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.
