The bow of Siva

Rama wins the right to marry Princess Sita, according to her father's decree, by being the first to successfully string the bow of Siva. Rama will later use that powerful weapon in many battles against the demons. (Learn more)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Learn more

Here, Rama draws an arrow across his bow at a Ramayana dance performance held at Yogyakarta in July 1986. The Rama dancer wears a golden crown and a gold-trimmed red sash across his bare chest. He also wears the “broken sword” pattern batik of Yogyakarta’s royal family over his red print trousers.

Note the parallel between this story and the Odyssey of Homer, in which Penelope requires her suitors to string Odysseus’s bow because she knows that only he can do it.

Learn more about Indonesia, Java, Rama, Ramayana, Yogyakarta, bow and arrow, dance, performance, royal clothing, theater, and weapons.

Powered by LEARN NC