Hanuman, the white monkey-god, appears before Sita and tells her that Rama is trying to rescue her. He brings her Rama's ring to show that he is indeed the prince's envoy and Sita gives him a hairpin to take back to Rama. When Rama finally arrives in Lanka he is met by the evil king's evil son, Megananda, who shoots an arrow at him, but the arrow magically turns into a snake, which ties Rama up. Fortunately, Rama is able to call upon a Garuda, a mythical creature, part-man and part-bird, for assistance and thus escapes. Finally, Sugiwa, the king of the monkeys, comes to Rama's assistance with his monkey army and, after a great battle, good wins out over bad and Rama and Sita return home.
Throughout the dance the surrounding circle of men, all bare-chested and wearing checked cloth around their waists, provide a nonstop accompaniment that rises to a crescendo as they play the monkey army and fight it out with Rawana and his cronies. The chanting is superbly synchronised; members of the 'monkey army' sway back and forth, raise their hands in unison, flutter their fingers and lean left and right, all with an errily exciting coordination.