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Foreign Raamaayan?
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How Many Raamaayan?
Raamaayan in Thailand
In Thailand, the Raamaayan is called "Ramkein" which means King Raam. This book
has been translated by Prof Satyavrata Sastry to Sanskrit - "Raamkeerti". This
Sanskrit version has been translated into Kannad language by Prof S Ranganath of
Bangalore. The story in this version is different from that of Vaalmeeki Raamaayan. The
stone inscriptions found near the Sukhuthai town speak of Raam's cave and Seeta's cave.
The name "Raam" has been held in deep respect and reverence in that country
from more than a thousand years.
"Ramakien" was derived from the
Sanskrit version from Bangaal, the "Vishnu Puraan" and "Hanuman Naatak"
and some other indigenous sources. Folk versions are still available and these are well
received by the local people there. The King Rama I, the first king of the present dynasty
(1782-1809 AD) compiled the first poetic form. King Rama II (1809-1824) gave a much smaller
version suitable for theater performance. King Rama VI (1910-1925) traced its origin and
developments. Shadow play and masked dance are exclusively used.
Canto I - deals with Introduction dealing with
the introduction of Thailand and Bangkok and how Rama’s story was owned up by Thais.
Canto 2 - deals with the episode of Anomatan, the first king of Thai Ramayana.
Gods approached Eshwara complaining against demon Hirantayaksha. Eeshwar thinks
of Naaraayan, and Narayana goes to the milk ocean and sees a child lying on a
lotus, presents it to Eashwar who names it as Anomatan. This child was the first
king on Earth. Because of his desire, Indra builds the city of Ayodhyaa. Dasharath
is the son of this first king and Raam is his son.
Canto 3 - Dasharath desires to perform Putreshti sacrifice with help from sage
Kalaikoti. The sage wants to consult Eeshwar and request him to send Naaraayan
in the form of a son to Dasharath. Eeshwar thinks of Naaraayan and He agrees to
the request. The conch shell, the disc, the mace and Lakshmee also accompany him
in human form. At the sacrifice a person appears from the fire with four balls
of rice but someone snatches away half the balls. The queens of Dasharath conceive
after taking the remaining balls of rice and Raam, Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughn
are born.
Canto 4 - This deals with the episodes of Nandak, Seetaa’s birth, Seetaa’s marriage and
that of Raamaasur.
Canto 5 - deals with the episode of Raam’s exile and of Jihvaa
Canto 6 - deals with the episode of abduction of Seetaa and killing of Jataayu.
Canto 7 - Episode of contact with Hanumaan.
Canto 8 - Episode of Darabhi (Thorapi), Murder of Vaalin, Burning of Lankaa.
Canto 9 - Raavan’s dream and sending a spy to the camp of Raam.
Canto 10 - Episode of Benjakayi.
Canto 11 - Episode of hostility of Neel and Hanumaan.
Canto 12 - Episode of Suvarn Matsyaa.
Canto 13 and 14 - Episode of Maiyaraaba.
Canto 15 - Kumbhakarn killed
Canto 16 - Episode of Mallivagga Brahmaa.
Canto 17 - Episode of Raavan’s soul.
Canto 18 - Episode of Maheepaal Devaasur .
Canto 19 - Calamity of Lankaa.
Canto 20 - Seetaa’s exile.
Canto 21 - Meeting of Lav and Mankuta with Raam.
Canto 22 and 23 - Seetaa enters the nether regions.
Canto 24 - Union of Seetaa and Raam.
This in brief is the Ramayana of
that land.
Raamaayan of Malayesian
But "Keletan Ramayan" of Malaysia is regrettably getting marginalized
slowly. The Malay Hikayat Seri Rama does not consider Raam as an incarnation of
Vishnu. However, the principles of Truth, Dharm, dedication to the husband and
keeping the interests of citizens etc, are retained. In the western Malaysian
towns of Parlas, Kedha, Krenganu, Johad and Salemgoth etc, even now the shadow
puppet shows depicting the stories from Raamaayan are common.
In Cambodia and Malaysia, even now
dance dramas etc, are in existence with stories from Ramayan.
In Singapore, Raam is treated
synonymous with Dharm (Dhamma of Buddhism), Seetaa as Truth, Hanumaan as
dedication, Raavan's ten heads as ten vices, Shoorpanakhaa as desire etc,
Raamaayan of Indonesia
The Indonesian islands of Jaavaa, Baali and others have the rivers Sarayoo and Praaga
(derived from Prayaag). There are towns like Situband (Sethubandh), Yogyakartaa (derived
from Ayodhyaa) etc. In the Javanese language, the nasal 'ng' is used in the beginning
and ends of words - it means that "in that place". So, Ayodhyaa becomes Ngayogya
and Ayogya. It is expressed as "Ngayogyakartaa". Kartaa means grand. Hence the
word means the "the grand Ayodhyaa".
Here, the male names end with "a"
and the female names with "i". So, the name "Taaraa" is a male name
and "Maaaruti" becomes a female name. Even now, it is said that these names are
common there among the richer classes. The other common names are Suraana, Sulakshanaa,
Suvrati, Subaali, Sutaara etc., There are roads with names like Hanumaan Road, Panchavatee
Road, Trijataa Road, Raam Billiards Center, Raamaayan hotel etc., The puppet players who
depict the stories of Raamaayan and Mahaabhaarat are paid heavily even now in these islands.
There is a temple for Vaalmeeki in
Indochina constructed more than 700 years ago. The Sanskrit verse found on a wall
in this temple reads as follows:
Yasya Shokat Samutpannam Shlok Brahmaabhi Poojati |
Vishnoh Punsam Puraanasya Maanushasyaatm Roopinam ||
Raamaayan In Persian
Raamaayan has been translated in Persian language also by Abdul Khader Badouni
who was a scholar in the court of emperor Akbar.
There is another translation also in Persian by Mulla Saadulla. Giridhardas,
another Hindu scholar in the court of Jahaangeer.
There is another work in Persian on Raamaayan by one Amanath Rai which contains
40000 verses.
Raamaayan in USA
Even in the United States, there is interest in this great epic Raamaayan and a
professor Robert P Goldman of California University has translated Vaalmeeki
Raamaayan recently. He was an honorary member of the Washington's University
Academy of Arts and Science.
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