Sarasavi Dehena Experimental Theatre proudly presents "Maha Ravana"..
Directed by Pabalu Wijegoonawardane.
This Ballet would feature some of the greatest world music ever created ,which would be used as a medium to transfer the message to the audience
Tickets
Rs500/= & Rs300/=
Contact:
Pabalu:0716902890
Chamith:0714567666
INTRODUCTION:
The only King of Sri Lanka who managed to wipe out all the divisions among the Sri Lankan people was the Great King Ravana. Under his leadership, King Ravana managed to unite all the Sri Lankan tribes. Sri Lanka became a secular country not subject to or bound by any religious dogma, with no official religion, language or official yes men. Not only ruling Sri Lanka, he governed a vast kingdom with boundaries extending over South Asia – and was hence named Chakravarthi. In chronological records about Ravana, it is almost impossible to find a single battle fought against another community of people in order to invade their land or usurp their throne. Not a single ‘racial’ conflict is mentioned in any of those records written during his reign, though the chronicle of the Ramayana by Valmiki stereotyped him as the most evil human to have ever existed, providing an erroneous and biased interpretation of the Rama-Ravana war.
He is said to be one of the greatest physicians who ever existed, and even authored the book Arka Prakashaya. The Bisajjya Grantha and Nadi Shasthra mentions that King Ravana and his grandfather Pulasthi Muni had graced the world-famous medical conferences held in those ancient days in Janasthan Pura near Pakistan. In Sri Lankan folk tales, it is said that king Ravana treated both Rama and Lakshmana with his own hand when they were badly injured on the battlefield.
He is considered the most devoted Shiva Bhaktha (Shiva devotee), and also the composer of the beautiful Shiva Thandava Sthothra that shows his authentic devotion as well as his artistry, combined with a shining intellectuality. Also, Konagama Buddha (the Third Buddha in this Maha Bhadra Kalpa era) preached to Ravana, delivering the exceptionally intellectual Sutra, Lankavathara Suthra. Those two historical points mentioned above are among the main evidence to recognize king Ravana as a highly spiritual yet unbound individual who never affixed himself to a particular religion or to a doctrine as such. Though the country was unbelievably sophisticated in science, and overflowed with prosperity during his time, he didn’t set up hidden bank accounts in far off havens, or plan to flee to cooler climes after his reign.
Some say Ravana is a mythical king who never existed on earth, yet there are hundreds of villages which prove there was a King called Ravana. Dozens of books and reports prove this to be authentic information, and a considerable number of ‘Shila Lipi’ (stone inscriptions) found all over the island, bear silent witness to King Ravana’s existence in Sri Lanka.
According to legend, he ruled South Asia as well as Sri Lanka, and possessed a powerful flying machine called the Dandu Monara Yanthra’ or Pushpaka Vimana, which helped him travel around South Asia. While the concept of a flying vehicle seems unlikely, since the period is long before the flight of the so-called Wright Brothers, yet the story provides surprising evidence that flight technologies were thought of even in Ravana’s time. The Vimanika Shasthra by Maha Rishi Bharadvaja gives one of the best-written examples of such inventions.
After King Ravana, India came to influence the daily life of ordinary Sri Lankan people. We were forced to abandon our tribes, and embrace the caste system and official religions from India.
