Important Notice

Tanjore Painting
Late 19th Century

Tamil Nadu

Size: 20 x 16 in (50.8 x 40.6 cm)


Rama is one of the ten known incarnations of Lord Vishnu who descended on earth to destroy evil. He was the hero of the Hindu epic Ramayana and the son of king Dasharatha who was compelled to leave his kingdom along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana to be exiled to the forest sans luxury for fourteen long years. It was during this period of exile that Ravana, the king of Lanka, abducted his wife Sita. With the help of his ardent devotee Hanuman and his monkey army, Rama won a prolonged battle against Ravana. He finally vanquished him and brought his wife back.

The subject of this beautiful Tanjore painting is 'The Coronation Ceremony of Lord Rama' - an extremely auspicious subject. It captures a triumphant and emotional moment in the Ramayana. This occurs on his victorious return to his kingdom after a long exile. The moment is quite obviously an occasion of merriment and joy. Lord Rama is shown seated on a throne of gold befitting the king, with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana standing beside him. At the feet of Rama is his indispensable and ardent devotee, Hanuman. Two female attendants are shown holding flywhisks in hand, comforting the Lord, who rests his back against a bolster. There is an august gathering of 'rishis' and 'munis', (sages) who have been invited to grace this wonderful occasion. They are seated to the left, whereas, some of the monkey kings like Sugriva and Angad who helped Rama in rescuing Sita, are shown to the right, with folded hands as a sign of respect for this great Lord. One can't help notice the serenity on the face of Rama as well as his wife Sita. It is a reflection of the goodness within them. Rama is considered to be the epitome of kindness and his devotees are numerous. In front of the whole gathering, one can see an open 'daan peti' or a chest of jewels and gold coins to be given away to the needy and poor on this joyous occasion.

Tanjore paintings originated from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, the present name of Tanjore, a place of great wealth and mighty kings. In this lovely artwork a plank of wood is burnished and smoothened. The outlines of the painting are then made. After this the artist goes on to add gold leaves to dress the work. The final act is that of adding colours and finer details. The bright and colorful Tanjore paintings helped liven up the dark wooden interiors in aristocratic houses in ancient Tamil Nadu.

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