Ahalya Shaap Vimochan or the Release of Ahalya

The tale of Ahalya is primarily found in the Bala-kandam of the Ramayana by Valmiki. Ahalya was a princess from the Puru Dynasty and was the wife of a great saint Gautama. Ahalya's phenomenal beauty was besotted by Indira who was intent on seeking her companionship. Indra disguised himself as Gautama and Ahalya allowed Indra into her home. Gautama returned from his prayer to discover the misdeed. In addition to cursing Indra, he cursed Ahalya to turn to stone. The curse was to be absolved only when Sri Rama entered the precincts of the ashram. The curse of Ahalya is finally absolved when Sri Rama visits the ashram of Gautama before he reaches Mithila for the swayamvar of Sita accompanied by the great sage Vishwamitra and his brother Lakshmana. In this painting by Raja Ravi Varma Ahalya is being absolved of the curse under the blessing of Sri Rama who is accompanied by sage Vishwamitra and Lakshmana. This painting would have been an exemplar for the printing of chromolithographs at the Ravi Varma Press.