PAHARI SCHOOL, NORTHERN INDIA

THE CORONATION OF RAMA (RAMA DARBAR)
MINIATURE PAINTING, OPAQUE WATERCOLOUR AND GOLD ON PAPER

A DELICATE AND EVOCATIVE INDIAN MINIATURE DEPICTING THE REVERED SUBJECT OF RAMA DARBAR - THE ROYAL COURT OF LORD RAMA FOLLOWING HIS VICTORIOUS RETURN TO AYODHYA. LORD RAMA, RENDERED WITH BLUE SKIN, IS SEATED IN A MAJESTIC AND RELAXED ROYAL POSTURE UPON AN ELEVATED GOLDEN THRONE BENEATH A CEREMONIAL ROYAL UMBRELLA (CHHATRA), WEARING A BRILLIANT SAFFRON ROBE AND INTRICATE CROWN. BEFORE HIM STANDS HANUMAN IN DEEP DEVOTION, HIS HANDS FOLDED IN ANJALI MUDRA. BEHIND THE THRONE STAND SITA, HOLDING A LOTUS BUD, AND LAKSHMANA, CARRYING A BOW AND PEACOCK-FEATHER FLY-WHISK (CHAURI).

THE SCENE IS SET UPON AN ELEGANT PALACE TERRACE, SHELTERED BY A RICHLY COLOURED CEREMONIAL CANOPY (SHAMIANA) SUPPORTED BY SLENDER DECORATIVE PILLARS. A LOW BALUSTRADE FRAMES THE TERRACE, BEYOND WHICH A RESTRAINED PASTEL LANDSCAPE EXTENDS TOWARDS SOFT PINK HORIZONS. EXECUTED IN OPAQUE WATERCOLOUR AND GOLD ON PAPER, THE MINIATURE IS DISTINGUISHED BY ITS DELICATE PALETTE, DEVOTIONAL SUBJECT AND REFINED COURTLY COMPOSITION, CAPTURING THE SPIRITUAL GRANDEUR AND POETIC ELEGANCE OF THE INDIAN MINIATURE TRADITION.