Sendratari Ramayana Plot & Song Translations
In the royal city of Ayodya lives Rama, prince of the kingdom of Kosala. He lives happily with his wife Sita, princess of the neighboring kingdom of Mithila. Rama, as the eldest of four step-brothers, is heir to the throne. However, his step-mother Kaikeyi, in an effort to have her own son placed on the throne, convinces the king to have Rama banished to the wilderness for fourteen years.
Song 1 – At the moment, His Majesty Prince Rama is speaking in the forest with Princess Sita, followed closely behind by his younger brother Laksmana.
For a long while, His Majesty Rama escorted his wife through the Dandaka Forest, where, before their very eyes, they beheld a profusion of blossoms of every kind.
“According to your ancestors, you are Vishnu reincarnated," Princess Sita says, regarding His Majesty, Prince Rama.
While the royal trio heads off together to their hut in the wilderness, word of Sita’s beauty and devotion reaches Rahwana, the rakshasa king of Alengka. Rahwana, with the help of his brother-in-law and subordinate, Kala Marica, plots to abduct Sita and force her to become his concubine.
Kala Marica finds the royal trio at their hut in the wilderness. Following his scheme with Rahwana, he speaks a magical mantra to transform into a golden deer to lure Rama and Laksmana away from Sita.
Song 2 - “Husband, Prince Rama, please catch the deer! If you don’t catch the golden deer for me, I will die of sorrow! Your brother says he will guard me. If you fetch the golden deer, your brother will guard our home.”
Laksmana was asked to guard Princess Sita. He did not want to refuse his brother. His Majesty Rama then departed.
Rama hunts Kala Marica disguised as the golden deer. Kala Marica, with his dying breath, masks his voice to sound like Rama’s and calls out in distress in order to trick the princess into believing her husband is in danger. Laksmana is reluctant to leave his sister-in-law alone, but after being chastised by Sita, he traces a magic circle into the soil to protect Sita and goes off to help Rama.
Rahwana finds the princess alone, protected by Laksmana’s magic circle. He enacts his plan to abduct her back to his island kingdom of Alengka by breaking the circle and grabbing her.
Rama and Laksmana return to their hut and find that the princess has been kidnapped.
Song 3 - Laksmana – “Please forgive my mistake! Princess Sita has been kidnapped because I left her!”
Rama – “Where have you gone? Where are you, Princess? If I cannot find you, I will die of grief. Come now, brother! Hurry and follow me! A sign has fallen from the clouds, the Princess’ jewelry!”
Meanwhile, Jetayu, King of the Vultures, is perched in a tall tree when he spots Sita in the clutches of Rahwana. He swoops down to intervene but is mortally wounded by Rahwana’s sword.
Song 4 - Jetayu – “Do not kill me! I am the sorrowful Jetayu, friend of your father, Dasarata. The Princess was abducted by air, by the deceiver Rahwana.”
Rama – “Oh, Jetayu, I give my thanks to you! Because you gave your life to help me, I will pray that you may live forever in Heaven.”
Rama and Laksmana set off to rescue Sita. Along the way, they encounter the vanara monkey army and their magical general, Anoman. The vanara decide to help Prince Rama’s in his quest.
Sita has been taken to Rahwana’s palace garden where she is being taunted by her ladies-in-waiting. Trijata, one of Rahwana’s nieces who has been tasked with guarding her, intervenes and implores the women to have sympathy for Sita.
Rahwana is intent on getting Sita to marry him, by any means necessary. Sita, loyal to her husband, refuses his every advance, becoming increasingly angry, until his niece, Trijata, must intervene. He leaves, asking Trijata to help him win over Sita. Once Rahwana is gone, Anoman reveals himself, presenting the ring to Princess Sita.
Song 5 – Hail, Princess! I have come to you as an emissary of his Majesty King Rama. I present this ring to you!” Princess Sita replies, “this is a ring that I dropped for my husband to find!” Anoman then says, “Hail, Princess! I take my leave from you now.” “Please kneel down,” the princess says to Anoman.
Sita offers Anoman a token from her adornments to present back to Rama. He offers to fly her to safety, but she refuses, stating that in order to maintain her honor, her husband must come himself to rescue her.
Anoman agrees to relay the message to Rama, but first destroys the palace and allows himself to be captured by rakshasa guards, who set his tail on fire. He escapes and flies around the kingdom, setting fire to its buildings.
Rama, Laksmana, and his vanara allies march to Alengka, where they come face to face with Rahwana and his forces. Rama is victorious, killing the rakshasa king Rahwana. Rama and Sita are reunited and the happy couple, along with their friends, go back to Ayodhya where Rama is crowned as the rightful king.
Om Santi Santi Santi Om.
Performers
Rama - Ni Putu Indira Sandika
Sita - Ni Ketut Marni
Laksmana - Adrianna Newport
Rahwana - I Gusti Ngurah Kertayuda
Kala Marica/Jetayu - Benjamin Pongtep Cefkin
Golden Deer - Ashley Stitt
Anoman - I Gede Oka Artha Negara
Trijata - Rhianna Fairchild
Vanara/Bojong - I Nyoman Tangkas Adi Guyasa, Nathan Montgomery, Nora Russell, Elliott Russell, Ruby Gonzalez, Maeve Ward
Dayang-Dayang - Mita Fatmasari, Stephanie Lazarte-Berkowitz, Ashley Stitt, Maze Swainston
Rakshasas - Lee Becker, Benjamin Pongtep Cefkin, Ashley Stitt, Daniel Prasetia, Paul Tirajoh
Gerong - Maria Stein, Ursa Utesch
Gamelan Tunas Mekar -
Liesl Bryant, Kendall Burks, Aaron Burris-DeBoskey, Karen Burton, Russ Callison, Josefina Calzada, I Made Prema Dwi Candra. Benjamin Pongtep Cefkin, Joe Engel, Rhianna Fairchild, Grayson Fiske, Jill Fredericksen, I Nyoman Tangkas Aji Guyasa, Spencer Hauck, Chris Hewitt, Allie Horton, Madison Joy, I Made Lasmawan, Liz Macy, Ni Ketut Marni, Nick Mauthes, Nathan Montgomery, Grant Myhre, Adrianna Newport, Ni Putu Indira Sandika, Kristina Schauer, Ashley Stitt, Matt Thomas, Jakey Wherry, I Made Tangkas Ade Wijaya, Pranav Yagnaraman