A tale of love, loyalty, betrayal and the victory of good over evil, the Ramayana is one of the world’s great epics. It is ubiquitous in Indian life and culture as popular entertainment and moral guidance.
The best known form of the story is attributed to a transcription by Valmiki, a poet of the fourth century BCE, but the Ramayana has as many variants as it does narrators. In this extraordinary exhibition, the Ramayana is told through one hundred and one paintings, each illustrating a key moment from the narrative. It begins with a painting of the sage Narada asking Valmiki to write the story.
National Gallery of Australia
Until 23 August, 2015
Australian Capital Territory
Basohli style, Pahari The portrait of Rama, c 1730, opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Courtesy National Museum, New Delhi
