Rama is Reunited With His Mother After His Quest
A scene from the Ramayana, the Indian epic that follows Prince Rama's quest to rescue his beloved wife from the demon King Ravana
Rama with Sita and Lakshmana paying respect to their respective mothers (Early 19th Century) by UnknownNational Museum - New Delhi
After vanquishing and killing the demon king Ravana in an epic battle, Rama accompanied by Sita, Lakshmana, Sugriva, Hanuman and the monkey army fly back to Ayodhya on the magical aerial craft, the Pushpak Vimana.
According to the Ramayana, upon hearing the news that their beloved prince Rama was returning to the kingdom after an exile of fourteen years, the people of Ayodhya were overwhelmed by delight, and anxiously awaited the arrival of Rama, decorating the city with flowers, and bathing the city in light, lighting countless lamps in his honour.
Upon entering the city Rama, Sita and Lakshmana first meet and offer salutations to Rama’s stepmothers’ Sumitra and Kaikeyi..
..and thereafter Rama meets his own mother, Kaushalya who, ‘emaciated with grief in separation from her beloved son’, becomes overjoyed to behold him.
The artist depicts this occasion of homecoming in clear registers that demarcate the various greetings and salutations that take place.
Men and women peep out from doors, windows and balconies watching the homecoming of the returned royals.
There is a profusion of walls and courtyards, turrets, and sloping roofs, balconies and terraces are interwoven by straight and diagonal lines connecting the architectural elements with one another, leading the eye from one building to the next.
The architecture is rendered in a manner that is almost free floating, as if suspended in the air, the levitating frame-like facades floating in the air without any solid support to hold them firmly on the ground.
There is a marked formality and reserve in rendering the figures, their demeanour cold and unaffected..
..unlike thrilled citizens of Ayodhya portrayed in the texts of Ramayana, whose exuberance and delight is barely contained upon the arrival of Rama and his entourage.
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.