So after visiting all of the Buddhist temples today and then doing a little shopping on Malioboro Street, I headed back to the hotel. I took a becak back to the Novotel (it's about 3 KM) and the quoted price was 25 000 IDR or approx $3CAD.
A becak is basically a rickshaw that is cycled. It looks like a bicycle from the back but from the front it has a bucket love seat. Generally it seats two "asian" people. That also means generally only one large "westerner" should fit in there. I know the men who "drive" these becaks are wiry and strong but oh my, I was so so so uncomfortable being driven around. When I was leaving Malioboro Street I scouted the street for the "best" ride back to the hotel. I really wanted to try the local transportation, but being a bigger girl I was well aware of the reception I may receive. At first I went up to a lovely man who had a horse and cart. Now mind you it was a small horse (more like a donkey size), but still it was a horse AND a car. I figured that this would be much easier to get back to the hotel that way, plus carrying me should be fine. Well, that was not the case. When I showed the driver my hotel address, and he saw me, he said sorry his horse was tired and couldn't take me. I was a little shocked, and a little paranoid to be honest. I know I'm a big girl but honestly, a horse couldn't take me???? The horse owner started talking to the other drivers in Bahasa Indonesian, I don't know about what but I thought it was probably a game of hot potato about who would have to take me back to the hotel. After a moment or too an older and very slender man offered to "drive" me back to the hotel. It was the most uncomfortable ride of my life. I kept thinking that the poor man would have a stroke or something. When we finally got back to the Novotel, which could never have been soon enough for me, I ended up giving the man 50 000IDR. He seemed very happy with the price. I hope he went back to all the other drivers and told them that he made good money ;)
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A becak on the roads
of Jogjakarta |
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The muscians getting ready to perform
Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
All excerpts in Italics below are from the Ramayana Ballet desciption offered by Puriwisata.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
In Krendayana forest, the King of Alengka, Rahwana, asks Kalamaricha, one of his soldiers to change himself into a Golden Deer and has him to go to seduce Rama, Sinta and Laksmana.
In the other part of the same forest, Rama, Sinta, and Laksmana are enjoying the freshness of the bright weather by gathering flowers and watching beautiful animals lving in the forest. Suddenly an animal with golden fur appears. Sinta is attracted and she wants to possess the animal. Rama, Sinta, Laksmana try to catch it but the beautiful animal is very difficult to touch, then the Golden Deer runs away.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
After Rama leaves his wife, Sinta as if hears the sound of an injured man, she asks Laksmana to look for his brother but he refuses, because he knows it is not Rama's voice, as it is the Golden Deer's that imitates the voice of Rama.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
Since her order is disobeyed, Sinta accuses Laksmana of wishing her after the death of Rama. Hearing this Laksmana becomes very sad, he swears that he will not marry any woman in his whole life.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
As a sign of his oath he cuts off his genital. Sinta is astonished and very sorry. Finally Laksmana goes to meet Rama. Before he leaves his sister-in-law alone. Laksmana makes a magical circle surrounding Sinta, nobody can go into the circle and he also tells her not to get out of the circle ntil the arrival of Rama and Laksmana.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
Unexpectedly, Rahwana comes down from the sky. He is very glad to notice Sinta without any guard. He wants to kidnap her as soon as possible and takes her to Alengka Kingdom.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
Unfortunately he cannot approach her because of the magical circle although he has exerted all of his super natural power. Then Rahwana changes his appearance into a very old man who looks very thirsty and comes near Sinta.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
On seeing this Sinta cannot stand not helping the poor old man. Without realizing the danger, she stretches one of her arms out of the circle in order to give the old man something to drink. The old man who actually is Rahwana takes Sinta's hand out of the circle quickly and takes her away.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
In the sky, they meet Jatayu, the king of birds, who wants to save the Princess but Jatayu is defeated and falls onto the ground. Before Jatayu dies, he tells Rama that Sinta is kidnapped by Rahwana.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
On the way to Alengka, Rama and Laksmana bump across with the white monkey Hanoman, who is ordered by Sugriwa to find someone to help him fight subali in order to get Goa Kiskenda back.
Rama does not mind and succeeds in killing Subali, and then he is crowned to be the king of the monkey in Pancawati Kingdom. As a king, Rama orders Hanoman to go to Alengka to see the condition of Sinta.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
In Alengka, after giving Rama's ring to Sinta, and as an answer Sinta sends her hairpin ornament to Rama, Hanoman wants to know the strength of Rahwana's Kingdom, soon afterwards he destroys the Arga-Coka garden.
Knowing this, Rahwana becomes very angry and commands his men to burn the white creature but Hanoman does not die because of his super natural power, event he takes with him some burning woods and flies in the sky then he drops them throughout the buildings.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
When the battle between Rama's monkey soldiers and Rahwana's giant soldiers takes place, Hindrajit asks Kumbakarna for help but he cannot win the fight even is defeated by Rama. Hindrajit wants to support his uncle unfortunately Laksmana is able to finish the fight. Hindrajit runs away reporting the situation to King Rahwana in the palace.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
Rahwana goes to fight Rama but at last he is defeated and killed.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
Hanoman fetches Queen Sinta who is very happy to meet her beloved husband, however Rama rejects her for he suspects about his wife's purity and he asks Sinta to have a holy bath by jumping into the burning fire.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
Sinta calmly jumps into the holy fire since in her mind she feels that she is totally pure.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
The god of fire, Brahma, comes down from the heaven and puts the fire out. He tells Rama that Sinta is really pure. Both Sinta and Rama pay attribute with their hands folded before their foreheads to Brahma. Lastly they return to Pancawati Kingdom happily.
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
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Ramayana Ballet, Purawisata
Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia |
Ramayana is a very beauitful love story and people will keep performing and watching it.
If you would like to see the Ramayana Ballet or visit Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta
Quote code AANK for a special discount.
