The Ramakien (รามเกียรติ์), or "Glory of Rama", is the Thai adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana.
It is a major work of Thai literature and culture, influencing the country's art, dance, drama and religion.
Origins and influences.
Indian source:
The Ramakien is inspired by the Ramayana, a Sanskrit epic attributed to the sage Valmiki, composed between
the 4th century BC and the 2nd century AD.
The Ramayana spread to Southeast Asia through cultural and commercial exchanges,
particularly with Indianized kingdoms such as the Khmer Empire.
Thai adaptation:
The Ramakien has been adapted to reflect Thai values, beliefs, and traditions.
The earliest versions of the Ramakien date back to the Ayutthaya Kingdom (14th–18th century),
but the most famous version was compiled during the reign of King Rama I (1782–1809) of the Chakri dynasty.
The Ramakien broadly follows the plot of the Ramayana, but with local variations.
The story centers on the adventures of Prince Phra Ram (Rama), an incarnation of the god Vishnu,and his wife Nang Sida (Sita). Major themes include loyalty, honor, the struggle between good and evil, and devotion.
Key Characters:
✔ Phra Ram: The hero, incarnation of Vishnu, representing virtue and justice.
✔ Nang Sida: Phra Ram's wife, abducted by the demon Thotsakan (Ravana).
✔ Thotsakan: The king of demons, a complex character, both tyrannical and endowed with great nobility.
✔ Phra Lak (Lakshmana): Phra Ram's loyal brother.
✔ Hanuman: The monkey god, ally of Phra Ram, symbolizing strength, cunning and devotion.
Main Plot:
✔ Phra Ram is exiled in the forest with Nang Sida and Phra Lak.
✔ Thotsakan abducts Nang Sida and takes her to his kingdom of Longka (Lanka).
✔ With the help of Hanuman and an army of monkeys, Phra Ram fights Thotsakan to save Nang Sida.
✔ After a long war, Phra Ram triumphs and returns to Ayutthaya to reign as a just king.
Phra Rama is the incarnation of the god Vishnu.
He is the prince of Ayodhya (Ayutthaya in Thailand) and has three brothers:
✔ Phra Lak (พระลักษมณ์) – His faithful companion, inspired by Lakshmana.
✔ Phra Phrot (พระพรต) – Inspired by Bharata.
✔ Phra Satrut (พระสัตรุต) – Inspired by Shatrughna.
When their father wants to make Phra Rama king, one of his wives, manipulated by a servant,
demands that her son Phra Phrot ascend the throne and that Phra Rama be exiled for 14 years.
So Phra Rama sets off into the forest, accompanied by Nang Sida and Phra Lak.
During their exile, Thotsakan (ทศกัณฐ์), the demon king of Lanka, sees Nang Sida and falls under her spell.
With the help of a shapeshifting demon, he tricks Phra Rama and kidnaps Sida,
taking her to his palace on the island of Lanka.
A devastated Phra Rama vows to get her back by any means necessary.
Phra Rama receives help from Hanuman (หนุมาน), the monkey king, who becomes his most powerful ally.
Hanuman recruits an army of warrior monkeys, led by Sukrip (Sugriva).
Hanuman scouts out and finds Nang Sida. To prove to him that he is sent by Phra Rama,
he burns part of the city of Lanka before fleeing.
Phra Rama leads his army of monkeys against the demonic armies of Lanka. Many epic battles take place:
✔ Phra Lak is seriously injured but healed with a magic herb.
✔ Hanuman faces several demonic generals and triumphs with his divine strength.
✔ Thotsakan sends his son, Indrachit, a sorcerer capable of summoning illusions, but he is defeated by Phra Rama.
Finally, Phra Rama faces Thotsakan in a duel and kills him with a magic arrow.
After the victory, Phra Rama tests Nang Sida's loyalty by ordering her to prove her purity through an ordeal by fire.
She emerges unharmed, proving her innocence.
Phra Rama and Sida return to Ayodhya where he becomes the rightful king,
and his reign marks a period of prosperity and justice.
Art and literature:
The Ramakien has inspired many works of art, including the murals at Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok,
which depict scenes from the epic.
It is also featured in classical literature, poetry, and folk tales.
Theatre and dance:
Khon, a type of masked and danced theatre, is often used to portray the Ramakien.
Actors wear elaborate costumes and masks to portray the characters.
The Ramakien is also performed in traditional theatre forms such as Nang Yai (shadow play).
Religion and spirituality:
The Ramakien reflects Buddhist and Hindu values, although Theravada Buddhism is dominant in Thailand.
Phra Ram is seen as a model of virtue and dharma (moral duty).
The Ramakien symbolizes:
✔ The triumph of good over evil
✔ Loyalty and royal duty
✔ Honor and fidelity
The Ramakien has inspired several powerful Sak Yants, including:
✔ Sak Yant Phra Rama (ยันต์พระราม)– Leadership and justice.
✔ Sak Yant Hanuman (ยันต์หนุมาน)– Invincibility and courage.
✔ Sak Yant Garuda (ยันต์ครุฑ)– Power and authority.
Sak Yant Ramakien
The Ramakien, with its heroic characters and spiritual themes,
has inspired some of the most powerful and popular Sak Yant tattoos.
These tattoos embody the qualities of the characters in the epic and are chosen based
on the spiritual or personal needs of the individual.
Sak Yant Phra Rama (พระราม)
Meaning: This tattoo represents Phra Ram, the hero of the Ramakien, an incarnation of the god Vishnu.
It symbolizes leadership, justice, virtue, and protection.
Designs: The tattoo may include a depiction of Phra Ram, often armed with his bow,
or symbols associated with his royalty and divinity.
Usage: This Sak Yant is often chosen by those seeking to embody leadership qualities,
overcome obstacles with integrity, or protect themselves from enemies.
Sak Yant Hanuman (หนุมาน)
Meaning: Hanuman, the monkey god, is a central character in the Ramakien, known for his strength,
courage, invincibility, and unconditional devotion to Phra Ram.
Designs: The tattoo may depict Hanuman in anthropomorphic form, often with a club or in a dynamic posture.
It may also include mantras or symbols of protection.
Usage: This Sak Yant is popular among those seeking to strengthen their courage,
physical and mental endurance, or to protect themselves from danger.
Sak Yant Garuda (ครุฑ)
Meaning: Although Garuda is not a central character in the Ramakien,
he is a major symbol in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.
He represents power, authority, freedom, and victory over evil.
Designs: The tattoo often depicts Garuda, a half-man, half-bird creature,
with outstretched wings and a majestic posture.
Usage: This Sak Yant is chosen by those seeking to embody natural authority,
overcome adversity, or free themselves from negative influences.