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Hikayat Seri Rama (Jawi:حكاية سري رام) is theMalay literary adaptation of the HinduRamayana epic in the form of ahikayat.[1][2] The main story remains the same as the originalSanskrit version but some aspects of it were slightly modified to a local context such as the spelling and pronunciation of names. Numerous branch stories had also been developed as accretions to or extensions of this epic with the upgrading of minor characters to major ones, or the invention of totally new characters. For example, Malay writers and storytellers have produced variations in which Laksmana (Lakshman) plays a larger role, sometimes becoming more important thanRama the elder prince much like the LaoPhra Lak Phra Lam. Rama, although righteous and virtuous, was perceived to be weak and his character is often moved to the background while the younger Laksmana is admired for his courage and willingness to react decisively.
TheRamayana, a revered text of Hinduism, is a collection of Indian historical stories concentrating on the work of the gods in the lives of men, and was first written down, as legend states, by the sageValmiki during the third century BC. Ramayana came toSoutheast Asia by means ofTamil traders and scholars who traded with ancient kingdoms such asFunan,Angkor andSrivijaya with whom the Indians shared close economic and cultural ties. Folk versions of theRamayana were told through dance dramas and bypenglipurlara (professional storytellers). Thewayang kulit (shadow theatre) adaptation, called Hikayat Maharaja Wana, was one of the most important shadow-plays. Puppeteers would pick the most exciting episodes for their shows, particularly the scenes relating to the marriage of SeriRama, the abduction of Siti Dewi (Sita), the final battles in Langkapuri (Sri Lanka), and the heroine's rescue by her husband.
Its ideals of righteousness, love, loyalty and selfless devotion ensured that the Ramayana remained popular even after Islam's introduction into Asia. The epic was written in its present form some time between the 13th and 17th centuries under the title Hikayat Seri Rama (Chronicle Of The Great Rama) and is generally regarded as a manifestation of the cultural ideals of the ruling elite. It has survived in several recensions but all share the same plot. They are all believed to derive from the oral tradition of eastern and western India with the addition of motifs from theJavanese Panji romance. The name-forms show a distinctDravidian influence, indicative of the role played bySouth Indians in disseminating the epic.
Despite the high esteem in which the story of Rama was once held, since theIslamic revival of the 1980s the Hikayat Seri Rama has drastically decreased in popularity. However, students of Malay literary history still consider it an integral part of Malay culture.
Thewayang kulit performance differs distinctively from the original hikayat in that not only the elements of the performance are secularised, but the focus of the tale is also shifted instead towards the Maharaja Wana, or Rawana; who is depicted as being more sympathetic than Seri Rama, who is perceived as being arrogant and vain.[3]
In some versions,Allah is the only deity in the story. This was clearly a deviation from the original story which is purely Hinduism in nature.
In some versions such as theKelantan version, Hanoman was Seri Rama's eldest son who happened to be born as amonkey.
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