Rama and Lakshmana slay the demon giant Viradha, from Chapters 2 through 4 of the Aranya Kanda (Book of the Forest) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey) (c. 1770): Art, History and Details

Rama and Lakshmana slay the demon giant Viradha, from Chapters 2 through 4 of the Aranya Kanda (Book of the Forest) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey) (c. 1770) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Viradha was once a celestial musician named Tumburu, who was cursed by Kubera, guardian king and god of wealth, to turn into a demon until he was killed by Rama. During their exile, when the hero Rama, his brother Lakshmana, and wife Sita were venturing in the Dandaka Forest, the demon appeared in front of the divine party and abducted Sita. Rama and Lakshmana slayed the demon and rescued Sita, and Viradha was freed from his curse.

Object facts

• Title: Rama and Lakshmana slay the demon giant Viradha, from Chapters 2 through 4 of the Aranya Kanda (Book of the Forest) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey)
• Date: c. 1770
• Culture: Central India, Bundelkhand Region, Madhya Pradesh, Rajput Kingdom of Datia
• Type: Painting
• Technique: gum tempera and gold on paper
• Dimensions: Overall: 21 x 29.8 cm (8 1/4 x 11 3/4 in.); Painting: 19 x 28 cm (7 1/2 x 11 in.)
• Collection: Indian Art
• Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• Accession number: 2018.122

A detail from the museum

Rama is depicted with a green complexion in central and southern India.

Collection credit

Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.