Ramayana
Historical background
One of the two great Sanskrit epics of India, the other being the Mahabharata. In its present form the epic consists of disparate elements, including romantic stories, myths, legends and vague historical information.
Date: 18th century
Description: Top row 3 (from left): Rama and Lakshmana spend the rainy season on Malyavanta Hill; Sugriva and Tara enthroned; At the end of the rainy season, Rama sends Lakshmana to remind Sugriva of his promise to help organizing the search for Sita; Lakshmana at Sugriva’s and Tara’s presence; Bottom row 4 ctd. (from right): Hanuman on his way to Lanka; He jumps from Mount Mahendra to Mount Mainaka; He encounters the rakshasi Surasa who swallows him, but he escapes from her ear; At the gate of Lanka he defeats Lankini, and enters Ravana’s palace looking for Sita.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Date: 18th century
Description: Top row 3 ctd. (from left): Lakshmana at the presence of Sugriva and Tara; Lakshmana, Sugriva, Jambavan and Hanuman meet Rama on Malyavanta Hill; Rama entrusts his signet ring to Hanuman. Bottom row 4 ctd. (from right): Sugriva; Jambavan and a third unidentifiable figure; The allies are trapped in Svayamprabha’s cave; Once freed, they meet the vulture Sampati who reveals to them Sita’s whereabouts; Hanuman whiles on the seashore and, encouraged by Jambavan and Sugriva, climbs on mount Mahendra and jumps across the ocean to Lanka; On his way he rests on mount Mainaka.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Date: 18th century
Description: Top row 5 (from left): Hanuman enters Ravana’s garden; Concealed in the crown of a tree beneath which sits Sita, he makes himself known to her and gives her Rama’s signet ring; He then destroys the garden; A guard reports him to Ravana, and the latter sends his son Indrajit to deal with the intruder. Bottom row 6, ctd. (from right): Hanuman with his tail ablaze, sets fire to the stables of the horses and the elephants; He then dips his tail in the ocean, crosses the sea and rejoins Sugriva, Jambavan and the others on the mainland.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Date: 18th century
Description: Top row 5 ctd. (from left): After a fierce fight against Indrajit and his followers, Hanuman is taken captive before Ravana; He sits on his coiled tail on Ravana’s throne; Bottom row 6 (from right): Incensed at Hanuman’s impertinent behaviour, Ravana orders Hanuman’s tail to be set ablaze; Hanuman, then, sets fire to Lanka before flying back to the mainland.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Date: 18th century
Description: Top row 7 (from left): The monkeys revel in the Madhuvana celebrating Hanuman’s return; Bottom row 8 (from right): Ravana consults his ministers; His brother, Vibhishana, and two further rakshasas defect to Rama; They fly to Rama’s camp; The monkeys, uncertain about their intentions wait for them armed with trees.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Date: 18th century
Description: Top row 7 ctd. (from left): Hanuman accompanied by Sugriva reports to Rama and Lakshmana; Hanuman talks to his companions and all together they follow Rama seated on his shoulders; Bottom row 8 ctd.(from right): Rama in council; In Lanka, Ravana consults his ministers.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Date: 18th century
Description: Top row 9 (from left): Vibhishana prostrates before Rama and Lakshmana; He is consecrated king of Lanka by Lakshmana and Sugriva; Vibhishana and Lakshmana, carried in a palanquin, reach the shore of the ocean where Rama lies on a couch of darbha grass. Bottom row 10 ctd. (from right): Having built the causeway, the troops cross the ocean; Rama and Lakshmana direct the attack on Lanka from a hill; Ravana watches the action from atop a gopura; Sugriva jumps on him and steals his crown; Ravana, shocked, descends from the gopura.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Date: 18th century
Description: Top row 9 ctd. (from left): Lakshmana and Vibhishana, carried in a palanquin, reach the shore of the ocean where Rama lies on a bed of darbha grass to propitiate Sagara, the god of the ocean; Sagara does not appear; Rama threatens him with the Agni-astra (fire-weapon); Sagara then appears along with his wives and prostrates before Rama; The monkeys headed by Hanuman, prepare to build the bridge to Lanka. Bottom row 10 (from right): Under Rama’s and Sugriva’s direction they build the bridge.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Description: Top row 10 ctd. (from right): Having built the bridge, the troops cross the strait; From a hill Rama and Lakshmana direct the attack on Lanka; Ravana watches the action from atop a gopura; Sugriva jumps on him and steals his crown; Ravana, shocked, descends from the gopura; Bottom row 11 (from left): Sugriva brings Ravana’s crown to Rama; Rama, Lakshmana, Jambavan and Vibhishana send Angada on a diplomatic mission to Ravana; Angada at Ravana’s presence.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Date: 18th century
Description: Top row 10 (from right): The monkeys build the bridge to Lanka under the direction of Rama, Lakshmana, Sugriva and Jambavan; Bottom row 11 ctd. (from left): Angada at Ravana’s presence sits on his coiled tail; He returns to Rama, Lakshmana and Vibhishana to report the failure of his mission; The troops on the move.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Date: 18th century
Description: Top row 12 ctd. (from right): Ravana enters the battlefield. Lakshmana on Hanuman’s shoulders fights against Ravana, is wounded, but is saved by Hanuman. Bottom row 13 (from left): Lakshmana is revived, and seated on Hanuman’s shoulders, resumes the fight against Ravana.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
Description: Top row 12 (from right): Rama’s troops attack Ravana’s fortress; Angada drags by the hair Ravana’s wife, Mandodari, in the assembly hall; Ravana enters the battlefield on his chariot; Bottom row 13 ctd. (from left): Rama, seated on Hanuman’s shoulders shoots arrows at Ravana but his limbs regenerate; Hanuman, and then Sugriva, fight bare handed against Ravana, who succumbs to Sugriva’s punches and is rescued by two rakshasas.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kallalagar Temple complex;Alagar Koyil
Positioning: Vasanta mandapa, east corridor, ceiling
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