Ramayana - Kerala Mural Archive

Detail Photos

Deity: Sreeraman Location: Mattancherry Palace Theme: Ramayana Visual Feature: Background pattern Visual Feature: Facial expression detail Visual Feature: Hand gesture (mudra)Visual Feature: Ornamentation

This panel contains scenes from the Ayodhya Kanda and Aranya Kanda of Ramayana. At the bottom left of the panel, there is Dasharatha sitting on his throne, explaining to his minister Sumanthra that he is planning to make Rama his next heir. His wives Kaikeyi and Kausalya are standing nearby. In the next scene, it is possible see Rama, Lakshmana and Sita being taken to the forest by crossing the Ganga with the help of Guha in a boat. Next scene shows Bharata approaching Rama, trying to convince him to return back to Ayodhya. Bharata has his hands folded in Anjali mudra. There is Lakshmana and Shatrughna behind him, along with Sumanthra. Rama is sitting with Sita on his right side. Next scene shows Rama, Lakshmana and Sita going through the forest and encountering the rakshasa called Virata. Upon killing Virata, he emerges as a Gandharva and holds his hands up in Anjali mudra to show his reverence. In the next scene, several sages accompany Rama, Lakshmana and Bharata as they offer their respect to an unknown figure, possibly Vyasa. Portion of this panel is damaged. In the next scene, there is Rama and Sita sitting at Panchavati and is being approached by Shurpanakha in the guise of a golden-skinned woman. In the next scene, Lakshmana chops off the nose, ears and breasts of Shurpanakha as she tries to seduce him. She takes on her original form as she loses her body parts. Rama looks on. The next portion of the panel has been completely lost. Several arrows can be seen in the sky, indicating a fight that ensued between Rama and Shurpanakha's cousin Khara and Dushana.

Iconography

Primary Deity/Figure: Sreeraman
Secondary Figures: Bharathan, Dasharathan, Dushana, Guha, Kaikayi, Kausalya, Khara, Lakshmanan, Shurpanakha, Sita, Sumanthran, Virata, Vyasa
Iconographic Form: Sreeraman (Vishnu's reincarnation)
Iconographic Attributes: Dasharata, green-skinned, sits on his throne. He has a long black beard and wears a red upper garment. Two of his wives, green-skinned Kaushalya and yellow-skinned Kaikeyi, stands nearby. Yellow-skinned Sumantra, who is Dasharata's minister, stands beside him with folded hands in anjali mudra. Dasharatha's one hand is held up in vyakhyana mudra. He seems to be explaining that Rama will be his heir apparent. In the next scene, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana are seen crossing the river Ganga on Guha's boat. Rama is green-skinned, holding a bow and arrow. Sita is golden-skinned, and Lakshmana is golden-skinned with green upper jacket. Rama has a red upper jacket. There is green-skinned Guha with a red upper jacket, with an oar in his hand. He is taking them to the other side of the forest on his golden-colored boat. There are several fishes and other aquatic animals on the bottom of the Ganga river. Next scene shows green-skinned Rama sitting in a padmasana pose with his hands held up in vyakhyana mudra. He is wearing a red upper jacket. Beside him stands golden-skinned Sita. Facing Ram is the yellow-skinned Lakshmana, holding a bow and arrow in his hand with green jacket. Beside him is Bharata, white-skinned with a red upper jacket, with anjali mudra. Behind both of them is Shatrughna, green-skinned, hands in anjali mudra. In the next scene, towards the middle-left of the panel, shows Rama, Sita and Lakshmana walking through the forest. Rama is again green-skinned, wearing a red upper jacket. Sita is golden-skinned, while Lakshmana is golden-skinned with green upper jacket. Rama seems to be attacking a green-skinned demon with large bulging eyes and outstretched tongue. The demon is holding a spear or trident-like weapon in his hand. He is being struck by Rama's arrow. From his hips emerges a Gandharva, golden-skinned, with green upper jacket, raising his hands up in anjali mudra. The demon or asura Virata, who was in the form of a demon, returned to his original form as a Gandharva because Rama killed him. The next scene shows Rama, Lakshmana and Sita at the hermitage. They are offering their salutations to Agastya, who is golden-skinned, with long beard. On the upper left corner of the panel, there is golden-skinned Shurpanakha with one hand on her hips and the other hand resting downwards, standing near Rama and Sita at Panchavati. Rama is again green-skinned and Sita is golden-skinned. The next panel shows Lakshmana, golden-skinned, with green upper jacket, cutting off the nose, ears and breast of Shurpanakha with a sword. Shurpanakha is now in the form of a green-skinned demoness with bulging eyes and open mouth. There are swirly tree branch-like patterns in different portions of the panel.
Rasa: Shanta

Spatial & Architectural

Temple: Palace interior
Zone within Temple: Ramayana Chamber
Position in Pradakshina Sequence: Not Applicable
Adjacent Panels: Ramayanam and Ramayanam

Narrative

Textual Source: Ramayana
Mythological Tale: As Rama gets announced as the next heir apparent, Mandhara, one of Kaikeyi's attendants, goes up to Kaikeyi and poisons her ear against Rama. So she asks for two boons from Dasaratha. One is to make Bharata the next king, and the second is to send Rama to exile in the forest. Dasaratha had to agree to both, and Rama leaves for the forest. Sita and Lakshmana accompanies him. He crosses the Ganga on a boat owned by Guha and reaches the forest. He stays in the forest in Chitrakuta with Bharata, with Lakshmana and Sita. There he is approached by Bharata, who tells him of the death of Dasaratha who died out of grief. He also requests him to come back to Ayodhya to rule as the new king. Rama refuses to break his vow made to his father and instead sends his slippers in his place. Bharata accepts the slippers and goes back to Ayodhya, places them on the throne, and rules on Rama's behalf until he comes back from the exile. Rama along with Lakshmana and Sita continues his journey through the forest. While traveling, he meets with the Virata rakshasa and several other monsters whom he murders. Virata, upon getting killed, turns into a Gandharva, which reveals that the Gandharva was cursed to take the demon form or asura form as part of a curse. They continue their travel and they meet with sage Agasthya on the way, whom they express their reverence by holding their hands together in Anjali Mudra. Shurpanakha approaches Sita and Rama at Panchavati and tries to seduce Rama and Lakshmana. Lakshmana in anger cuts off her nose, ears and breasts, causing her to return to her original form as the demoness Shurpanakha. She complains to her cousins Khara and Dushana, who engage in a battle with Rama and Lakshmana but gets defeated. The panel ends here. Most of the portion involving the battle with Khara and Dushana has been destroyed.
Episode: Ayodhya Kandam, Aaranya Kandam
Position within Narrative Sequence: 3 out of 10

Condition & Documentation

Condition: Fair
Deterioration Type: Plaster loss
Restoration Status: Partially restored
Documentation Type: DSLR full panel
Permission Basis: ASI permission
Date of Documentation: 01/08/2024
Artist: Unknown
Identifier: MCP_P031
Rights / Notes: These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.