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Hanuman finds Sita under a tree and stops her suicide (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 finds Sita under a tree and stops her suicide (Thai Ramayana mural at Emerald Buddha Temple)

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The monkey god Hanuman finds Sita under a tree planning suicide because she sees no way out of her captivity by the demon king Ravana. Hanuman and Sita appear two times around a tree at the center of the landscape scene, which shows a mountain in the background to the right and one of Ravana’s palace courtyards to the left. The left pair of images depicts a prior event to the right pair of images.

The Sita figure at the left stands startled with her hands in the air as she first sees Hanuman the monkey god approaching her from the branches of the tree. The Sita at right now is kneeling and listening to the Hanuman figure on the ground below her as he shows her Rama’s ring to give her hope of a rescue.

Despite Ravana’s ardent advances, Sita has remained faithful to Rama, meditating every day under a tree outside Ravana’s palace. Before Hanuman’s arrival, she considers hanging herself rather than submit to the demon god Ravana’s unceasing attentions.

Hanuman arrives just in time to save Sita. Hanuman carries a ring sent by Rama and the good news that Rama and the monkey armies are coming soon to rescue Sita.