's Soul It is at more than one place in the Ramakien that the soul being kept separately from the body is mentioned. Unless it is destroyed first, a person cannot be killed, as per its version. The Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi.

Rama Story in Thailand 79 same thing happened also in the case of Ravana. When the great fight between Rama and Ravana took place Ravana remained immune to all the weapons of the former who showed unusual valour. Ravana's arms and heads were all cut one by one to grow and join again. Vibhisana knew that it would go on like this unless Ravana's soul kept in a receptacle with Goputra, the latter's preceptor in his Asrama was crushed first. Hanuman offered to do the job cautioning Rama inter alia that in accomplishing it he might have to use many tricks and that he should not doubt his integrity. Together with Angada he left for Goputra's Asrama. He met the Rsi, a simpleton at that, and told him that he had been ill-used by Rama and that he would like to desert him and join Ravana who knew how to treat his allies best but on his own was afraid of going to him lest his very sight should enrage him and provoke him to finish him off and was requesting him (Goputra) to take them to Ravana's presence to put in a word on his behalf and on behalf of his companion to him (Ravana). At Hanuman's caution that Rama might steal away the receptacle, the Rsi took it along with him. At the city gate came up a difficulty. If the receptacle were to be taken in, the soul would immediately fly to Ravana to meet him. At Hanuman's suggestion, it was decided to leave the receptacle with Angada. Hanuman and Goputra entered Lanka. After a while Hanuman on the pretext of giving instructions to Angada for saving himself from the demons who might mistake him for an enemy, came back to him, created with his miraculous power a replica of the soul and put it in the receptacle in place of the original one which the latter (Angada) at his behest buried beneath the sea shore. Ravana's soul having been buried, there was no obstacle left for Rama in killing Ravana. In the fight that ensued the former finished off the latter. The Episode of Mahipal Debasun After the death of Ravana, his friend Mahipal Debasun, king of Cakravala, came to visit him, ignorant of what had happened to him. Coming to know of his death on arrival he became furious and beseiged the city of Lanka. Vibhisana who was then New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

occupying the throne under the name Dasaigrivangsh did not possess the miraculous powers of Ravana. It was because of this that it was arranged by Rama when he enthroned him that he would send every week an arrow to him and if he felt that anything was going wrong, he should attach a note to it. When the city was beseiged, Vibhisana attached a note to the arrow which Rama saw and deputed Hanuman who fought Mahipal Debasun and tore him into two. Much to his amazement the portions united. At last at Vibhisana's behest he tore open his (Debasun's) chest and the latter fell dead. The Episode of the Insurrection in Lanka When Mandodari became one of Vibhisana's queens, she was in the family way. She in course of time gave birth to a son Bainasurivangsh. Coming of age and coming to know from his governor as to what had happened to his father Ravana he was seething with the feeling of taking revenge. He went to King Cakravartin, the ruler of Malivan, a friend of his father who took him for his own son, invaded Lanka and put Vibhisana behind the bars. Hanuman and his son Asuraphad came to Kiskindha, made all arrangements for the army and proceeded to Ayodhya where Bharata and Satrughna joined them. With their armies they marched to Lanka. In the battle Bainasurivangsh was killed and Vibhisana set free. Minor differences between the Thai Ramayana and the Valmiki Ramayana Having spoken of the new episodes that have been introduced into the Thai Ramayana, it will be pertinent to analyse the Thai Rama story from the point of view of variations in it from the Rama story of Valmiki . There are incidents in it such as the birth of Ravana, Valin's fight with Mayavin, Rama's birth, his encounter with Tadaka , his marriage with Sita, the Parasurama episode, Rama's exile and the part played in it by Manthara, Dasaratha's fight with Sambaraew Delhi Digipart played in it by Kaikey, Rama's contar Collection, with Guha, his encounter with Viradha,

