You are greeted by his fearsome personality in the arrival lounge of Suvarnabhumi international airport. His blue green face, a snarling mouth, and curving tusk-like canine teeth makes you shudder. You meet him everywhere in Thailand, in form of Khon masks, souvenirs, paintings and as guardian of all major temples. Have you wondered about this fierce character?
He is Ravana, or tosakanth in Thai, from the Indian epic Ramayana; its main protagonists are King Rama and his wife Sita and the antagonist, the dreaded evil personified, Ravana. Of course, the main theme, as in any classic drama, is the victory of good over evil. The saga began when besotted by Sita's beauty, Ravana, known for his weakness for beautiful women and virility, abducts and whisks her away to his kingdom.
There are two significant encounters that would shape the course of Ramayana: Ravana molests Vedavati, the beautiful hermit and forcibly takes her; and, Vedavati prophesied, before killing herself in a pyre, that she would return to mortal world as the cause of his death,. She is then reborn as Sita, wife of king Rama, who defeated and killed Ravana.
His second encounter happened with the divine Rambha, upon whom he forced himself. Her lover cursed Ravana, stating that his ten heads would fall off his head if he forced himself upon any woman again. Sita's chastity was protected while she was Ravana's captive for nearly a year, thanks to this curse.
Ravana, to his credit, had many good points. He was benevolent and effective king of Lanka and it is said the poorest of houses had vessels of gold to eat and drink off. Amongst his many virtues, the foremost was his knowledge of sacred books, medicines and magic. He was considered as a reformer, revolutionary and just ruler who opposed the caste system. A great devotee of Shiva (Phra Isuan), his penances had borne many fruits. Ravana is depicted in art with up to ten heads, signifying that he had knowledge spanning all the ten directions.
In the Thai version of Ramayana, Ramakien, the essence is the same but there is a 'Thainess' added to the story such as clothes, weapons, and nature. Ramakien dates back to the 13th century and in the past 200 years, nine kings of Thailand have been named Rama, after the main protagonist King Rama. For 400 years the capital of Thailand was Ayutthaya (ayodhya), Rama's kingdom in the epic.
The Rama legend is remarkably depicted in the wonderful murals of the Emerald Buddha temple on the grounds of the Grand Palace built by King Rama I in Bangkok. In the gallery surrounding the temple there are beautifully restored sections of paintings which depicts the entire story of the Ramayana.
Ramakien has appealed to Thai people over centuries making it the national epic. Many other Asian cultures have adapted the Ramayana, resulting in other national epics. Kakawin Rāmâyana is an old Javanese rendering of the Sanskrit Ramayana from ninth century Indonesia. It is a faithful rendering of the Hindu epic with very little variation. Phra Lak Phra Lam is a Lao language version, whose title comes from Lakshmana, Rama's younger brother, and Rama. The story of Lakshmana and Rama is told as the previous life of the Buddha. In Hikayat Seri Rama of Malaysia, Dasharatha, Rama's father, is the great-grandson of the Prophet Adam. Ravana receives boons from Allah instead of Brahma.
In its different hues and colors, however, the universal themes and ideals of righteous behavior, loyalty to family and kingdom, the balancing of good and evil, self-sacrifice for the betterment of society, and morality remains the same.
And coming back to Ravana, love him or hate him, without him this epic would have been impossible.
He is Ravana, or tosakanth in Thai, from the Indian epic Ramayana; its main protagonists are King Rama and his wife Sita and the antagonist, the dreaded evil personified, Ravana. Of course, the main theme, as in any classic drama, is the victory of good over evil. The saga began when besotted by Sita's beauty, Ravana, known for his weakness for beautiful women and virility, abducts and whisks her away to his kingdom.
There are two significant encounters that would shape the course of Ramayana: Ravana molests Vedavati, the beautiful hermit and forcibly takes her; and, Vedavati prophesied, before killing herself in a pyre, that she would return to mortal world as the cause of his death,. She is then reborn as Sita, wife of king Rama, who defeated and killed Ravana.
His second encounter happened with the divine Rambha, upon whom he forced himself. Her lover cursed Ravana, stating that his ten heads would fall off his head if he forced himself upon any woman again. Sita's chastity was protected while she was Ravana's captive for nearly a year, thanks to this curse.
Ravana, to his credit, had many good points. He was benevolent and effective king of Lanka and it is said the poorest of houses had vessels of gold to eat and drink off. Amongst his many virtues, the foremost was his knowledge of sacred books, medicines and magic. He was considered as a reformer, revolutionary and just ruler who opposed the caste system. A great devotee of Shiva (Phra Isuan), his penances had borne many fruits. Ravana is depicted in art with up to ten heads, signifying that he had knowledge spanning all the ten directions.
In the Thai version of Ramayana, Ramakien, the essence is the same but there is a 'Thainess' added to the story such as clothes, weapons, and nature. Ramakien dates back to the 13th century and in the past 200 years, nine kings of Thailand have been named Rama, after the main protagonist King Rama. For 400 years the capital of Thailand was Ayutthaya (ayodhya), Rama's kingdom in the epic.
The Rama legend is remarkably depicted in the wonderful murals of the Emerald Buddha temple on the grounds of the Grand Palace built by King Rama I in Bangkok. In the gallery surrounding the temple there are beautifully restored sections of paintings which depicts the entire story of the Ramayana.
Ramakien has appealed to Thai people over centuries making it the national epic. Many other Asian cultures have adapted the Ramayana, resulting in other national epics. Kakawin Rāmâyana is an old Javanese rendering of the Sanskrit Ramayana from ninth century Indonesia. It is a faithful rendering of the Hindu epic with very little variation. Phra Lak Phra Lam is a Lao language version, whose title comes from Lakshmana, Rama's younger brother, and Rama. The story of Lakshmana and Rama is told as the previous life of the Buddha. In Hikayat Seri Rama of Malaysia, Dasharatha, Rama's father, is the great-grandson of the Prophet Adam. Ravana receives boons from Allah instead of Brahma.
In its different hues and colors, however, the universal themes and ideals of righteous behavior, loyalty to family and kingdom, the balancing of good and evil, self-sacrifice for the betterment of society, and morality remains the same.
And coming back to Ravana, love him or hate him, without him this epic would have been impossible.
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