Image: Battle at Lanka

Ramayana Battle Scene

(British Library: Mewar Ramayana)

From the Library site: Rama has divided his forces, sending the chief monkeys with their separate armies to the four gates of the city. The allies launch a general attack on Lanka, in which many marvellous feats of skill and daring are performed. Rama has sent Angada to Ravana with a message about his impending doom. Enraged, Ravana orders him to be put to death but Angada breaks free (top right) and creates havoc among the demons before escaping. Ravana ascends to the roof of his palace and orders a sortie. Sahib Din combines a bird's eye viewpoint with a conceptual rendering of Lanka allowing him to use a great depth in his paintings in this book.

Detail: Angada's Mission; battles scenes.

Image: Hanuman leaps the ocean

Hanuman's leap over the ocean
circa 1720
(Das Ramayana in der Malerei Indiens)

You can find out more about Hanuman at Wikipedia.

Hanuman, Rama, and Sita

Hanuman, Rama, and Sita, with Lakshmana
circa 1780
(San Diego Museum of Art)


Detail of Hanuman:

Image: Kunti and Pandu

Kunti and Pandu
(Wikimedia)

You can read more about Kunti and Pandu at Wikipedia.

Image: Vasishtha and the Cow

Vasishtha and the Cow
Freer Ramayana, circa 1600
(Wikimedia)

You can find out more about Vasishtha at Wikipedia.

Image: Vishnu and Shesha

Vishnu and Shesha
(Wikimedia)

You can read more about the Ratnalayam Temple in Hyderabad.

Image: Ganesha

Ganesha
early 19th century
(British Museum)

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: Life in the forest

Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita in Panchavati
mid-17th-century
(Mewar Ramayana)

You can read about the region of Panchavati at Wikipedia.

Detail:

Image: Battle of Lanka

The Battle of Lanka
Temple Preah Khan at Angkor
(Wikimedia)

You can find out more about Temple Preah Khan, part of the Angkor Wat complex, at Wikipedia.

Detail:

Image: Lakshmi

Lakshmi
(Wikimedia)

This is Lakshmi-with-elephants, Gajalakshmi.

Image: Kamadhenu

Kamadhenu
(Wikimedia)

This shows Kamadhenu, the "desire-fulfilling" cow, to contain all things, even the gods and goddesses themselves are part of the cow. For more about Kamadhenu and her symbolism, see Wikipedia.

Image: Vishnu on Garuda

Vishnu on Garuda
early 18th century
(Brooklyn Museum)

You can read more about the god Vishnu and his vahana Garuda at Wikipedia.

Image: Shiva

 Shiva in Karnataka
(Wikimedia)

You can read more about Shiva at Wikipedia, and also about Murdeshwar in Karnataka where this statue is located.

Image: Kabandha

Rama, Lakshmana, and Kabandha

(Freer Ramayana)

More about Kabandha at Wikipedia.

Image: Parashurama and Bhishma

Parasurama and Bhisma fighting over Amba

Persian translation of the Mahabharata (Add5639)

(British Library)

For more about Parashurama, Bhishma, and Amba see Wikipedia.

Here is a fuller view:

Image: Mahabali and Vamana

King Mahabali and Vamana

Delhi, 1800

(Sotheby's)

For more about Vamana and Mahabali see Wikipedia.

In the detail you can see how Vamana has poked Shukracharya in the eye with a blade of grass.

Image: Bharata Seeks Rama

Bharata Seeks Rama

(British Library: Mewar Ramayana)

From the Library site: Bharata refused to be installed as king and resolved to find Rama and bring him back to Ayodhya. He set off with the foremost citizens of the city and a huge army and has reached the banks of the Ganges in Guha's kingdom. Bharata tells Guha to fetch enough boats to convey them all over the Ganges. They all then cross the river in flat-bottomed boats driven by paddles and with steersmen with long poles. The largest boat, in which are the princes, the Brahmins and their advisers, has a canopy and also a screen for the queens. Others convey the horses and army, while the elephants with their baggage are driven across by their mahouts. Some men swim across and are helped out of the water by Guha's people on the far bank. The two princes have now resolved to wear ascetics' garments like their exiled brothers.

Image: Kaikeyi and Dasharatha

Kaikeyi and Dasharatha

(Wikimedia: Raja Ravi Varma)

You can find out more about Dasharatha and Kaikeyi at Wikipedia.

Image: Jatayu and Ravana

Jatayu and Ravana
(folio from a Vaidehisha Vilasa / Story of Sita)
(Los Angeles County Museum of Art)

Detail: