Image: Rama, Sugriva, and Jambavan

Rama Receives Sugriva, King of the Monkeys,

and Jambavat, the King of the Bears. 

Folio from a Ramayana

Date: ca. 1605

(Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC)

You can read more about Rama, Sugriva, and Jambavan at Wikipedia.

Details below:

Image: Rama and Sugriva; Rama and Vali

Rama and Sugriva;

Rama and Vali

West Bengal, Murshidabad, circa 1770-1775

(LACMA)

You can read more about Vali at Wikipedia.

Details:

Image: Lakshmana confronts Sugriva

Image source: Lakshmana confronts Sugriva
(British Library: Mewar Ramayana)

From the Library site: At the gate of Kiskindha Laksmana is welcomed by Bali's son, Angada, and other monkeys, while inside the palace the crowned Sugriva, seated with Tara on a couch, is advised by his ministers. An arcade has been added to the side of the palace structure to indicate the gateway. Despite Tara's attempt to calm his passion, Laksmana then angrily reproaches Sugriva for neglecting his side of the bargain with Rama.

Detail:

Image: Sugriva Destroys the Parasol

Sugriva Destroys the Parasol

Sukhreep breaks the Pichai Molee parasol (51)

(B.J. McMorrow at pbase)

Thai Rubbings website:

Details:

Image: Rama, Laksmana and Sugriva

Rama, Laksmana and Sugriva
(British Library: Mewar Ramayana)

From the Library site: Sugriva has been brought to his senses and has come with his court to Rama's cave on the Prasravana mountain. Rama, Laksmana and Sugriva are seated on a rocky eminence of pinky brown, with a jade background, with other monkeys below them. Sugriva divides his forces and sends them out to search the four quarters for Sita. He sends Hanuman and his nephew Angada to search the southern region. Convinced that the sagacious and mighty Hanuman will locate Sita, Rama gives him his ring as a token that Hanuman is his messenger. Around them monkeys spring forth to the other three quarters. This is the most dramatic of the paintings in this book; especially effective is the way the springing monkeys are painted against an almost black background.

Detail:

Image: Rama and Lakshmana Meet Sugriva

Rama and Lakshmana Meet Sugriva

(British Library: Mewar Ramayana)

From the Library site: Rama and Laksmana have come upon the great monkey Hanuman, son of the wind god and minister to Sugriva, the exiled king of the monkeys. Sugriva's kingdom and wife have been stolen by his brother Bali. Hanuman has brought Rama and Laksmana into the presence of Sugriva on the Risyamuka mountain. Rama and Sugriva swear friendship, clasping hands and walking round a sacred fire kindled by Hanuman, and afterwards promise each other help: Sugriva to recover his kingdom and Rama his wife. Rama and Laksmana are now depicted without their bark garments. Instead they wear skirts of leaves or animal skins with scarves wound round their upper bodies in the Deccani fashion.

Detail: Rama listens to Sugriva's story

and vows friendship to Sugriva.

Image: Vali and Sugriva

Vali and SugrivaShangri Ramayana circa 1700
(Wikimedia)

Vali and Sugriva fight while Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman watch from in hiding.

Detail:

Image: Death of Vali

Death of Vali

Tara holds her dying husband while their son Angada holds his feet and Hanuman kneels beside them; Sugriva speaks with Rama and Lakshmana.

(Philadelphia Museum)

More about Angada and his father Vali at Wikipedia.

Detail:

Image: Vali and Sugriva fighting

Vali and Sugriva fighting
(Wikimedia)

This sculpture comes from Banteay Srei, in the Angkor region of Cambodia. You can find out more about Vali and Sugriva at Wikipedia.

Detail: You can see Rama firing the fatal arrow.

Detail:

Image: Rama and Sita Enthroned

Rama and Sita Enthroned

Thanjavur, circa 1830

(British Museum)

From the Museum site: Opaque watercolour painting of Rāma and Sīta, enthroned in a palatial hall in Ayodhya, surrounded by Rāma’s three brothers – Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata holding a fly whisk and Shatrughna carrying the umbrella – and the seven mythical rishis. In the foreground Hanumān sits on his coiled tail supporting Rāma’s foot and a priest performs the fire oblation amid Rāma’s allies and courtiers. At the left, Sugriva distributes presents to the guests. A horse and an elephant, symbols of kingship, are at the bottom of the page.

Image: The Monkey Expeditions

The Monkey Expeditions

(British Library: Mewar Ramayana)

From the Library site: The monkey forces have scoured the northern, eastern and western regions in vain and return to tell Sugriva and Rama of their disappointment. Sugriva sits on a rug under a royal umbrella and is offering pan (betel-chews) to the two brothers like any Rajput to his guests. They are surrounded by monkeys tumbling over themselves in their eagerness and agitation.

Detail:

Image: Sugriva and Vali

Image source: Sugriva and Vali
(British Library: Mewar Ramayana)

From the Library site: Outside the palace of Kiskindha, Sugriva roars out his challenge to his usurping brother Bali, so that the very birds fall out of the sky in fright, while Rama and Laksmana and the other monkeys look on from the right. On the left is the monkey king's palace, from which Bali, his queen Tara and ministers have emerged on hearing the uproar. Tara advises him not to fight, but to no avail. Bali and his party all wear human costume, except for turbans, while Bali himself wears a crown. Sugriva then fights Bali but looks as if he might lose. Rama keeps his promise to assist his ally by shooting Bali himself. The dying Bali reproaches him for this apparently underhand action, but Rama reminds Bali that he had basely assaulted Sugriva's wife and hence deserved death.

Detail:

Vali and Tara

Image: Sugriva's Farewell

Rama and Lakshmana with Sugriva

Himachal Pradesh, circa 1700

(Walters Art Museum)

You can find out more about Sugriva at Wikipedia.

Detail:

Image: A Funeral Pyre for Vali

Building a funeral pyre for Vali.

Kangra style, circa 1780

(Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Vali's monkey-widows mourn while Sugriva visits Rama in his cave (Rama is unable to enter the city during his exile), and Sugriva then goes to Kishkindha to be crowned king. You can read more about Vali and Sugriva at Wikipedia.

Details:

Image: Sugriva, Angada, Jambavan

Sugriva, Angada, Jambavan

(British Museum, circa 1820)

More about Angada, Sugriva, and Jambavan at Wikipedia.

Detail:

Image: The bridge to Lanka

Building the bridge to Lanka

(Philadelaphia Art Museum)

More about the bridge to Lanka at Wikipedia, and you can also read about the monkey Nala who led the effort.

Detail:

Image: Sugriva and Vali

Image source: Sugriva and Vali, Cambodian sculpture

Detail:

Image: The ashram of Matanga

Image source: Rama and Lakshmana meet Sugriva in the ashram of Matanga

Detail:

Detail: