How was the Indian Sanskrit epic, Ramayana, passed from India through Southeast Asia?
The universal themes and ideals in the Indian epic, Ramayana, have long appealed to the diverse cultures of Southeast Asia. However, each culture in Southeast Asia has interpreted the Ramayana slightly differently. Sometimes this process is referred to as the “indigenization of Ramayana.” The epic themes and ideals of righteous behavior, loyalty to family and kingdom, the balancing of good and evil, self-sacrifice for the betterment of society, morality, role of family, ideal relationships between father and son, brother to brother, friend to friend , and wife to husband provide global appeal, but also provide an opportunity for expression of local cultural identity. As a living tradition portraying the human condition, the epic reflects the languages, customs, cultures, history, religion, social, economic, and political values throughout Southeast Asia. The legend of Rama as an individual who established human values in society can be seen and heard in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malays
