Sita is approached and abducted by Ravana (Thai Ramayana mural)
About this photograph
- Creator
- Margery H. Freeman
- Date created
- Unknown
- Location
- Bangkok, Thailand
- License
- This photograph copyright ©2006. Terms of use
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Sita is approached and then abducted by the demon king Ravana as shown in two adjacent images on a mural at the Emerald Buddha Temple.
On the left, Ravana tries to trick Sita by posing as a gentle hermit. On the right, Ravana is shown as himself, in demon form, carrying her away by force when she does not leave willingly with the hermit. Note that the wall with an open gate that surrounds Sita’s pavillion serves as the visual border between the two chronological scenes in which Sita appears.
Rama and Laksman are not there to protect Sita because Sita sent Rama to the forest to capture a golden deer, which was really a demon sent to draw Rama away from Sita. Laksman also left Sita alone because a demon pretended he was Rama in the forest calling for Laksman’s help.
This image was photographed in August 1984.
