Hanuman pays homage to Rama and Sita

The adoration of Rama is a popular iconographic theme, depicting Rama carrying a bow and arrow enthroned along with the ever faithful Sita next to him. They are seated on a golden throne against a large green bolster. On the right is Lakshmana the younger brother of Rama, carrying a fly whisk in his right hand. Facing Rama is Hanuman, Rama’s greatest devotee, standing with his hands folded in reverence.

Framed with the conventions of the style, the artist renders the painting calm assurance. Cleanly modelled forms are drawn firmly and with clarity, and they are set apart from each other against the warm flat red- brown colour of the background. A wiry line defines the figures, with very light modelling used. Large expressive eyes fill the faces and the pursed lips are tinted slightly in red, appearing around the area of the eyes and the upper cheek.

A wavy fringe of white and inky blue marks an uneven horizon with light wisps of clouds marking it. The ground is lightly defined in pale green against which precisely painted tufts of grass stand out.

The artist renders with suave precision designs on the textiles, crowns, and throne. All the figures are richly adorned wearing lavish jewellery of pearls, emeralds, rubies studded in gold.

Elegance is enhanced by the strong colouring against which delicate details like hair, ornaments and painted designs on the face spin a filigree of intricacy. With extreme delicacy is rendered Sita’s diaphanous ordhni, barely perceptible in its transparency with sinuous lines of white around the head, chest and thighs that suggest it being wrapped around her body. Similar light touches render the transparent yellow patka of Rama.

The artist delights in minutely rendering exquisite details - the fly whisk of Lakshmana with black looped beaded string, and the diaphanous scarf that he holds in his left hand. Hanuman’s long wrap waves in the slight wind; its lightness wonderfully captured, as is the chevron printed tassel that hangs from Hanuman’s sword, or the little pearls that dangle from the intricately jewelled crowns of Hanuman, Lakshmana and Rama, or the tiny pearl on the head tikka of Sita.

Rama’s eyes are rendered slightly pink towards the edges, and metaphorically liken his eyes to that of a lotus; a trait he displays as an incarnate of Vishnu, who is referred to as ‘the Lotus-eyed’.