Among the cultural riches bestowed by India on the lands of South-East Asia, one particular work of art stands out ahead of all others. ' Ramayana ', an ancient story of heroism and villainy, was able to take so firm a hold on the imagination of the people, that it has maintained a universal popularity for 2,000 years.
In India, the epic tale has survived in its entirety, and every year during the festival of Dussehra it is played out, scene by scene, from start to finish. In the holy city of Benares it uses the world's largest theatre - the fortress home of the Maharajah-and a series of stages distributed across the landscape. Giant effigies of the Demon King and his family are made from bamboo and paper. To mark the climax of the story, they are set alight, and disappear amid the sparks of firecrackers and a great cloud of smoke.
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