The Peacock Princess or Chao Sisouthone and Nang Manola is a Tai legend and directly related to agricultural culture. This story features in the folklore of

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

, northern Malaysia,

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

History

The tale originated within the people of the Dai ethnic group who worshiped

peacocks Peafowl is a common name for two bird species of the genus '' Pavo'' and one species of the closely related genus ''Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae (the pheasants and their allies). Male peafowl are referred to ...

. The Dai people worship peacocks as being messengers of peace, kindness, love and beauty. The Pannasjataka, a

Pali Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...

text Text may refer to: Written word * Text (literary theory) In literary theory, a text is any object that can be "read", whether this object is a work of literature, a street sign, an arrangement of buildings on a city block, or styles of clothi ...

written by a Buddhist monk/sage in

Chiangmai Chiang Mai, sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in Thailand. It is north of Bangkok in a mountainous region called the Thai hi ...

around AD 1450-1470, also told the story of Sudhana and Manohara from ancient

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. There are also many similar versions told in

(where it is known as ),

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

, and

, including the Chinese story of the Princess and the Cowherd. In these stories, seven women who can fly descended to earth to take a bath, the youngest and prettiest of whom was captured by a human, and subsequently became a wife of a male human (either her captor or the prince-hero of the story). Later in the stories, the heroine put on some magical thing that enabled her to fly or transform into a bird, and flew away; prompting the quest by the hero in pursuit of his flying wife.

Plot

Typically referred to as Princess

Manohara Manohara is the kinnari (half-woman, half-bird) heroine of one of the Jataka tales. Typically referred to as Manohara and Prince Sudhana, the legend appears in the Divyavadana and is documented by stone reliefs at Borobodur. Versions of the st ...

and Prince Sudhana (), the legend appears in the

Divyavadana The ''Divyāvadāna'' or Divine narratives is a Sanskrit anthology of Buddhist avadana tales, many originating in Mūlasarvāstivādin vinaya texts. It may be dated to 2nd century CE. The stories themselves are therefore quite ancient and may be a ...

and is documented by stone reliefs at

Borobodur Borobudur, also transcribed Barabudur (, ), is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Magelang Regency, near the city of Magelang and the town of Muntilan, in Central Java, Indonesia. Constructed of gray andesite-like stone, the temple consi ...

. The story is about a young prince who falls in love with and marries the peacock princess. On their wedding night, the evil wizard puts a spell on the king and starts a war. The young prince leaves for battle and while he is gone, his princess is sentenced to death by the king. Before she is killed, she takes on peacock form and escapes. When the prince returns, he kills the evil wizard and releases the king from the spell. Everyone lives happily ever after. Manohara, the youngest of seven daughters of the

Kinnara A kinnara (Sanskrit: Kiṃnara) is a creature from Hindu and Buddhist mythology. They are described as part human and part bird, and have a strong association with music and love. Believed to come from the Himalayas, they often watch ove ...

king, lives on

Mount Kailash Mount Kailash (also Kailasa; ''Kangrinboqê'' or ''Gang Rinpoche''; ; ; , ) is a mountain in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It lies in the Kailash Range (Gangdisê Mountains) of the Transhimalaya, in the western part ...

. One day, she travels to the human realm. She is caught by a hunter (using a magic noose in some versions) who gives her to Prince Sudhana. Son of King Adityavamsa and Queen Chandradevi, Sudhana is a renowned archer and heir to the

Panchala kingdom Panchala () was an ancient kingdom of northern India, located in the Ganges-Yamuna Doab of the Upper Gangetic plain which is identified as Kanyakubja or region around Kannauj. During Late Vedic times (c. 1100–500 BCE), it was one of the ...

. The prince falls in love with Manohara, and they get married. Later, when the prince is away in battle, Manohara is accused by the royal counselor of bringing bad luck to the city and is threatened with death. She flies away, back to the Kinnara kingdom. She leaves behind a ring and the directions to reach the Kinnara kingdom so that Prince Sudhana can follow her. Prince Sudhana returns to

Panchala Panchala () was an ancient kingdom of northern India, located in the Ganges-Yamuna Doab of the Upper Gangetic plain which is identified as Kanyakubja or region around Kannauj. During Late Vedic times (c. 1100–500 BCE), it was one of the ...

and follows her. From a hermit, he learns the language of animals to locate the Kinnara kingdom, and the necessary prayers to win back the princess. The journey takes seven years, seven months, and seven days. Along the way, Sudhana confronts a

Yaksha The Yakshas (, , ) in Mythology are a broad class of nature spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Bud ...

(ogre), a river of flames, and a gigantic tree. After the long and arduous ordeal, he meets the Kimnara king who asks the prince to prove his sincerity with various tests assessing strength, perseverance, and wit. In the first test, Sudhana is made to lift a stone bench in the garden. The second task tested his skill with the bow and arrow. The final test is to identify which of seven identical women is Manohara, who he recognizes by the ring on her finger. Satisfied, the Kinnara king consents to their marriage and the couple returns to Panchala.

