Nang yai is a form of shadow play found in Thailand. Nang Yai literally means "large shadow puppet".
Nang yai is a form of shadow play found in Thailand. It is now confined almost exclusively to the southern part of the country. Puppets are made of buffalo hide, while the story is narrated by songs, chants and music. Nang Yai literally means "large shadow puppet". It is a high art form that originated the beginning of the fifteenth century CE. Nang yai performances were a popular means of entertainment during the Ayudhaya period and are mentioned in a poem called Bunnovat Khamchan written by the Buddhist monk Mahanag sometime around the years 1751 to 1758 CE, at the end of King Boromakot's reign. Nang Yai is the source of modern mask dance, and incorporates various episodes of an Indian epic called Ramakien in Thai and Ramayana in India. Nang yai performance also adopts the Ramayana as a leading story and the performance is episodic in each show.
Size: 5400px × 3599px
Location: Wat Khanon temple, Photaram, Ratchaburi province, Thailand
Photo credit: © Michiel Bosch / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: art, artistic, asia, asian, buffalo, culture, dance, east, entertainment, form, hide, khanon, mask, museum, nang, performance, photaram, play, puppet, puppetry, ramakien, ratchaburi, shadow, south, thai, thailand, theater, theatre, traditional, wat, yai
