Maruti Hanuman

An embellished postcard depicting Maruti (Hanuman) carrying the Dronagiri mountain. Printed in Germany for the Indian market.

In the story of the Ramayana during the battle, Laksmana is rendered unconscious and near death by the Brahmastra by Ravana's son Indrajit. Sent to fetch the medicinal herb Sanjeevani from the Dronagiri mountain, Hanuman is unable to locate the right herb. He therefore uproots the entire mountain, and flies back to the battlefield to help revive Lakshmana and the other soldiers who had fallen prey to this powerful weapon bestowed upon Indrajit by Brahma.

The practice of embellishing prints by hand emerged in India in the late 19th century. Fabrics, sequins and beads were sewn onto the prints, and in some cases, even semiprecious gemstones and 'zari' or gold and silver threads were used – adding a new visual, tactile and representational dimension to the prints.