Cleveland Museum of Art

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)

Date: c. 1770
Medium: gum tempera and gold on paper
Culture: Central India, Bundelkhand Region, Madhya Pradesh, Rajput Kingdom of Datia
Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Institution: Cleveland Museum of Art
Object ID: 314412

From the Cleveland Museum of Art record

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. Rama is depicted with a green complexion in central and southern India.

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Provenance & credit

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Credit line: Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
Provenance: Heeramaneck Galleries, New York, NY | Terence McInerney | May 1981: (Sotheby’s, Parke-Bernet, New York, NY, May 1981 sale, lot 18, sold to Ralph and Catherine Benkaim) | 1981–2018: Catherine Glynn Benkaim and Ralph Benkaim Collection | 2018–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

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