Performers from India, Thailand and Indonesia came together in the US state of Illinois for a fascinating dance drama on the Ramayana.
The performance was well received by critics and was witnessed by a large number of Americans at the prestigious North Shore Centre for the Performing
Arts in Skokie, Illinois, considered one of the most ethnically diverse in the US.
Elaborately costumed dancers from the three countries presented various episodes from the Ramayana.
The Indian group from the Natya Dance Theatre performed the wedding of Lord Rama and Sita. The dance depicted a scene where Rama breaks a bow to win the hand of Sita.
The Indonesian group performed the "the disappearance of Shinta (Sita)". The episode starts with Rahwana (Ravana) setting court with the intention of taking revenge on Lord Rama after his sister Surpenake (Shurpanakha) says she has been insulted by Lord Rama. He sends Kolo Marico (Maricha) who transforms himself into a deer to lure Sita. The episode ends with Ravana's abduction of Sita.
The Thai troupe performed the episode "The Nagapasa war" which dealt with the war waged by Inthorachit (Indrajit), the son of Thotsakan (Ravana), against Lakshman in which Indrajit's arrows bind Lakshman and his army with a multitude of serpents.
{{/usCountry}}The Thai troupe performed the episode "The Nagapasa war" which dealt with the war waged by Inthorachit (Indrajit), the son of Thotsakan (Ravana), against Lakshman in which Indrajit's arrows bind Lakshman and his army with a multitude of serpents.
{{/usCountry}}The Indonesian and Thai performances were marked by intricately designed costumes, use of cymbals and deliberate hand movements. It was not just the names of the characters that varied in the Thai and Indonesian performances.
In the Thai performances, Hanuman was a semi-comic figure who scratched himself and did somersaults.
The grand finale was the Kecak dance, a re-enactment of the battles described in the Ramayana. Also called the monkey dance, it originated in Bali and featured 60 dancers from the three countries.
The Ramayana dance ballet has been a regular annual feature organised by the International Ramayana Institute of North America. The audience has steadily grown over the past six years.
Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen, who attended the event called the Ramayana a "great epic with symbolic and religious overtones of peace and harmony".
Skokie, which has residents from 60 countries, is a very diverse community, Van Dusen said, adding that the village's Heritage Park would have the unveiling of a Gandhi statue Oct 2.
"Gandhi symbolises peace and harmony. That is why his statue was chosen to be the first," he said.
Indian Consul General Arun Kumar said: "The Ramayana is not as well known in the world as the Bible or the Koran. The Ramayana has transcended all barriers. It is popular in Thailand, which is a Buddhist country and in Indonesia, which is an Islamic country."
In June 2005, the Ramayana Institute is to host the International Ramayana Conference at the Northern Illinois University.
The conference will have seminars on "Ramayana and interpersonal relationships, its acceptance in various countries, literary, poetic and artistic forms of Ramayana, its influence on various cultures and its influence on public governance."