Ravana visits the moon, illustration from the Ramayana, Udaipur, 1653
Ravana, the ten-headed demon king, ascends higher and higher, travelling past the source of the Ganges, where elephants frolic in sacred waters. Two garudas (man-bird deities) and two birds approach from the left, indicating the aerial realms that Ravana traverses. The moon is symbolically shown on the right and the steel-grey background represents its icy climate. Brahma, creator of the universe, intervenes and begs Ravana to turn back.
With thanks to the British Library