Rama Story in Thailand 81 Surpanakha's overtures to Rama and Laksmana, Sita's abduction and Jatayu's fight with Ravana which have some differences though not very big with Valmiki's treatment of them. These differences could be illustrated by taking up a few of the above instances. Let us first take up the incident of the birth of Ravana and then other incidents. In both the Thai Ramayana and the Valmiki Ramayana, Ravana and Kuvera are said to have a common father though the names differ in both. In the Thai Ramayana he is called Lastian, Sanskrit Pulastya and in the Valmiki Ramayana Visravas. Same is the case with Ravana's mother. In the Thai Ramayana she is called Rajata and in the Valmiki Ramayana Kaikasi. Rajata has no connection with Sumalin mentioned as the father of Kaikasi in the Valmiki Ramayana. In the Valin's fight with the bull Mayavin called Thoraphee in the Thai Ramayana the story is common in both the Ramayanas, the Thai and the Valmiki upto the point where Sugriva is placed at the entrance of a cave wherein the fight takes place. The Thai Ramayana gives a slightly different turn to the story when it introduces the element of rain. Valin had it conveyed to Sugriva that if he saw lighter blood coming out of the cave he should take it that it was his (Valin's) and that he had been killed by Thoraphee (Mayavin). If instead, he saw thicker blood in its place, he should conclude that Mayavin had been killed. Now rain played havoc with the scheme. On account of it Mayavin's blood became lighter. Seeing it coming out Sugriva thought that it was Valin who had been killed. To prevent Mayavin's exit, he blocked the cave and left. Valin after finishing off Mayavin found it hard to come out and was very angry with Sugriva. In the description of the birth of Rama, the Thai Ramayana does not give the name of the sacrifice which Dasaratha performs for begetting sons unlike the Valmiki Ramayana which mentions it as Putresti. Again, the Rsi who assists in the performance of the sacrifice is Kalaikkot in the Thai Ramayana while he is Rsyasinga in the Valmiki Ramayana. Further, CC-0. Prot. Satya Vial Shasun Collection, New Delhi Digitre divide food isJSA

rice balls in the Thai Ramayana while it is payasa (a preparation of rice, milk and sugar) in the Valmiki Ramayana. As for the incident of Rama's marriage with Sita, the Thai Ramayana says that she (Sita) has a look at Rama from the balcony, who is shown conscious of it. The Valmiki Ramayana has nothing of it. Major differences between the Thai Ramayana and the Valmiki Ramayana The variations in the Thai Ramayana from the Valmiki Ramayana are quite substantial with reference to certain incidents, such as, the account of the birth of Valin, Sugriva, Hanuman and Angada, Rama's meeting with Hanuman, Hanuman's departure to Lanka, his meeting with Sampati and Ravana, the building of the causeway to Lanka, Angada's meeting with Ravana, the order, the account and the frequency of the battles, Rama's return to Ayodhya, the distribution of awards, banishment of Sita, the birth of her two sons and the reconciliation of Rama and Sita. We take up only a few here by way of illustration. The Thai version describes quite differently the incident of the banishment of Sita. In the Thai Ramayana Adul, a demoness, the daughter of Surpanakha, the lady disfigured by Laksmana working as a palace maid with a view to wreaking vengeance on Rama and Sita for the wrong done to her mother entices Sita to draw a picture of Ravana which Rama happens to see and which makes him suspicious of her fidelity. He assigns Laksmana the task of killing her. On his orders Laksmana takes her to the forest, but lacks the will to commit the ghastly act. He leaves her and brings to Rama the heart of a deer as a proof positive for the carrying out of the assignment. Sita continues to live in the forest. Rama remains for long unaware of the fact that she is alive. In the Valmiki Ramayana Rama banished Sita for fear of public censure. Laksmana takes her to the forest but does not leave her alone. He tells her about the Asrama of Valmiki nearbly. for sad and The Thai Ramayana shows Sita to be very angry with Rama

