After Ravana kidnaps Sita, Rama journeys to rescue his wife. On the way, he meets Hanuman, who becomes his faithful servant. In this scene, Rama, Lakshmana, and Hanuman rest in the forest on a leaf mat in a moment of quiet devotion that contrasts…
This figure represents "Mami Wata," the pidgin English term for "Mother of Water," a water spirit who has enjoyed a wide following in Central Africa, West Africa, and regions of the African Diaspora. It was carved by an Ibibio artist living in…
Ravana’s sister Shurpanakha fell deeply in love with Rama when she encountered him in the forest. Rama, faithful to his wife, Sita, rejected the demoness’s advances and incited Lakshmana to punish her by cutting off her ears and nose. This manuscript…
Sons battle their father and uncles in this illustration of a scene from a later version of the Ramayana. Now ruling in Ayodhya, Rama begins the Ashvamedha, a horse sacrifice to define his territory. In this ritual, a horse, followed by the king’s…
Bocio, meaning "empowered cadaver," are power objects (bo) that represent deceased human beings (cio) though the figure may appear to be alive. A bocio is not a spirit, but a kind of decoy meant to trick death by substituting for a real person.…