Ramayana Ballet

Friday, April 15, 2011


The Plot of Ramayana Story
Ramayana Ballet is the great a must see show in Jogjakarta. The ballet is conveying the Ramayana epic and is held at the open theatre in Prambanan temple. When it is rain, the show is held on indoor theatre. With Prambanan temple as the background of the open theatre stage, the show is becoming more dramatic.The Ramayana Ballet is conducted by hundreds of dancer. The dance and and the uniform are portraying the Javanese tradition and culture. Not only dancers who are involved but also gamelan (Javanese traditional music instruments) musicians and sinden (Javanese singer with unique voicing) Here is the full plot of Ramayana.



 
Scene 1: Introduction
Prabu (King) Janaka, the king of Mantili Kingdom has a very beautiful princess named Dewi Shinta. A competition (get a Prabu Janaka’s bow in hand) is conducted in order to decide the right person who will marry Dewi Shinta. At last, Raden Rama Wijaya, the prince of Ayodya, wins the competition.
Prabu Rahwana, the King of Alengkadiraja is eager to marry Dewi Widowati. Knowing Shinta, he assumes that she is the reincarnation of Dewi Widowati whom he is waiting for.

Scene 2: Alengka Hall
Rahwana holds a great congregation. Kumbakarna, Indrajid, Patih (chief minister to a king) Prahasta and people of Alengka present the congregation. In the middle of the congregation, Sarpakenaka (Rahwana’s younger brother) arrives and cries, he asking for help because he is defeated by a knight at Dandaka Forest. He tells as well that there is a beautiful woman with the knight. Hearing it, Rahwana angry, he asks Kalamarica to follow him to kill the knight and find the woman.




Scene 3: Dandaka Forest
Rama Wijaya, along with his wife Shinta and his younger brother, Leksmana, is adventuring until finally arrive in Dandaka Forest.
Meeting Shinta in the forest, Rahwana eager to posses her. In order to realize his dream, Rahwana asks one of his followers named Marica (a giant) to turn himself as a golden deer called Kijang Kencana to attract Shinta.
Being attracted in the beauty of the deer, Shinta asks Rama to capture the deer for her. Rama is about to give happiness to his wife, so he leaves her and hunt the deer.
Waiting for a long time, Shinta becomes worried as Rama has not come back yet. She asks Leksmana to look for Rama. Leksmana is actually does not dare to leave her, but Shinta asks him to. Before leaving, Leksmana draws magic circle on the ground to protect Shinta from any danger.
As soon as Rahwana notices that Shinta has been left alone, Rahwana tries to kidnap her, but he fails, the magic circle is preventing him to touch Shinta. Then, he changes himself become an old beggar. Shinta feels pity to the beggar, and she comes out of the circle to help him. As soon as she gets out of the circle, he takes her and flies to Alengkadiraja,

Scene 4: Chasing the Deer
Rama shoots the deer with his magic arrow, but the deer commutes to Marica. Rama fights Marica and shoots him with the arrow. Later on, Leksmana arrives and request Rama back to Shinta’s place.


Scene 5: The Kidnap of Shinta
On the way to Alengka, Rahwana meets a giant bird, Jatayu. Jatayu notices that the girl with Rahwana is Shinta, the princess of Prabu Janaka. Then, Jatayu attacks Rahwana to release Shinta, but the bird is defeated.
After finding out that Shinta is not in the place, Rama and Laksmana decide to search for Shinta. Later on, they meet the seriously wounded Jatayu. Rama thinks it must be Jatayu who has kidnapped his wife. Rama wanted to kill Jatayu but Leksmana prevents him to do so, Jatayu then, explains what has happened to him and finally Jatayu dies.
A moment later, a white monkey named Hanuman arrives. He is delegated by his uncle, Sugriwa to look for two heroes who can kill Subali. Subali is a one has divine power who has taken Dewi Tara, Sugriwa’s beloved woman, by force. Hearing it, Rama decides to help Sugriwa.

Scene 6: Kiskendo Cave
When Subali, Dewi Tara and his son are chatting, Sugriwa arrives. With Rama’s help, Sugriwa attacks Subali. Subali is defeated so that Sugriwa takes Dewi Tara with him. Sugriwa decided to help Rama to find Shinta. For this purpose, Hanuman is sent as envoy to Alengka.

Scene 7: Argasoka Garden
Rahwana’s niece, Trijata, is comforting Shinta in the garden. Rahwana arrives and asks Shinta’s willingness to be his wife. Shinta refuses to do so. This make Rahwana angry and wants to kill her but Trijata prevents him and says that he should be patient and she promises to look after Shinta. It is when Shinta is very sad that suddenly she hears a song which is sung by Hanuman. Hanuman meets Shinta and tells her that Rama asks him to escape her. Then he destroys the garden. Indrajid, Rahwana’s son captures him, Kumbakarna prevents him, but finally Kumbakarna is thrown out the Kingdom. Hanuman is sentenced to be burnt alive. With the fire on his body, Hanuman burns Alengka palace.

Scene 8: Rama Dikes the Sea
Rama and his ape troops dike the sea making a path to Alengka. When the path is finished, Hanuman comes and reports the situation of Alengka. Hearing it, Rama is very happy and commands Hanuman, Hanggada, Hanila and Jembawan to lead the troops attack Alengka.

Scene 9: The War
The ape troops attack Alengka’s troops at the kingdom’s boundary. The big war is breaking. Indrajid dies on the war, killed by Leksmana. Kumbakarna also dies, but he dies as a patriotic hero. Finally, Rahwana commands the troops himself and battle face to face with Rama. Rahwana is killed by Rama’s arrow and Hanuman befalls the Mount Sumawana on Rahwana’s body.

Scene 10: Rama Meets Shinta
After the death of Rahwana, Shinta accompanied by Hanuman, meets Rama. Rama refuses her as he thinks Shinta is not pure anymore. In order to prove her purity, Shinta burns herself. With the God of Fire’s bless, the fire does not harm her body. This is the proof that she still pure. Knowing this, Rama accepts Shinta.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

apik

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