Rama Story in Thailand 83 sorrowful in separation from her. One day Isvara was having an assembly of gods in Mount Kailasa. He was concerned at the fact that Rama who had brought joy and happiness to the three worlds by controlling the demons should be leading a miserable life. Wanting to attempt a reconciliation of the estranged couple he sent for Rama and Sita. He noticed Sita's anger and asked Rama to beg pardon of her appealing at the same time to her softer feelings. Sita at first did not relent. She could ill afford to be with a jealous and a cruel person. She had been too badly hurt to forget or to forgive. But at Isvara's intercession she consented at last to accept Rama. Thus were united the long-separated husband and wife. The account of the birth of Sita's sons differs completely in the two versions. In the Thai Ramayana Sita during her exile is described as living in the hermitage of the sage Vajmrga, the Valmiki of the Valmiki Ramayana. A son is born to her and is named Mangkut. The second son the sage Vajmrga created through a miracle. The story has it that one day Sita left Mangkut in the care of the Rsi and went out to gather fruits and flowers. She came across certain monkey mothers. Out of solicitude for them she asked them to be careful with their babies lest they fell. The monkey mothers retorted that they were certainly better than her who had entrusted her son to the care of a Rsi who has his eyes closed in meditation. Sita rushed back to the hermitage and brought the baby along with her. When the Rsi opened his eyes after meditation, he, not finding the baby around, created another one by his miraculous power. When Sita came back, the Rsi told her everything and said that the new baby created by him would be Mangkut's playmate. He gave it the name Lava. In the Valmiki Ramayana Sita is described to give birth to two sons who are Kusa and Lava respectively. The Valmikian account of Sita being entombed in the earth is described differently in the Thai Ramayana. Though Rama had himself banished Sita out of a feeling of jealousy and suspicion and ordered her killing he felt lonely without her. When he came to know that she was aliveche wanted that she should beundation USA with him. S 3

To this she did not agree. She, however, came when she was informed that Rama had died. But when she found him alive, she was furious and requested mother Earth (Dharati) to take her in. She went thus to Patala. Rama sent Hanuman to bring her back, but in vain. She continued to live in Patala till her reconciliation with Rama at the initiative of Isvara. There is difference between the two Ramayanas, the Thai and the Valmiki in another aspect also. In the Thai Ramayana Rama is said to assign new names that he bestows on his allies while rewarding them with different kingdoms for service rendered by them in achieving victory over Ravana. Thus Vibhisana is given the name Dashagirivangsh Bangshabrahmadhiraj Bangsary, Sugriva the name Phraya Vaiyavangsha Mahasuratej Ruangsari, Guha the name Phraya Khukanadhipati, Hanuman the name Phraya Anujit and so on. Here we see the local tradition asserting its influence. The kings on ascending the throne would assume different names and titles. This is natural that it should be so in the case of the Ramayana characters as they ascend the throne. High flown names and titles were thus coined and assigned to them. The Ramayana story as found in Thailand is said not to have come directly from India. According to Phra Anumanvajthorn, a great authority of Thai literature, it came from Indonesia some 900 years back. It is possible, therefore, that a number of incidents and episodes came to be added in its onward march from country to country. Far greater efforts may be needed than put in by King Rama VI, the only one to have made an attempt so far, to trace their source which , as can be seen in the case of Sita's exile, could be due to the different versions of the Rama story including the folk tradition current in India itself. A comparative study of the different versions would yield also the information as to how much of it owes to non-Indian inspiration which is at work mostly in folklore. The Rama story in Thailand is found in all its formulations of literary works, theatrical performances and folk tales. Being taught in schools, it is quite familiar even to present generation Shastri Collection, New Delin. Digitized by S 5 Foundation USA the

