The Ramayana 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 from his capital of Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. To rescue Sita, Rama and his faithful brother Lakshmana assembled a great army of monkeys and bears led by the Monkey-King Sugriva and his Monkey-General Hanuman. After several magical battles, the princess was freed, and the happy couple triumphantly returned home to rule their kingdom. Rama and Sita epitomize the ideal ruler and the paragon of fidelity in Hindu culture.
This illustration is from Book 6 (Yuddha kanda). It depicts the ferocious siege of the Lanka fortress before Indrajit, the elder son of Ravana who had been given a boon of invisibility by Brahma, struck down Rama and Lakshmana with magical arrows in the form of great serpents (Ramayana 6:31-34).
In the foreground, Rama and Lakshmana shoot barrages of arrows at the demonic defenders of the impregnable fort. Sugriva, Hanuman, the Bear-King Jambavan and their simian and bruin forces are directed where to attack by Vibishana, the younger brother of Ravana who defected to Rama’s side and provided strategic advice during the assault. In the upper right corner, the enraged Ravana watches helplessly as his citadel goes up in flames. Monkeys cross the moat and scale the hillside to join the fierce fighting at the base of the ramparts.
