Bid & Hammer > Jatayu Vadha by Painter Prince Ravi Varma (1848-1906)

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RAJA RAVI VARMA (1848 - 1906)

ASN0007 Auction Type: Live Floor

Jatayu Vadha
Oil on Canvas
Signed & dated 1895 bottom left
Dimension: 90 x 64 cms

R 1,35,00,000 - R 1,75,00,000

Provenance Provenance

Property of a prominent collector, who acquired it directly from the descendants of the Travancore Royal Family from Nagerkovil in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, in the 1970s.

Literature Literature

When the trio (Rama, Sita and Lakshmana) were at Panchavati, Sita insists to capture a deer. The deer was an illusionary form of Maricha. Rama chases the deer and after hearing a call from the deep forest, supposedly by Rama, Sita asks Lakshmana to help Rama. After the departure of Lakshmana, Sita is left alone. At this moment Ravana appears in the guise of an ascetic and Sita is then forcibly carried away by the evil Ravana.

After the abduction of Sita, when Ravana was en-route to his islands, Jatayu fights with Ravana to rescue Sita. But Ravana overpowers Jatayu. Ravana cuts the wings and feet of Jatayu and he falls on the ground. While searching for Sita, Rama spots the dying Jatayu who informs him that Ravana has abducted Sita.