Ramakian Murals

Wat Phra Kaeo, part of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, is also commonly referred to by many non-Thais as the "Wat of the Emerald Buddha". Wat Phra Kaeo is the home of the relic that was brought from Laos to Thailand in 1779. The Emerald Buddha had originally been located in Northern Thailand commencing in the early 1400s and was attributed to miracles where ever it was kept. Perhaps for that reason, it was taken to Laos for 200 years until King Rama I seized Vientiane and returned it to the new Thai capital city, Bangkok. Besides being famous and revered for the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaeo is also renown for the Ramakian Murals.

The Ramakian is the Thai version of the Hindu epic poem "The Ramayana" which is based upon Hindu mythology. The Hindu epic poem was written over 2,000 years ago. Like other epic poems such as Homer's "Iliad" and ""Odyssey", "Aeneid" by Virgil, "Paradise Lost" by Milton, "The Ramayana" is a long narrative poem that contains a central hero that embodies a society's values. There are episodes that are important to the history and development of a country or race. Like the aforementioned epics, "The Ramayana" also contains Divine intervention in the lives of humans.

In "The Ramayana" the story of Prince Rama of Ayodha. His wife is kidnapped by a demon king - King Rakshasa of Lanka. Much of the epic is related to the struggles and adventures of Prince Rama to regain his wife and to deal with King Rakshasa. The story is about the triumph of good over evil along the conflicts of duty as well as moral obligations

There were written versions of the epic prior to King Rama I of Thailand but they were destroyed when the previous capital of Siam, Ayutthaya was sacked and burned by the Burmese in 1767. The story in "The Ramakian" is the same as in "The Ramayana" but names, locations, weapons and descriptions are adjusted to take into account Thai realities.

King Rama I, who is recognized as the founder of the modern Thai state was also an accomplished poet. As the new palace was being constructed in Bangkok in the style of the previous palace in Ayutthaya, he also supervised the writing of the "Ramakian". He actually wrote some of the episodes himself. As the palace was being constructed and the Thai version of the epic was being written down, 178 murals at Wat Phra Kaeo were also started. The purpose of the murals were to help communicate to people the virtues exemplified in the epic.

"The Ramakian" has a very strong influence on Thai literature, dance, art, and drama. It is considered to be a Thai masterpiece and is read, and taught in Thai schools.