The Panji story is a heroic tale dealing with the love, disguises, and adventures of a legendary Prince. This tale originated in East Java around the thirteenth century and has since spread throughout Southeast Asia. Since 2017, the Panji story has been acknowledged as part of Thai world heritage when the collections of Panji manuscripts were included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

The Panji story was introduced to Thailand around the eighteenth century. “Inao” is a well-known Thai version of the Panji story, presenting the typical plot and theme, including love, disguises, and, of course, that prince. The Thai version of the Inao story began to flourish within the context of the royal court in Bangkok before spreading widely among the public. To this day, Inao has not only been preserved as a quintessential example of Thai cultural heritage but is also manifest in an endless range of artistic and cultural productions. This presentation will examine the development of the Inao tradition in Thailand and its adaptation to changing social contexts.

Online-Lecture & in English

Friday, 19 April 2024 14h—16h (CET)

Click or Copy:
https://uni-hamburg.zoom.us/j/64563521222?pwd=OEdSbENCOUV2Ynl5ZUdnNG5mM1pwQT09

Meeting-ID: 645 6352 1222 || Passcode: hgtlecture

Assoc. Prof. Thaneerat Jatuthasri (Ph.D.) is a lecturer at the Department of Thai, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, where she teaches classical Thai literature and literary performance. She received a PhD in Thai literature from Chulalongkorn University. Her research focuses on the Inao story in various fields, including literature, manuscripts, and the performing arts, as well as the relationship between Thai and other Southeast Asian Panji stories.