National capital New Delhi will host the Ramayana Festival of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries at the Kamani Auditorium from January 20 to 24.
The five-day gala festival to be organised by Indian Council for Cultural Relations will witness the convergence of top groups from all 10 ASEAN member countries - Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President, ICCR said, "The event will feature performances by cultural troupes from all 10 ASEAN countries. Through the Ramayana, the festival will showcase spectacular choreography rooted in the performing arts' traditions of South East Asia."
"India enjoys strong civilizational links with all ASEAN countries. Ramayana as it is performed in the various ASEAN countries is not only a reflection of the strong cultural and civilisational links we have with them but it is also a bond which is their common heritage and binds them to each other," added Dr. Sahasrabuddhe.
During the festival, the countries of the ASEAN will distill various episodes of the Rama story, through a harvest of sights and sounds, of nuanced interpretations and revelations. They will reveal the assimilation, indigenisation and re-interpretation the epic has undergone. After their performances in Delhi Ramayana Groups from across the globe will also be performing in Ayodhya, Lucknow, Kolkata, Hyderab and Ahmedabad.
Ramayana is one of the world's longest epics; it is called the adi-kavya, the first of the poems. It has had primal influence on the faith, culture and art of India. Its exploration of the concepts of duty and righteousness permeated Indian philosophy and literature.
The epic inspired poets, painters, sculptors, dancers and musicians as well as millions of seekers of the spirit and of solace. The Ramayana, a multi-layered chronicle, wove ethics, devotion, wisdom and values into one extraordinary, narrative allegory.
The Ramayana's imagery and symbolism were so powerful that the epic easily made its way into the consciousness of people beyond India.
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