Raja Ravi Varma – "Ramapanchayan": The Divine Court of Ayodhya

Provenance

Created by Raja Ravi Varma in the early twentieth century, Ramapanchayan presents an exalted vision of the royal household of Ayodhya drawn from the Ramayana. The composition centers upon Lord Rama, accompanied by Goddess Sita, his brothers Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna, while the devoted Hanuman is depicted in reverential attendance. Through this harmonious gathering of sacred figures, Ravi Varma encapsulates the ideals of dharma, kinship, devotion, and righteous kingship that lie at the heart of the epic tradition.

Rendered in the artist's celebrated Academic Realist style, the painting combines lifelike modelling, sumptuous drapery, and traditional Hindu iconography to create a devotional image of enduring appeal. The composition was later disseminated through chromolithographs produced by the Ravi Varma Press, enabling sacred imagery to enter homes and places of worship across India. As one of the artist's significant religious works, Ramapanchayan exemplifies Ravi Varma's pioneering role in shaping modern visual representations of Hindu mythology and making them accessible to a wider audience.