Community News | Sydney
Ramayana - Story of our times
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By: Poonam Naik
fter months of lockdown, you can enjoy this incredible and wonderful doll display covering 24 scenes with over 300 carefully crafted and handmade dolls which has been designed by Giri and is presented by the Hindu Council of Australia with support from Liverpool City Council and Casula Powerhouse. The visual and colourful impact of the dolls will draw the attention of young and older minds alike, drawing you in to focus on the valuable traits of Rama. This exhibition will not only inspire but also help viewers to consider their life goals in a harmonious way. Ramayana, the life history of Rama is the conscience of Hindu culture, the fulcrum of its tradition. Rama, the model of human excellence and the personification of righteousness. The earliest known recording of this story is 5th Century B.C with events dating back a lot further. This story has inspired the people of the east for centuries. The story of Lord Rama has influenced Nepalese poetry, Cambodian sculpture, Indonesian architecture, Malaysian plays, Sinhalese novels, and India’s way of life. One reason for the popularity of Lord Rama
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NOVEMBER I 2021
is his immaculate character which was narrated and was passed on to adults and kids alike in the form of plays, musicals, dance-dramas, and doll displays during Navaratri and Deepavali. This exhibition aims to give a similar experience of the Ramayana tradition to the wider Australian youth and adults who may want to explore the Indian culture and art form. This exhibition is a Golu. A Golu is a festive, eye catching display of dolls and figurines that depict important stories from Hinduism. The Ramayana is a practical primer for leading a spiritual life. The various episodes in this story exist as examples of how to fulfill one’s duty or dharma. Its high drama, calamitous love story and cunning strategies to defeat evil contain many lessons for ordinary humans. Some are lessons about Hindu culture while others help us understand the true meaning of love, devotion, courage, bravery and friendship. The Ramayana is sung as lullabies for toddlers, told as stories in classrooms, used as reference for governance and management and explored and debated over by many scholars
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