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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Hanuman looks for Sita in Ravana's bedroom (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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Hanuman looks for Sita in Ravana's bedroom on Thai Ramayana mural at Emerald Buddha Temple

Sizes available: 683×1024 | 333×500

After looking for Sita in many rooms of Ravana’s palace, Hanuman reaches Ravana’s bedroom in this scene painted at the Emerald Buddha Temple. Once again, Sita is not there. Ravana is sleeping with one of his own wives. Hanuman stands quietly behind the sleeping couple with a sword held upright in his hand.

We view the scene through an open front arch, which allows us to look into the tiered-roof royal pavillion bedchamber and see the top half od the selleping couple. Ravana and one of his wives sleep side by side on a blue bed with a triangular bolster cushion as a common pillow.

In the Ramayana story, when Hanuman does not find Sita hidden in these demon bedrooms, he proceeds to search for her elsewhere on Ravana’s island of Lanka. He then finds her hidden in the forest.