See the Ramayana Ballet during a Seminyak stay - AsiaRooms.com

February 26, 2010 (PRLEAP.COM) Travel News
AsiaRooms.com can announce that people booking hotels in Seminyak over the next few months may like to use their stay as an opportunity to experience Indonesia's Ramayana Ballet.

Based on the ancient Sanskrit epic, this dramatic performance takes place at Prambanan, a spectacular ninth century Hindu temple compound in Central Java.

One of the largest Hindu places of worship in south-east Asia, the building is now a UNESCO world heritage site and has become one of the country's biggest cultural and archaeological attractions.

The Ramayana is performed here on a purpose-built outdoor stage and versions of the dance have taken place at Prambanan since the 1960s.

A traditional tale of honour and courage, the story is one of India's two great epics and variants of the Ramayana exist throughout south-east Asia.

Indonesia's Ramayana Ballet is traditionally performed for visitors to Prambanan on various full moon days spread over a six-month period.
Approximately 100 dancers take part in the show, with the musical accompaniment provided by a Gamelan orchestra.

As well as the ballet, the temple is a focal point for many religious ceremonies involving Balinese and Javanese Hindus, including Galungan and Nyepi, the day of silence.

The inner zone of the temple is the holiest area and contains three main shrines dedicated to the three gods of Hinduism - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.