File:1814 CE Ramayana manuscript, Serat Rama Keling, Javanese version.jpg

English: The Ramayana is a Sanskrit language Hindu epic attributed to Valmiki, whose first redaction is dated between 5th-century to 4th-century BCE (see J. L. Brockington Academic The Sanskrit Epics, p. 379 ISBN: 90-04-10260-4. ). The text has been popular on the Indian subcontinent since the ancient times. It arrived in southeast Asia about mid 1st-millennium CE, and has been popular ever since as evidenced by reliefs on major temples and in manuscripts. It has influenced both literary and performance arts in many southeast Asia countries. The story has been adapted and revised to some extent to suit regional cultures and audiences.

The above photo is from the Serat Rama Keling manuscript published in 1814, British Library, Add.12284, ff.1v-2r. It is a modern Javanese version of the Ramayana. The story is significantly adapted to reflect the 19th-century Javanese culture. It is different than the version found in Bali, Indonesia.

The photo above is of a 2D artwork from the text that was itself authored more than 2,000 years ago, and a manuscript that was acquired in the 19th-century. Therefore Wikimedia Commons PD-Art licensing guidelines apply. Any rights I have as a photographer is herewith donated to wikimedia commons under CC 4.0 license.