Rama Story in Thailand 85 85 II. In Art (a) Performing Arts In the realm of performing art, the story of the Ramakien is used exclusively in the staging of the Hnang and Khon. In the Hnang the figures of the Ramakien characters on cattle hide are artistically moved from behind the well-lit screen so that their shadow can be seen. Hnang has two forms, one big and the other small. The big one is called Hnang Yai and the small one Hnang Talung. In Hnang Yai the size of the characters is many times larger than in Hnang Talung. These are placed in front of the screen. If placed at its back, it will not be possible for their shadow to fall on it. Very often it is presented on a stage without screen. The literal meaning of the word Hnang is skin or hide and that of Yai is big. The procedure for drawing the Hnang is as follows: A cattle hide is first cut as per the shape of a Ramakien character. A figure. is then drawn and embossed upon the pieces of the skin. The figures are then mounted on two sticks which are moved about as per the words by men who are generally accomplished dancers. Music, the traditional Thai one, is an important constituent of Hnang Yai and Hnang Talung. Khon is a mask play and is of ancient origin. In this practically all the actors, except those who play roles of females, divine and human, wear masks. As a rule even the female roles are played by male actors. In this dancing and posturing are of extreme importance, requiring expressiveness and grace. The whole body has to move in this, not just the hands and the arms. Each character is to be depicted through a particular dress, ornaments and headgear. While the actors act their roles of different characters, the reciters sitting in a corner of the stage recite the lines which describe the scenes being enacted from texts, containing poetic versions of the story composed by ancient poets. The recitations by the master of the Khon known as Khon Phak are of two kinds, namely, Khon Phak and the Ceraton USA The

former is the Chanda poetry of the type specified as the Kab, Sanskrit Kavya, and the latter is the dialogue in rhythmic prose called Rai which may also include description of action on stage. The version of the Ramakien which is most suitable for presentation on the Khon stage is that of King Rama II Phra Buddha Loet La (1809-1824 A.D.). The majority of the incidents presented in Khon relate to the battle between Rama and Ravana, the abduction of Rama by Maiyarab, Hanuman's journey to Lanka and the fire ordeal of Sita. (b) Visual Art: Paintings, Sculptures and Bas Reliefs In the Dvaravati and the Srivijaya periods no paintings or stone carvings of the scenes from the Ramayana have been found. It is in the Lopburi period that the Rama story begins to appear. This was the period when the Khmer influence spread from Cambodia to the northeastern, eastern and central parts of Thailand. As the Khmers practised Hinduism more than Buddhism except in the 12 th-13 th Cen. A.D., the Hindu religious tradition with a powerful component of Vaisnavism in it became more active at this time. Rama being an incarnation of Visnu, his story came to be depicted in stone pediments and lintels of the many shrines built by them in different parts of Thailand. The best instance of the delineation of the Rama story in stone is provided by Prasad Panom Rung, the Panom Rung Temple of Thailand. It has on its lintels and gables, both inside and outside the sanctuary or on stones once forming the part of the structure but now separated from it and lying in the open such scenes from the Ramayana as the killing of Marica in the dear form, the abduction of Sita by Ravana, the presentation of the chopped off head of Indrajit to Mandodari, the chaining of Rama and Laksmana by Nagapasa and the wailing of the monkeys for that reason, the fight between Rama and Ravana and the former's triumphant return to Ayodhya. On a stone now lying in the open is depicted the scene of two men looking like hermits with their matted hair together with a lady in between. The men possibly are Rama and Laksmana Vrat Shastri Collection, New

Rama Story in Thailand 87 and the lady is Sita. The carving in all likelihood depicts their life in the forest. Just as in the Panom Rung Temple so in the Pimai Temple, in spite of its having been built for Mahayana Buddhism in 1108 A.D., many stone pediments and lintels of the porches of the main sanctuary, of the southernmost forechamber and the galleries are carved with scenes from the Ramayana. The stone lintel on the western side of the forechamber carries a scene of Rama and Laksmana in Nagapasa. Bewailing monkeys are shown surrounding them. The lintel underneath the stone pediment of the western porch of the main sanctuary depicts the scene of the construction of a causeway to Lanka where one can see monkeys dumping stones into the ocean that is full of sea animals such as fish, crocodiles and mythical acquatic monsters. The northern porch of the main sanctuary has on the pediment an unidentified scene from the Ramayana. Two scenes are sculptured on the pediment and the lintel of the eastern porch of the main sanctuary. The one on the pediment might illustrate the descent of Ravana's grand uncle to adjudge the dispute between his grand nephew and Rama, a typically Thai insertion as pointed out earlier, in Rama story and the scene on the lintel probably represents the episode of the chopping off by Laksmana of the nose and the ears of Surpanakha while Rama and Sita, the latter resting in the lap of the former, look on. The lintel on the southern forechamber in front of the main sanctuary has a scene of a number of persons seated in a boat which might represent Rama's return from Lanka by sea after doing away with Ravana. Two stone lintels which are probably fall-outs from the galleries surrounding the main sanctuary appear to be carrying scenes most probably from the Ramayana. One of these shows two persons, probably Rama and Sugriva, borne on a palanquin by monkeys back into the town, presumably after killing by the former of Valin, the latter's brother. During the Lopburi period small bronze figures of Hanuman used as standards on top of wooden poles have been found.

