Countries other than India that celebrate Ramayana

Ramayana, one of the two important epics of Hinduism, is widely read across the world. Other than its importance as a revered scripture, Ramayana also has a very engaging, beautiful story at its core, wooing artists from all over the world. From writers and painters to theatre artists, this story has continued to woo millions of people.

It is celebrated in various versions across the world, the most famous celebrations being in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Indonesia. While the characters usually remains the same, the storylines defers slightly from version to version. Of course, that makes watching and experiencing these practices all the more interesting as well.

The epic, written by Maharishi Valmiki, tells the story of Lord Rama, believed to be an incarnation of Hindu deity, Vishnu. It is made of a mammoth 24,000 shlokas and a humongous 480,000+ words. Ramayana, when compared to the Greek epic Iliad, is four times the length of the latter.

Ramakien is one of the national epics of Thailand, and is yet another version and celebration of Ramayana. At its core, it also has the purification and purgation of all things evil. It also has an army of monkeys led by Hanuman. The current version of Thai Ramayana was written in the 18th century.

The character of Ravana is known by the name of Tosakanth in this version. It is believed that while the story has been told in Thailand for hundreds of years, the original story got lost over the years.

Here, a look at countries other than India that celebrate Ramayana with much aplomb and fervour. If you are planning an international trip at this time of the year, but do not want to miss the grand celebrations that see Navratri, Durga Puja, Diwali and more, one of these destinations can be your ideal home away from home. Each of these places has its own version and celebration of the legend that Ramayana is.

Ramayana’s Burmese version is known by the name of Yama Zatdaw, or Yamayana. Rather than just a translated version, it is a unique adaptation of the legendary epic. Much like India’s Ramleela, Yama Zatdaw is also a theatrical adaptation, which is usually performed in religious festivals. It also has components of Burmese culture, folklore, and Buddhism, making it distinct from the original Indian version.

The Khmer adaptation of Ramayana is known as Reamker in Cambodia. It is yet another regional version of the Indian epic, and is unique and different from the Indian narrative. It also has inclusions from Buddhism, making it a very interesting version. It is a mix of visual arts, classical dance, theater and is practiced as a traditional dance drama. The story, much like Indian Ramayana, focusses on Rama, Sita and Ravana. The major difference is that the characters are considered as humans and not incarnations of gods, like in the Indian epic.

Kakawin Ramayana is the Indonesian adaptation of Ramayana. It is believed that Ramayana came to Indonesia around the 8th-9th century, and was written in the old Javanese language. It was further developed into another version, Balinese Ramakavaca. Other than the main characters of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman, Indonesia version also has a number of indigenous deities. Indonesia’s famous kecak dance also includes scenes from Ramayana.