Versions of the Ramayana
Depending on the methods of counting, as many as three hundred versions of the Indian epic poem, the Ramayana, are known to exist. The oldest version is generally recognized to be the Sanskrit version attributed to the sage Valmiki.
The
Ramayana has spread to many Asian countries outside of India, including Burma, Indonesia,
Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, and China. The original Valmiki version has been
adapted or translated into various regional languages, which have often been
marked more or less by plot twists and thematic adaptations.
The
manifestation of the core themes of the original Ramayana is far broader even than can be understood from a
consideration of the different languages in which it appears, as its essence has
been expressed in a diverse array of regional cultures and artistic mediums.
For instance, the Ramayana has
been expressed or interpreted in Lkhaon
Khmer dance theatre, in the Mappila Songs of the Muslima of Kerala and Lakshadweep,
in the Indian operatic tradition of Yakshagana, and in the epic paintings still
extant on, for instance, the walls of Thailand's Wat Phra Kaew palace temple.
In Indonesia, the tales of the Ramayana
appear reflected in ballet performances, masked danced drama, and Wayang shadow
puppetry. Angkor Wat in Siem Reap also has mural scenes from the epic Battle of
Lanka on one of its outer walls.
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