plaque
- Museum number
- 1995,1006.1
- Description
-
Ivory plaque with traces of colour and gilt, showing Rāma and Laksmana.
- Production date
- 16thC-17thC (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 14.50 centimetres
-
Width: 9.20 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Dallapiccola 2004:
Rama or Ramachandra is the seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu. His life is narrated in the 'Ramayana', an epic poem in Sanskrit, thought to be composed by the sage Valmiki. Rama was banished from the kingdom of Ayodhya through the intrigues of the youngest of his father's wives who wanted her son to be the heir. Accompanied by his brother Lakshmana and his wife Sita he went to the forest in exile. There the three of them met with a number of adventures which culminated in the abduction of Sita by Ravana, the mighty king of Lanka. Eventually, with the help of the king of the Monkeys and the monkey-hero Hanuman, Ravana was defeated and killed. Sita was rescued but had to prove her chastity by undergoing a fire ordeal. When she emerged from the fire unscathed Rama, Sita and their followers returned to Ayodhya where Rama became king. Shortly after, Rama felt pressurized by public opinion which cast doubts on Sita's chastity after her long stay in Ravana's palace and he banished her from the kingdom. This unleashed a tragic chain of events which overshadowed the last years of his life.
- Location
- On display (G33/dc66a/s1)
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2008 16 May-14 Sept, London, British Library, The Ramayana: Love and Valour in India's Great Epic
- Acquisition date
- 1995
- Acquisition notes
- Said to have been found in a piece of furniture belonging to the Clive family
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1995,1006.1