KECAK DANCE

One of the most spectacular performance. The dance is always held after dark and is illuminated only by a small group of oil lamps burning in the centre of the arena. The dance is unique in that there is no orchestral accompaniment. The players are few in number and enact the familiar episode of the Ramayana in which Sita accompanies Rama to the forest where he pursues the golden deer.

Sita is kidnapped by Rawana, king of the demons, but is able to inform Rama of her plight by virtue of the good offices of Hanuman. Rama is attacked by meganada, the son of Rawana, who shoots him with an arrow which turns into a snake and entwines itself around Rama immobilizing him. Rama calls his ally, Garuda, to help him and Garuda destroys the snake by pecking it. Sugriwa, the king of the monkeys, then takes up the fight on Rama's behalf and he and his army of monkeys attack Megananda and his army of demons. The fight that ensures forms the climax of the dance. Sugriwa overcomes Megananda and Rama is reunited with his wife Sita.

The Players are accompanied by a male chorus numbering some one hundred members. The men are clad only in short sarong in a large black and white check pattern. Over the right ear they wear a red flower, over the left ear a white one. The dance commences with the entry of the chorus through the temple gate chanting continuously "cak", combined with other occasional shouts and calls. The chorus takes up positions squatting in radial rows around the circumference of the stage area leaving only a small circular space in the centre surrounding the lamp standard.