Coronation of Rama, Folio from a Ramayana (Adventures of Rama)

* Nearly 20,000 images of artworks the museum believes to be in the public domain are available to download on this site. Other images may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights. By using any of these images you agree to LACMA's Terms of Use.

Coronation of Rama, Folio from a Ramayana (Adventures of Rama)

India, Himachal Pradesh, Kangra, circa 1825
Drawings; watercolors
Ink and opaque watercolor on paper
Image: 7 3/8 x 10 1/8 in. (18.73 x 25.72 cm); Sheet: 9 1/4 x 12 3/4 in. (23.49 x 32.38 cm)
Gift of Marilyn Walter Grounds (M.79.252.3)
Not currently on public view

Curator Notes

The Ramayana (Adventures of Rama) narrates the epic saga of the valiant Prince Rama and his dutiful wife, Princess Sita, who was abducted by Ravana, the arrogant ten-headed King of Lanka (probably mod...
The Ramayana (Adventures of Rama) narrates the epic saga of the valiant Prince Rama and his dutiful wife, Princess Sita, who was abducted by Ravana, the arrogant ten-headed King of Lanka (probably modern Sri Lanka), during Rama's unjust fourteen-year forest exile. To rescue Sita, Rama and his faithful brother Lakshmana assembled a great army of monkeys and bears led by the Monkey-King Sugriva, his Monkey-General Hanuman, and the Bear-King Jambavan. This illustration is from Book 6 (Yuddha kanda) where Rama, after defeating Ravana and returning to his capital of Ayodhya, is coronated by the Vedic sage Vasishtha (Ramayana 6:116:54-56). In the center, the nimbate Rama sits enthroned with his wife Sita under the royal parasol. Behind them are Lakshmana, waving an honorific fly whisk made from the white tail-hairs of a yak (cauri or chowri); Bharata, who served as Rama’s regent during his exile and holds an honorific peacock feather fan (morchal); and Shatrughna, who was Lakshmana’s twin and Bharata’s acolyte. Beneath Lakshmana is King Vibishana, the younger brother of Ravana who defected to Rama’s side and provided strategic advice. A group of Brahmans stands in front of Vibishana. Facing the royal couple are the four-headed Brahma, the four-armed Vishnu, Shiva carrying a trident, and other deities. In the lower left corner are the nimbate Moon-God Chandra and, beneath him, the nimbate Sun-God Surya. In front of them are Sugriva, Hanuman, the Monkey-Prince Angada, and Jambavan.
More...