Robam Moni Mekhala (Khmer: របាំមណីមេខលា, Moni Mekhala Dance) sometimes known as Robam Moni Mekhala and Ream Eyso (Khmer: របាំមណីមេខលា និង រាមឥសូរ) is a traditional Cambodian dance. It is a rain dance that explores the Cambodian myth of thunder, lightning, and rain associated with Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Most of the time, this dance depicts the fight between Reamesor and Moni Mekhala where Reamesor (Ramasura/ Parashurama) or Ream Eyso attempts to seize the magical crystal ball from Moni Mekhala and this fighting creates a storm.
Overview
An early record of dance (Khmer: robam/ rabam) is from the 7th century, where the performance was used as a funeral rite for kings. During the Angkor period, dance was ritually performed at temples. The story of Moni Mekhala and Reamesor appears frequently in ritual and Cambodian classical dance. This dance is commonly performed at the New Year's buong suong (propitiation) ritual, marking the beginning of the spring planting cycle.
Story
The dance narrates the Cambodian myth of rain, thunder, and lightning, which is created from the fight between the strong ugly demon male, Ream Eyso (wearing a long-sleeved shirt), and the beautiful female goddess, Moni Mekhala (wearing a short-sleeved shirt), for the control of the magical crystal ball owned by Moni Mekhala.
According to Cambodian legend, a princely manifestation of the earth, Vorachhun, a goddess of the seas, Moni Mekhala, and Ream Eyso (the storm demon) all studied with the hermit known as Lok Ta Moni Eisei. A wise and powerful hermit possessed a magical crystal ball and must decide to which pupil the crystal ball should be given. He proposed a challenge: the students were told to collect a glass of morning dew and the first to present one would be the winner.
The following day, the three attempted to collect the morning dew. Among them, Moni Mekhala had the smartest method, spreading her handkerchief on the grass overnight which by morning was damp. She squeezed the dew into the glass and presented it to the hermit. As a reward for her ingenuity, Moni Mekhala was given a glittering crystal ball, while Ream Esor received a magic diamond axe and Vorachhun a magic dagger.
Jealous of Moni Mekhala, Ream Esor is determined to seize it at any cost. He plans to seize the crystal ball from Moni Mekhala. En-route to Moni Mekhala, Ream Esor met Voracchun and kills him. Then, he found Moni Mekhala, but she reacted with compassion instead of fear and evades Ream Esor. He kept attacking the goddess. However, Moni Mekhala bounces back and giving fights to defend herself. Ream Esor throws his axe at Moni Mekhala, producing thunder but not on targets because Moni Mekhala manages to dodge. When the demon tries to grab the crystal ball, Moni Mekhala sent the crystal ball flying into the sky, producing flashes of lightning that temporarily blind Ream Esor. The goddess escapes into the sky. The friction produces nourishing rain, and the fight continues as the cycle of rain on the earth.
Characters and costumes
The main characters of the dance are Moni Mekhala and Reamesor. In most of the performance, these two characters plays the main role in the dance. In some performances, especially the royal buong suong, Moni Mekhala is performed with many pairs of devatas characters.
The costume wears by characters in Robam Moni Mekhala is similar to that of other traditional dances of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia.
Moni Mekhala
The role of Moni Mekhala wears a decorative gold (crown), kbang (front crown), and (ears decoration jewelry) and adorned with flowers () on both side of the crown.