Etymology

Culture

Adaptations

The tale of Manora was adapted as play in Burma (

), where the character was known as ''Mananhurry'', one of the nine royal daughters that live in a silver mountain, located after "a belt of prickly cane", "a stream of liquid copper" and a "Beloo". Her future husband, Prince Sudhana, was translated as "Thoodanoo", the Prince of Pyentsa. In this version, the princesses fly by the use of an enchanted girdle, and the Manohara-like maiden is captured by a magical slipknot. The characters of the tale are also known in Southeast Asia as ''Kev Monorea'' and ''Preah Sothun''. The tale was also found in the Sanskrit Buddhist literature of Nepal, with the name ''Story of Suchandrima and a Kinnarí'', where the main couple were named Mahonará and Sudhanusha. In another version from Nepal, ''Kinnarí Avadána'', hunter Utpala captures a Kinnari (unnamed in the tale) with a magical noose. Prince Sudhana of Hastiná arrives with his hunting excursion and falls in love with the Kinnari. Another translation named the prince as ''Sudhanu'' and the kinnari as ''Manohara, daughter of King Druma''.

Legacy

Legend of King Thao Sithoanh and Nang Manola at Vat That Luang Prabang Laos

According to James R. Brandon, the story of Princess Manohara and Prince Sudhana is a popular theme in Southeast Asian theatre. It may have inspired the

Manora Manora may refer to: * Manora, Karachi, in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan * Manora, Washim, a taluka in Washim district of Maharashtra, India * Manora Cantonment, in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan * Manora Fort, Karachi, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan * Manora Fort, ...

type of drama dancing, performed in

and

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

. The

Mayilattam Mayilattam is an artistic and religious form of dance performed in the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in reverence to Murugan, a regional form of the Hindu deity Kartikeya Kartikeya (/Sanskrit phonology, kɑɾt̪ɪkejə/; ), ...

(மயிலாட்டம்) is an artistic and religious form of

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

performed in the

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

temples of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

and

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

in reverence to Lord Subrahmanya. Mayilattam performers wear costumes from head to toe like peacock with beak, that can be opened and closed using a thread, and perform specific dances. The performers dance on a tall piece of wood attached at the end of their feet. This art requires extensive training and practise. This dance is performed in all Murugan ( Lord Subrahmanya) temples as a tradition during festivals. But due to the difficulties in practise and less amount of wages for the dancers, the number of Mayilattam performers is decreasing. The

peacock dance The peacock dance or peafowl dance is a traditional Asian folk dance that describes the beauty and the movement of Peafowl, peacocks. There are several peacock dance traditions developed in Asia, including the peacock dances of Myanmar, of the w ...

or peafowl dance is a traditional

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

folk dance A folk dance is a dance that reflects the life of the people of a certain country or region. Not all ethnic dances are folk dances. For example, Ritual, ritual dances or dances of ritual origin are not considered to be folk dances. Ritual dances ...

that describes the beauty and the movement of

. There are several peacock dance traditions developed in

, among others are peacock dances of

, and in the western and northern parts of

West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...

, also peacock dances of Indian subcontinent in Southern

, and

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. In

it is known as the peafowl dance (Merak dance or ''Tari Merak'') and originated in

. It is performed by female dancers inspired by the movements of a peacock and its feathers blended with the classical movements of

Sundanese dance Sundanese dances () is a dance tradition that is a part of ritual, artistic expression as well as entertainment and social conduct among the Sundanese people of West Java and Banten, Indonesia. Sundanese dance is usually cheerful, dynamic and expr ...

. its one of new creation dance composed by Sundanese artist and choreographer Raden Tjeje Soemantri around the 1950s. This dance performed to welcoming honourable guest in a big event also occasionally performed in Sundanese wedding ceremony. This dance also one of Indonesian dance performed in many international events, such as in

Perahara The Kandy Esala Perahera (the Sri Dalada Perahara procession of Kandy) also known as The Festival of the Tooth is a festival held in July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka. This historical procession is held annually to pay homage to the Sacred T ...

festivals in

. Besides, ''

Robam Moni Mekhala Robam Moni Mekhala (Khmer language, Khmer: របាំមណីមេខលា, Moni Mekhala Dance) sometimes known as Robam Moni Mekhala and Ream Eyso (Khmer: របាំមណីមេខលា និង រាមឥសូរ) is a Royal balle ...

'' (, also known as ''Robam Mekhala-Reamesor'') is a

Khmer classical dance The Royal Ballet of Cambodia (, ''Robam Preah Reach Troap'', ) is a classical Khmer dance known for its intricate hand movements and elaborate costumes. Historically linked to the Khmer court, it has been performed at various royal ceremonie ...

that portrays the story of Moni Mekhala and Reamesor. It is part of the ''buong suong'' dance suite that is among the most sacred of Khmer classical dances, serving a ceremonial purpose to invoke rain upon the land. In Thailand, the Mekkhala–Ramasun dance was performed as a ''boek rong'' ('prelude dance') introduction before main performances of ''

lakhon nai Lakhon nai (, ) is a Thai performing art originating in the royal court of Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainlan ...

'' or ''

khon Khon (, ) is a dance drama genre from Thailand. Khon has been performed since the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It is traditionally performed solely in the royal court by men in masks accompanied by narrators and a traditional piphat ensemble. A variati ...

'' dances. The legend was made into a Chinese film in 1963 and 1982 with the same title.

References

External links

ស្នេហាលន្លង់លន្លោចនៃព្រះសុធននាងកែវមនោហរា (រឿងខ្មែរ, រឿងចិន)

Moni Mekhala and Ream Eyso

Phận đời ba công chúa nổi tiếng của Tây Du Ký

{{Swan Maiden Dai people Anthropomorphic birds Fictional kings Fictional princes Fairy tales about princes Fairy tales about princesses Fairy tales about shapeshifting Fairy tales about talking animals Fairy tales about wizards Female characters in fairy tales

History

Plot

Etymology

Culture

Adaptations

Legacy

See also

References

Further reading

Bibliography

Cites

External links