Rama, the seventh avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu, the Hindu god of preservation, epitomizes righteousness and caste duty (dharma) in traditional Hindu culture. He is the protagonist of the Ramayana (Adventures of Rama), dating from the 4th century BCE–2nd century CE and traditionally ascribed to the celebrated poet-sage Valmiki. 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 Demon 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, Sita was freed, and the couple triumphantly returned home to rule their kingdom.
Rama is portrayed here as an archer warrior wearing a royal tunic and cross belt (chanavira). His right hand is held in the ‘fear-not’ gesture (abhaya mudra). His left hand grasps the remanent of his bow. He is identified as Rama by an inscribed inscription in late Brahmi script of the 3rd–4th century. Attributed to the circa 4th century, this is believed to the earliest extant definitive representation of Rama. See Parul Pandya Dhar, “Epic Visions in Terracotta, Stone, and Stucco: Ramayaṇa in Indian Sculpture (Beginnings to 8th Century CE),” in Parul Pandya Dhar, ed., Connected Histories of India and Southeast Asia: Icons, Narratives, Monuments (New Delhi: Sage Publications, 2023), pp. 136-137, fig. 7.5.
