AM E074168 Ramayana

Bridge to Langka

Building of a causeway from the mainland (of India) to Langka (Ceylon). The monkey's work is supervised by Nala, in the centre with a flaming headdress. Rocks are being passed along from both sides by lines of peluarga and monkeys. The diverse animal orgins of Rama's peluarga allies are well represented. In the top row of the right hand group for example, there is from the left, a monkey face with a sun and mood headress, a pig face, a deer, an elephant, and a snake. Below them at the extreme right is a man coverted into a peluarga. To the upper left, Rama, Laksamana, Vibisana, and Sugriwa the monkey king, look on. Up above, Hanoman flies across the strait, and on either side of him, heavenly resi observe the activiteis below. In the top right corner is a separate scene, bordered by black mountains; the raksasa king, Rawana, receives a report of the approaching army, probably from Shukasharana, with Delem and Sangut behind him. At the bottom left, Twalen and Morda are as usual not working, but have been catching fish, while various monkeys are shown bathing, riding a turtle, and being eaten by a sea monster. Across the bottom of the painting is a frieze of animals and one monster (at the far left). Such a panel is referred to as tantri (cf E74170) [ref Forge catalogue, 1978]