Ramayana in Classical Dance



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The epic poem of Rama (Ramayana) is believed to have been revealed to a Hindu holy man named Valmiki by Brahma, the god of creation. This religious literary work is known in various versions throughout India and Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, the story has been set to music and dance and performed by the Royal Ballet since the 18th century. The music of the ballet, heard here, is performed by an orchestra made up of xylophones, metallophones, horizontal gongs, drums, and cymbals.

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Hinduism; Ramayana; Cambodia; Asian Theater

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