Narada visits Valmiki

Episodes from the Ramayana: This picture depicts a hermitage (“asrama”) in a bucolic setting that matches the rich poetic descriptions of the text. On the left, the youthful divine messenger Narada, with golden “vina” beside him, is seated in conversation with the elderly bearded Valmiki, whose purity is conveyed by his whiteness. A thatched hut forms the background, and a deer and a peacock convey the tranquil atmosphere of the hermitage. Then, in accordance with the continuous mode of narration (despite the influence of European painterly traditions), we are shown the scene of farewell on the right and, finally, Narada floating off to the celestial regions on clouds.

It is generally considered that this series may have been painted for Samsar Chand (r. 1775-1823) of Kangra, who was an avid patron of artists