Magic In The Dark

THE GREAT RAMAYANA epic was first committed to Sanskrit in the 5th or 4th century BC. The tale had since spread to many parts of the world and retold in many languages. In Southeast Asia alone, the story of Rama's quest to save his wife from the 10-headed demon king Raavana has been presented in various art forms, such as dance, drama, puppetry and painting.

Indonesia's wayang kulit (shadow puppetry), for instance, has its roots in Hinduism. Even today, it frequently performs episodes of the Ramayana or the Mahabharata for a largely Muslim audience. …