The story of Rama first reached Myanmar as it did several Southeast Asian countries with the early Indian traders and merchants, some of whom settled down to form Hindu com-munities.The early Pyu people worshipped some Hindu deities; one of their earliest cities was called Beikthano or Vishnu City, which flourished from about the 1st to 8th century AD. Rama is worshipped by the Hindus as an avatar or incarnation of Vishnu, so the story of Rama might have been known to the Pyu people,though there is as yet no concrete proof.