distinct Dravidian influence, indicative of the role played by South Indians in disseminating the epic. Despite the high esteem in which the story of Rama was once held, since the Islamic revival of the 1980s the Hikayat Seri Rama has drastically decreased in popularity. However, students of Malay literary history still consider it an integral part of Malay culture. Hikayat Maharaja Wana The wayang kulit performance differs distinctively from the original hikayat in that not only the elements of the performance are secularised, but the focus of the tale is also shifted instead towards the Maharaja Wana, or Rawana; who is depicted as being more sympathetic than Seri Rama, who is perceived as being arrogant and vain. Characters Gods In some versions, Allah is the only deity in the story. Siwa/Batara Guru - Personifies the dissolving and blissful aspect of divinity Mahabisnu - Personifies the maintaining aspect of divinity Berama Raja/Betara Berma/Adi Berma or Allah - Personifies the creative aspect of divinity Parwati - Siwa's consort Laksmi - Wisnu's consort Betara Indera - Leader of the lesser deities Suria - God of the sun; Sugriwa's father Raja Bayu - God of wind; Hanuman's father Humans Seri Rama - Vishnu's reincarnation and eldest son of Raja Dasarata Siti Dewi - Seri Rama's wife; adoptive daughter of Maharisi Kali Baradan, Laksmana/Latsamana and Citradan - Rama's half-brothers; the incarnations of Wisnu's possessions Dasarata Maharaja - Father of Seri Rama and his brothers and the great-son of Prophet Adam. Mandu Daki/Mandudari - Ravana's wife. Meghanada's (Indrajit) mother. Allies of Seri Rama In some versions such as the Kelantan version, Hanuman was Seri Rama's eldest son who happened to be born as a monkey. Hanoman- incarnation of lord Siwa Balya Raja - King of Lagur-Katagina (Kiskindha) Sugriwa/Sugirwa - Balya's younger brother Seri Anggada - Balya's son Annila/Raja Tilam - leader of an army of monkeys. Bibusanam - Rawana's estranged brother Jambuwana - King of the bears Enemies of Seri Rama Maharaja Rawana - Twenty-armed and ten-faced king of the raksasa (demons) on Langkapuri Indrajat/Indrajati - Son of Rawana Kumbakarna - Rawana's younger brother References Center for South East Asian Studies: The Ramayana in South East Asia Malay-language literature Works based on the Ramayana