Battle between monkeys and demons, from the “Shangri” Ramayana

Cleveland Museum of Art

Battle between monkeys and demons, from the “Shangri” Ramayana

Date
c. 1700
Medium
Gum tempera and ink on paper
Culture
Northern India, Pahari kingdoms
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Institution
Cleveland Museum of Art

When the demon Ravana refused to return Sita to her husband, the divine hero Rama, Ravana sent his army to attack Rama. Rama’s army, made up mainly of monkeys from the forest, fought valiantly using only trees and rocks. The artist creates a tapestry of color and form to convey the confusion of battle. Some of the monkeys bare their teeth in primal screams.

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