THAILAND 🇹🇭 | "เมขลา กับ รามสูร, Mekkhala–Ramasun" Thai Dance

©Credit: สมาร์ท กัณฑ์กรพัชญ์

 

People in the east such as India, China and countries in the Indochinese peninsula, including Thais, believe that all phenomenon of thunder, flashes and strokes of lightning occur because the magic power of the Mekla ( the goddess of lightning )is magic glass ball (crystal ball) and Ramasura (the god of thunder)is magic axe as the story tells.

Mani mekhala is a goddess who looks after territorial water. She is the one who holds a glass ball, teasing Ramasura to throw the axe that causes a flash of lightning and thunder.

As said in Thai folk tale, Mani mekhala had her own crystal ball. The beauty of both Mani mekhala and her crystal charmed Ramasura. So he chased her around but never catched Mekla. When he could not catch Mekla, he threw his ax at Mekla but it never hit her because Mekla used her magic crystal to flash so it made Ramasura temporarily blind.

In Thailand, the Mekkhala–Ramasun dance was performed as a boek rong ('prelude dance') introduction before the main performances of "lakhon nai" or khon dances.