LORD RAMA'S CORONATION SCENE IN AYODHYA
Mewar, Rajasthan, North-Western India, 19th century

Opaque pigments heightened with gold and silver on paper, the large vertical-format composition depicting a crowded scene featuring Lord Rama and his court (Rama Durbar) witnessing the Hindu god's coronation as the rightful king of Ayodhya, in the centre of the scene Rama enthroned and seated under a caparisoned golden parasol, his beloved Sita seated next to him, in front of the couple two Brahmin priests blessing the god's forehead with a ritual bindu (mark) and holding a ceremonial brazier, the scene observed by other major Hindu gods like Brahma, Indra, Ganesha and Shiva, several Indian rulers, and a contingent of the Monkey King Sugriva's court including Hanuman on the lower left corner, with dancers in the foreground, and musicians in the background, set within red and white rules, and yellow and bright red borders, mounted, glazed, and framed, 47.5cm x 40cm including the frame.