In the Sukhothai period (13-14 th Cen.A.D.) which has earned the distinction of being the most beautiful period of Thai art very few scenes from the Ramayana have been discovered in sculpture and painting. As for the Ayuthaya period (14 th-18 th Cen.A.D.) which was the most glorious period of Thai history very little of the Rama story has survived in sculpture and painting because of the loss of the city to the Burmese in 1767 who completely burnt it down. In the Thonburi (1767-1782) and the Bangkok (1782 onwards) periods the kings themselves being great scholars of the Ramakien, it was but natural that the interest of the monarchy in Rama story should come to be reflected in art, particularly painting and sculpture. The best paintings of the period are found in Wat Phra Kaeo, popularly known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. One hundred and seventy eight in number and painted along the galleries going round the temple, they depict the Ramayana story from the birth of Sita to the final war of her two sons with the help of two of Rama's younger brothers. Apart from the mural paintings pieces of interest from the Ramayanic point of view are the stone statues of Hanuman and Suvannamaccha. These can be seen in the northeastern angle of the Ubosoth, Uposatha. They probably belong to the reign of the third king of the present dynasty. In the reign of the fourth king, there were no major sculptures or paintings based on the great epic, though he happened to be the author of a dramatic poem on one of its episodes himself. Ramayanic scenes came to appear from his time onward as minor arts, a situation that continues even to this day. These scenes are found embroidered on fans, pillow covers, or found engraved on neillo works such as belt heads, cigarette cases or appear on trays or other items of crockery and many other kinds of objects that serve as great attraction for tourists. The other Ramayanic pieces of art belonging to the period under reference are the mural paintings in the Vihara of Wat Nang Phya in Phitsnulok in northern Thailand and the marble panels, as many as one hundred and fifty-two in Wat Po or Wat Phra Jetubon, the funerary temple of the present ruling dynasty of Thailand which relate the Rama story aftersking Ramal's CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New

Rama Story in Thailand 89 version, in clockwise direction from Ravana's abduction of Sita to the pursuit by Rama, the fight among the demons and the monkeys, till the catching of Ravana's friend Sahasteja by Hanuman. Apart from the marble panels, the wooden panels of the Ordination Hall of Wat Po referred to above, represent again the episodes from the Ramayana. The northern panel of the eastern door on the north depicts the scene of Hanuman breaking the neck of Indrajit's elephant mount when he (Indrajit) disguises himself as Indra and the southern panel depicts the scene of the destruction by Laksmana of the invulnerable ceremony of Indrajit. The northern panel on the southern door on the east represents the episode of the fight between Hanuman and Sahasteja whereas the southern panel of Hanuman and Virunchanibang. The first panel of the southern door on the West shows the scene when Ravana sprinkles magical water on the corpses of his dead relatives and friends to revive them and the second of the death of Ravana himself. The western door on the north represents the story of the two sons of Rama. The other famous wooden carvings connected with the Ramayana in Wat Po appears on a pediment of the Vihara representing the scene of Hanuman's fight with the two sons of Ravana, who were born, according to Thai version, from an elephant mother. The National Museum of Bangkok has a couple of interesting pieces of art connected with the Rama story. Just in front of it in the open stands a majestic figure of Rama with a bow in hand symbolizing as it does the love of the Thais for the great hero. Inside the building the most noteworthy object, among others is a wooden screen painted in gold and black lacquer, a relic of the period of the first king of the present dynasty. On one side of it is depicted the scene of Indrajit who transforms himself into Indra and shoots arrows that turn out to be the groups of Nagas and on the other Ravana's death. III. In Folklore The Ramakien occupies a prominent place in Thai folklore wherein af few objects and places bave developed an intimate Foundation USA

