Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Fine Arts

Chapter

The Bengal School and Cultural Nationalism

Question:

The painting "Rama Vanquishing the Pride of the Ocean" depicts scene from which of the following epic?

Options:

Rig Veda

Upanishads

Malabarat

Ramayana

Correct Answer:

Ramayana

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option 4- Ramayana

Rama Vanquishing the Pride of the Ocean: This is a Puranic (ancient mythological stories) theme painted by Raja Ravi Varma. He was one of the first Indian painters to use oil paint and master the art of lithographic reproduction for mythological subject. These paintings are, generally, large ones, depicting a historic moment or scene from an epic or a classical text, painted in the midst of a dramatic action. It is intended to be noble, momentous and emotional. This scene is taken from Valmiki Ramayana, where Rama needs to build a bridge in southern India to the island of Lanka for his army to cross the ocean. He prays to the God of Ocean, Varuna, to permit him to cross the ocean but Varuna does not respond. Then, in anger, Rama stands to shoot his fiery arrow into the ocean. Immediately, Varuna appears and appeases Rama. The event depicted in this painting sequentially serves as a springboard for the next one. The story unfolds itself as each painting leaps to the succeeding one, covering in the process not only the major moments in the lives of Rama and Sita but the entire epic. Varma also painted Release of Ahalya, Rama Breaking the Sacred Bow of Siva before his Marriage to Sita, Rama, Sita and Laksmana Crossing the Saryu, Ravana abducting Sita and Opposed by Jatayu, Sita in Ashoka Grove, The Coronation of Rama, etc.