Ramayana? You must have heard about this Indian Hindu epic that was written by sage Valmiki. Where it mainly narrates the life of Ayodhya’s prince Rama who is believed to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu. But do you know not only the people of India are aware of this epic, but also the people of Laos and the Caribbean? Not only that, but it has also had a significant impact also in their culture?
You must be wondering how these epics made their way to both countries, which are far from India, and where the religion of them is also different in the context of Hinduism ? .Well, there is an interesting tell behind it, and I’m sure you don’t want to miss it.
First, let’s see how Laos, a Southeast Asian country, got hold of this Indian epic, and for this, the credit should definitely be attributed to the Buddhist people.
The efforts of Buddhist missionaries
During the 8th century BCE, various Buddhist missionaries from India went to various South Asian countries, where Laos was also included, to spread the teachings of Buddha and other Buddhist literature that were written by Buddhist scholars. Since Ramayana had their own Buddhist version also which is named Dasaratha Jataka, in this process, the people of Taos were introduced to the epic tale of Valmiki through this way by the Buddhist missionaries.
One of the reasons it became popular is due to the epic mainly deals with the fundamental human values and social ideas regarding the cultural life of people, which heavily resonated with the people of Lao due to it matches their cultural values in this process.
Not only did it become popular, but it also provided a massive influence on their culture, especially since their annual New Year celebration is incomplete without it!
The massive influence of Ramayana in Laos
This Indian epic has inspired various forms of arts and performance in this country. One of them is the Phra Lak Phra Ram, which is basically Ramayana but is set on the backdrop of the southeast region. This epic is mainly done with the visualization of music and dance. It is being honored as a national epic in the country.
Every year, to welcome the new year on the traditional Laos calendar, it is mandatory to perform this national epic. Not only is it reserved for the time of the new year but also for various Buddhist occasions. Recently a couple of days ago, on such an occasion, this epic was performed, which was attained by none other than the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, as a special guest.
PM @narendramodi witnessed a captivating performance of the Lao Ramayana, known as Phalak Phalam or Phra Lak Phra Ram. This unique rendition of the Ramayan reflects the deep cultural ties and shared heritage between India and Lao PDR. pic.twitter.com/kYZ5wvuys7
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 10, 2024Also, besides that, there is another Laotian version of this epic, mainly in the form of dance drama, which is called Palak Palang and it is the most fav theme for the dancers. The form of dance in this play is called the Ramayana Ballet, which is considered as one of the classical dances of the country and major schools regarding National School for Music and Dance incorporate it as one of the main subjects in the dance category.
However, besides Laos, this epic has also spread its influence on Caribbean countries, but however, it came there in a different way compared to Laos.
How girmitiyas brought Ramayana in Caribbean
You must be scratching your head thinking about who is girmitiyas and how they have a relation with it ?. Actually, both have a relationship with each other in this context.
Girmitiyas mainly being described as laborers who have been imported by the British Government to work on plantations in various Caribbean regions by an agreement on paper. The majority of the girmitiyas in this context were Indian people who belonged from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar; when being sent to these regions, they couldn’t carry much of the things, but they carried one thing, which is their culture and religion. Both of them during that time were predominated by Ramchartimanas that was written in Awadhi language by Tulsidas , and basically it is a retelling of Ramayana by poem.
They mainly used to chant this epic of Tulisidas as a way to maintain their cultural ties and recall their memories of India, which gradually went into another step, which is Ramleela, which also provided a major cultural inference in this country.
How Ramleela influenced the cultural aspect of the Caribbean region
The Ramleela, or play about the Hindu epic, has been occurring since the early 19th century, but in the late 1950s, it gradually became more popular among non-Indians. Due to this time, Ramleela went into a massive transformation shifting its language from the traditional Bhojpuri to Standard English. Besides, during that time, the Indian origin people have also become a dominate factor in Caribbean politics, which also led Ramleela to get a strong financial backing in this process. In various art and music, a strong effect of the elements of Ramleela can be seen in the Caribbean region.
Ramleela in the Caribbean region is one of the most popular festivals, especially in Trinidad where even a national holiday is also being provided during this occasion.
At present, more than 1000+ actors participate every time in the annual Ramleela traditional with a National Ramleela Council being incorporated in various Caribbean regions to oversee the activities regarding it.
The popularity of Ramleela also led Ramayana to be incorporated as a subject in the schools of Caribbean regions alongside several other religious textbooks.
What is Ramayana?
Ramayana, as mentioned previously, is a Hindu epic written by Sage Valmiki. The epic consisted of seven parts which are :
| Part | Name | Description | |
| 1 | Balakanda | This mainly deals with Rama’s Childhood | |
| 2 | Ayodhyakanda | This mainly deals with the exile of Ram Laxmana and Sita | |
| 3 | Aranyakanda | This mainly deals about life of Rama,Sita and Laxmana on forest | |
| 4 | Kishkindhakanda | This mainly deals with Ram and Laxmana meeting with Sugrib after Sita got kidnapped by Ravana. | |
| 5 | Sundarakanda | This mainly deals with the journey of Hanuman to Lanka | |
| 6 | Yuddhakanda | This mainly deals with the war of Rama and Ravana | |
| 7 | Uttarakand | This mainly deals with the return of Rama, Laxmana and Sita in Ayodhya. |
The epic has also notably in adapted into various stage plays, shows, literature, and films. The most notable among them is The Legend of Prince Rama, an animated film that came out in 1992, and another is the TV show of the same name, which used to air on Doordarshan in 1987. A popular literature into this context is the Bengali poem Meghnadbadh Kabya, written by Micheal Madhusudhan Dutta, which tells the war from the perspective of Meghnad, son of Ravana.
FAQ
How did the Ramayana reach Laos?
It reached Laos through Buddhist missionaries who spread Buddhist teachings and literature during the 8th century BCE.
Why did the Ramayana become popular in Laos?
It resonated with Lao people due to its themes of human values and social ideas that aligned with their own cultural values.
How is the Ramayana celebrated in Laos?
Laos celebrates it through various art forms, including the national epic “Phra Lak Phra Ram” performed with music and dance, and the Ballet incorporated into dance curriculums. Additionally, the epic is a mandatory performance for the Lao New Year and Buddhist occasions.
How did it reach the Caribbean?
It arrived in the Caribbean with Indian indentured laborers (“girmitiyas”) sent to work on plantations in the 19th century. These laborers brought their cultural heritage, including the it , and used the epic of Tulsidas Ramcharitmanas to maintain cultural ties and memories of India.
How did it influence Caribbean culture?
It influenced Caribbean culture through Ramleela, a play about the epic. Ramleela gradually gained popularity with non-Indians and became a major cultural event. Elements of Ramleela are seen in Caribbean art and music. Today, Ramleela is a popular festival with national holidays declared in some regions.