connection with it with a number of its episodes having association with them. Of the objects mention may be made of a wild herb whose leaves have the special characteristic of drooping when touched and coming back to normal position after a few seconds. This characteristic is reminiscent of the army of Phra Rama which was hypnotized to sleep through a magic powder by the ruler of the nether world, a friend of Totsakan who had abducted sleeping Rama and which had woken up after the effect of the magic was over. This herb was called 'Maiyarab plant.' Of the places the most noteworthy is Lopburi in the central part of Thailand. The first part of the word Lop is traced to Lava, the name of one of the sons of Rama though some would like to trace it to the Lavo people. Lopburi in Sanskrit would be Lavapuri. The discovery of a silver coin with Lavapura inscribed in Sanskrit on it would reinforce the theory of its connection with Lava and through him with the Rama story. It is interesting to note that the Province of Lopburi has villages in it which are named after the Ramayanic characters, the Rama village, the Laksmana village, the Hanuman village and so on. It should be of great interest to note as to how popular imagination has connected the well-known Ramayanic episodes with the area or invented the new ones in a way as to have taken place there. Sometimes the episodes have more than one version. One of these concerns Laksmana being hit with the magic spear, the Mokkhasakdi (Moksasaki), by Kumphakan (Kumbhakarna) and falling unconscious . According to one version Hanuman is sent to a mountain to bring from there a medicinal herb called Sapphaya, the Thai word for Sanjivani from a mountain in the Chayanad province. He reaches the mountain but, it being late in the evening and rather dark, is unable to identify the herb. He then uproots the top of the mountain, places it on his palm and darts forth to Larka. On the way he overflies Lopburi which, as the tale goes, was on fire at that time. In the glow of its flames he identifies the herb, takes it out and thinking the carrying of the mountain top unnecessary drops it down some ten miles from CC-0. Prof. Satya S 3 Foundation

Rama Story in Thailand 91 Lopburi there is a mountain which carries the name Khao Samokkhon 'Monkey Dropped the Mountain.' As per the other version of the same tale, Hanuman flies to a mountain to bring from there the medicinal herb of the name of Sankarai Trijaya which would heal the wound resulting in the pulling out of the Mokkhasakdi without endangering the life of Laksmana. Every time Hanuman approached the herb, it gave him the slip, saying 'it is at the top' when he was at the bottom. For Hanuman the whole night passed in the process of going up and coming down. When it was about dawn, Hanuman, wearied and worn out, decided to enlarge his body to encircle the mountain with his long tail to put in its ambit all the herbs and flew to the place where Laksmana lay unconscious. On the way some of the loose rocks of the mountain fell near Lopburi and turned into a hill called in Thai Khao Samor Khorn. The hill is the abode of many a medicinal herb even now. The flat area atop the hill is said to have been formed by Hanuman in tossing his tail around its summit to obtain the herb. According to still another version of the story Hanuman while in search of medicinal plants to save the life of Laksmana from the Sakti lay on the top of the hill. He swept the nearby forest with his long tail for locating the desired herbs and plants. He lay on the top of the hill which got flattened by his body weight. There is a big gap on the side of the hill near Saraburi. As per a folk-tale when Ravana after abducting Sita was driving his chariot with speed its axle dashed against the hill creating a crater which is visible still. The coming into being of the above hill is explained in Thai folklore through a tale, that again from the Rama story. In the fight between Rama and Ravana, Rama threw his divine discus from Lopburi's Chub Sorn Lake. The discus chopped off the top of a mountain on the way. The loosened rocks falling from it formed a hill called Khao Samor Khon. The chopped top fell at another place. It is called now Chong Lom, meaning a place from which wind can pass through. Connected with the Rama story in folklore is still another place in Thailand. There is a lake call. Signized by S 3 Foundation USA Galled Thalle Chupson which

