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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)

Unknown

1770

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Mughal Painting Romanticism 18th Century Religious Madhya Pradesh

Dominant colour

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) is a 1770 unspecified by Unknown, a Mughal Painting work, depicting Madhya Pradesh, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1770 · Mughal Painting
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see two men fighting a giant blue demon in a dark forest. One man holds a bow, the other a sword. A woman watches from behind a tree. This painting tells part of an old Indian story called the *Ramayana*. The demon was once a musician cursed to live as a monster until the hero Rama killed him. The bright colors and flat shapes make it feel like a storybook, not a real battle. To see more paintings like this, look up the Rajput kingdom of Datia.

The story of this work

Overview

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.