Book Review by K.S.Loganathan.
Anita Bose is a Kolkata-born Indology researcher, writer and a devoted follower of Swami Vivekananda and the Ramakrishna Math. In her book, translated from the Bengali by Subhankar Bose and Dr Ruchika Yogesh, she writes about the cultural impact of Ramayana on eight South- Eastern Asian countries which she visited when she was based in Bangkok and worked as a volunteer guide at the National Museum between 2014 and 2019 . She writes as a traveler and observer of local culture to trace the Ramayana- centric Indic influences from the ancient times to the present day that have endured in variegated forms , despite the onslaught of other religions, foreign invasions, urbanization and western modernity influences with the passage of time . Set in the Treta Yuga, Valmiki’s epic Ramayana marks the onset of human dominance in a world in which deities , demons, Hanuman and the apes ranged.
Ramayana served as a model for rulers in these countries, shaping their naming conventions , symbolism and ruling norms. It continues to be a source of inspiration for family- centric ethical behaviour , symbiosis between the king and his subjects, and cultural identity even as these countries became nation states freed of European colonialism, and some of them embraced communism, Islamic and Christian religions and lurched towards industrialization and globalization.
Brahmins and Vedic practices reached the shores of South- East Asian islands and Indo-China ( as mainland South- East Asia is known), much before the advent of Buddhism , through the channels of sea and overland trade , royal mentorship and alliances with coastal kingdoms of eastern and southern India . During the Kalinga War, thousands migrated to the region, settling along the banks of the Mekong River and creating a Gangetic clone civilization . A Brahmin, Koundinya , married the queen of Funan ( Kamboj and Siam) and created a dynasty of Hindu rulers in the 1st or 2nd century C.E. Migration continued during the Gupta period. The influence of the Chola and Kalinga maritime empires between the 10th and 13th centuries C.E. left a lasting impact on the renditions of Ramayana as well as on ballets, paintings and masks, rituals and festivals.
Ramayana has undergone many changes through mingling with Buddhism (the Dasaratha Jataka stories, for example), animism, nature worship and folklore in these countries. Ramayana is present not only in the oral tradition, prose and poetry, but also as sculptures, architecture of temples and edifices, dance- dramas, folk art Ram Lila ( recognized as ‘a world heritage ‘ by UNESCO in 2005), religious and seasonal rituals etc. In drama, music and dance, it is performed in various forms , including Ramakien in Thailand, Wayang Keltic in Java and Zat Pwe in Myanmar . The Ramayana shadow play in Cambodia and Thailand uses large scale frieze- like puppets and human characters, while smaller, single- character puppetry is in vogue in Indonesia and Malaysia. Designed on the Indic cosmic principles for the worship of a divine monarch , and lying at the heart of a complex system of reservoirs ,canals and moats, the magnificent temple- mausoleums of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thoms in Cambodia are world wonders .Opening the Ramayana folio to reveal portents- success, difficulties, luck and hope- is a common practice in Cambodia even today. The Vat Phou temple is an important and sacred place for the Lao communities.
In Myanmar , Ramayana dramas were held regularly in the royal and provincial courts in the eighteenth century C.E. even under British rule. Even in Vietnam, a small tribe in the South continues to perform Ram Lila at the time of the Bengali New Year to this day.
In its current form, the book is a souvenir of the author’s travels through Ramayana country with citations from experts . There is much repetition of facts in the longform writing and unchecked spacings between words, although it is a second edition. On page 97, there is a statement “Since 14 A.D, Islamic infiltration had started in the Phillipines from Malaysia and Arabia ” which should actually refer to the fourteenth century C.E. However notwithstanding these errors, the author’s sincerity, dedication , fact- checking , painstaking library research, academic references , photography etc. are evident in the book . I hope a condensed version of the book, with tables, glossary , listing of events and organisers, maps and photographs is prepared for promoting cultural tourism . The trail of the Ramayana in the neighbouring countries and live Ram Lila performances should rekindle the cultural interest of Indian travelers to the region who are otherwise distracted by the scenery, shopping, touristy shows and night entertainment .
Review requested by the author. She sent a copy of her book for review.