is sacred to the Thais for Rama is believed to have immersed his arrow in it. In 1854 A.D. the weapons of the Thai King Mongkut were sprinkled with the water of this lake to strengthen them with the power of Rama. The Thai Ramakien has an interesting story of the fight between Valin and Thoraphee, called Dundubhi in the Valmiki Ramayana. As the story goes, a certain demon of the name of Nonthuk or Nandaka was cursed by Isuan (Isvara = Siva) to be born on the earth as a he-buffalo as a consequence of misbehaving with one of His concubines. The curse was to end at the sight of his son. To avoid the possibility of leaving the earth the demon killed every one of his sons as soon as born. Once one of his queens succeeded in eluding him and went into a cave to deliver a child of which he had no knowledge. The queen told the child of the misdeeds of his father. The child on coming of age killed the father in a duel. Proud of his power and strength he approached Isvara and challenged Him for a duel who directed him to Valin instead. He approached Valin then and challenged him for a duel. Valin agreeing to do so lured him into a cave. Before engaging him in a fight, Valin instructed his younger brother Sugriva to be at the entrance to the cave and decide about the result of the fight from the colour of the blood flowing out of it. If it was black, he should conclude that it is the he-buffalo, Thoraphee, who has been killed and if it was red, well, he should take it that it is Valin who has been killed. As it happened, it rained heavily while the fight between Valin and Thoraphee was on. Valin killed Thoraphee but the mixing of the rain water in his blood changed its colour which misled Sugriva into thinking that Valin had been killed. In order to block the exit of the demon, he covered the entrace to the cave with rocks. Now, Valin wanting to come out of the cave found his way blocked by rocks. He picked up the severed head of the he-buffalo and hurled it at the rocks which broke to pieces scattering them all around. Some of them turned into a rock landing called Ta Hin at the Lop Buri river. Some turned into a rocky river called Huay Hin and some fell near a village which got the name Digitized by S 3 Foundation USAL CC-0. Prof. Satya

Rama Story in Thailand 93 meaning 'the Broken Rock village.' The cave which was the scene of the fight between Valin and Thoraphee exists still and is called Khao Tab Kwai, the mountain which fell on a buffalo. The surface of the cave, interestingly, is still red answering the popular imagination of Thoraphee's blood having flowed in it and also possibly having got seeped deep into it to lend it red colour permanently. It is not only the ground in the cave which is red, some of the surrounding areas are also so. The residents of Chonburi claim that the red colour is due to Thoraphee's blood having flowed in the region. Now another folk-tale connected with the Ramayana. With the battle of Lanka having been won, Rama decided to reward the prominent persons among his allies. He made Sugriva the king of Kiskindha, Jambavat the ruler of Patala, Guha the ruler of Buriram, Vibhisana the king of Lanka and so on. When everybody had been taken care of, Hanuman approached Rama and told him as to how come he had given no thought to him, who had served him with utmost devotion all through. Rama realized his indiscretion and told Hanuman that he would make proper amends for that. He told Hanuman that he would shoot an arrow. He, Hanuman, should follow it. The place it falls would be his and he would be its ruler. As it would have it, the arrow fell at Lopburi which was very uneven at that time. Hanuman first made it even with his tail. After that he approached Visvakarman, the divine architect, to lay a city for him which he did. The city ready, people came to inhabit it and Hanuman began to rule over it. This is the reason the city of Lopburi is known by the nickname Nophburi (Navapuri), the New City. A little different version of the above is found in the Ramakien. The victory over Ravana brought a large area under Rama's rule. He decided to divide it among his loyal allies who had stood by him through thick and thin. He made Vibhisana the ruler of Lanka, Sugriva, Guha and Hanuman that of Kiskindha , Buriram and Ayuthaya respectively and so on and so forth. Of all these it was Hanuman who found it hard to rule over his new country. Its slawful sheirs being the descendants of Narayana, as P by S 3 Foundation USA

