Ramayana Ballet

Ramayana Ballet

Full moon nights from May to October

The most spectacular dance-drama on the island of Java, Indonesia, is held on an open-air stage at the Prambanan Temple near Yogyakarta. The ballet is a contemporary abbreviated version of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, unfolding over the four nights to tell the story of Prince Rama banished from his country to wander for years in the wilderness. More than 100 dancers and players in gamelans (percussive orchestras) present spectacles of monkey armies, giants on stilts, and clashing battles. The rich carvings—lions and Ramayana scenes—of the Prambanan temple complex in the background are spotlighted by the moon.

CONTACTS:
Yogyakarta Tourist Information Centre
Tourist Information Center, Jl. Malioboro 14
Yogyakarta, 55213 Indonesia
62-274-62811

SOURCES:
GdWrldFest-1985, p. 113
IntlThFolk-1979, p. 225

Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary, Fourth Edition. © 2010 by Omnigraphics, Inc.