An illustration to a Ramayana series: Sugriva takes Rama and Lakshmana to the mountain cave, North India, Punjab Hills, Kangra, circa 1800

Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal collection.
Doris Wiener, New York, 1975.
Robert and Bernice Dickes, New York.

This painting, from a well-known series, illustrates an event from Kishkindha Kanda (Book 4) of the Ramayana. Rama and Lakshmana are depicted in the upper left corner, flying on the back of the monkey-god, Hanuman, in search of Sita. When Sita was abducted by Ravana, the king of Lanka, she threw down her jewels and other possessions from his flying chariot, in the hope that the trail would guide Rama and Lakshmana to her. Sugriva, the king of the monkeys, is waiting for Rama and Lakshmana on top of the mountains. Later, seated in a mountain cave with his entourage, Sugriva shows some of Sita’s possessions to Rama and Lakshmana, and expresses his wish to help the brothers rescue Sita.

This series was painted in Kangra during the reign of Raja Sansar Chand (1775-1823). Dark foliage and flowering trees against a mountain range rendered in pastel shades are distinct characteristics of this set. A painting from the series depicting the death of Bali, published in Pal 1978, no.78, sold at Sotheby’s New York, Important Indian Miniatures from the Paul F. Walter Collection, 14 November 2002, lot 87. For an illustration set in a similar landscape with Hanuman and the search party entering the Rakshila cavern, see Galloway 2006, no.53. A further painting from the series depicting Hanuman flying across the ocean is published in Galloway 2008, no.37.