soon as Hanuman occupied the throne he felt a burning sensation all over his body, It looked there were so many javalines out to pierce his eyes. He at this left his throne and offered it to the rightful owner. Rama then thought another way out to reward Hanuman. He shot an arrow and asked Hanuman to follow it. The arrow fell on a nine-peaked mountain reducing it to dust. Rama asked Visvakarman to lay a city over there which he did. It was given the name Nabapuri and Hanuman was made its ruler. The city of Lopburi, as can be seen from what has been stated above has intimate connections with Rama story some of its important incidents having taken place there. It is an evidence par excellence of its total owning by the Thais. According to another version of the above episode, after Rama had rewarded all his allies, he made an offer to Hanuman to share his throne with him which he refused. Rama then decided to build a new city for him. He shot his Phrommat, the Brahmastra which razed the nine mountains covering the area then and burnt the earth white which is so even now and very fertile. The chalklike substance, the white earth, is found in abundance in Lopburi. The people use it now as face powder in contradistinction to their ancestors who used to mix it with water to anoint their bodies with it to keep them cool. The white earth is a staple item of export of Lopburi. Now the very spot where the arrow fell turned into a green rock, green being the colour of Rama. The arrow coming from Rama could not have given it another colour. The people around have an implicit faith that the rock is the outcome of the fall of the arrow of Rama and take it very sacred. They have been coming to it and taking with them its chips as holy relics. This has gone on for quite some time and the rock has dwindled in size considerably. To mark as it were the connection of Lopburi with Hanuman the local authorities have founded a colony of monkeys on a rock near the city centre. the Now the last of the folk-tales and the curtain would ring on folk tale section of the folklore Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA New

Rama Story in Thailand 95 There used to be a Yaksa who was the last to have been killed by Rama. As the story goes, Rama shot an arrow at the Yaksa, called Khokkanak, who was blown off by its impact to a place called Khao Wong Phra Chan in Lopburi. Rama pronounced the curse on the arrow that it would remain dug up in the chest of Khokkanak. As soon as it would get loosened due to some reason or the other, a magic cockeral would start crowing which would inform Hanuman of the happening who would then appear and dig it deeper with his magic hammer but in the process a spark would appear and would lead to the outbreak of fire in Lopburi. Khokkhanak had a daughter named Phra Chan(dra). She had learnt from somewhere that it is vinegar which can loosen the grip of the arrow. To rescue her father she wanted to apply it on the chest of her father. She disguised herself as a beautiful lady and went to the market to buy it. The merchants saw through her game and would not part with it. Interestingly, till 1943 the sale of vinegar was prohibited in Lopburi. People strongly believed that Hanuman's hammer used to tighten the grip of the arrow would cause fire in Lopburi. From what has been stated above, it should be clear that the Rama story exercises a powerful influence on Thai psyche which has woven a number of tales round it. So pervasive is its impact that names have been given to villages, rivers and hills which can be explained on the basis of the incidents that popular imagination has invented, providing a proof, if ever the same were needed, of their having completely owned it and made it an integral part of their folklore. Before the discussion on the Rama stay in Thai folklore is brought to a close, it would be pertinent to draw attention to some of the proverbs in Thai which carry unmistakably an impact of it. Thus the proverb 'to fly further from Lanka' means to overdo a thing. This obviously has reference to the Ramakien episode where Hanuman in his leap had overflown Lanka passing beyond it in his anxiety to know the whereabouts of Sita. Similarly, the expression 'to measure the hoof-print' means to show disrespect to parents and is derived from, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA from the Thoraphee episode where he

measures the hoof-print of his father to feel that his growth and strength are good enough to enable him to kill his father. Likewise, the expression 'Ongkhot rolls his tail' used for a boaster now, refers to the incident when Ongkhot rolled his tail to be equal in height to Ravana. The term 'Totsakan' is used to deride one who does not have good manners. The term Rapphanasun (Ravanasura) means total destruction: 'Tsunami brought Rapphanasun to Phuket means Tsunami brought total destruction to Phuket. The expression 'as beautiful as Sita', is the highest compliment that a girl can expect for her beauty. The charm of the curved eyebrows is expressed through the words 'the brows are drawn like the bow of Rama'. There is a popular belief in Thailand that one who is able to read the complete story of the Ramakien in seven days and seven nights can cause rainfall for three days and three nights.