Five day long Ramayana festival began today in New Delhi with an aim to enhance the India-ASEAN ties. The historical saga is also a popular theme for theatre presentation in ASEAN countries.

Cultural groups from the 10 member-nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are staging musicals and plays based on the epic at the festival celebrating the India-ASEAN dialogue. The festival seeks to underline the common cultural heritage and India's friendship with ASEAN nations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted that the festival is "an important part of a series of events to commemorate 25 years of India-ASEAN relations, the Festival is a fitting prelude to the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit on 25th January."