folio from the Ramayana of Valmiki (The Freer Ramayana), Vol. 2, folio 208; recto: Kumbhakarna yawns as he is roused from sleep; 1597-1605 Nadir (Bihhud), (Indian), Mughal dynasty Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper H: 27.5 W: 15.2 cm Northern India
King Dasharatha emerges in the Ramayana as essentially a noble character, though flawed by the weakness that allowed him to be swayed by his second wife Kaikeyi, whose ambitions for her son caused the king to banish the crown prince Rama for fourteen years. Having succumbed to this pressure, Dasharatha, plagued by regrets, took to
Folio from the Ramayana of Valmiki (The Freer Ramayana), Vol. 1, folio 6; recto: text; verso: A Fowler kills a bird and the cry of its mate gives Valmiki the measures in which he composes the “Ramayana”. Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper H: 27.5 W: 15.2 cm Northern India
Folio from the Ramayana of Valmiki (The Freer Ramayana), Vol. 1, folio 22; recto: Rishi Shringa travels to Ayodhya with Santa. Artist: Govardhan , (Indian, Indian) Mughal dynasty Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper H: 26.5 W: 13.9 cm Northern India
Folio from the Ramayana of Valmiki (The Freer Ramayana), Vol. 2, folio 226. Angada smites the demon Narantaka. Dimensions – height: 27.5 cm (10.8 in); width: 15.2 cm (5.9 in) Medium – gouache, ink and gold on paper
Folio from the Ramayana of Valmiki (The Freer Ramayana), Vol. 1, folio 50; Ahalya falls at Rama’s feet in gratitude for her liberation from Gautama’s curse. Collection – Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Folio from the Ramayana of Valmiki (The Freer Ramayana), Vol. 2, folio 332. gouache, ink and gold on paper width: 27.5 cm (10.8 in) Collection – Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Folio from the Ramayana of Valmiki (The Freer Ramayana), Vol. 2, folio 302; recto: Having flown to the four oceans to perform devotions with the humiliated Ravana at his belt, Vali returns to Kiskindha and mockingly interrogates the raksas.
Folio from the Ramayana of Valmiki (The Freer Ramayana), Vol. 2, folio 227; recto: text; verso: Angada strikes down Devantaka with a tusk torn from Mahodara’s elephant.
Folio from the Ramayana of Valmiki (The Freer Ramayana), Vol. 2, folio 228; recto: text; verso: Hanuman beheads Trisiras 1597-1605 Shyam Sundar, (Indian, Mughal dynasty) Opaque watercolour, ink, and gold on paper H: 27.5 W: 15.2 cm Northern India Collection: Smithsonian’s Museum of Asian Arts