Rama and Lakshmana confront Lava and Kush (Sri Ram Lakshman O Lva Kusher Yuddha)

In this scene from the epic Ramayana, the brothers Rama and Lakshmana confront two young twins, Lava and Kush. Both parties are unaware that the twins are actually Rama’s sons, born by Sita. The boys have tethered a horse, at center, that Rama has declared should roam freely; its wanderings would have marked the borders of his kingdom. By impeding the horse’s movement, the twins jeopardized this ritual process and instigated a terrible battle. This version of the story is found only in the Bengali rendering of the Ramayana, written by the poet Krittibas Ojha in the fifteenth century. The choice of subject matter assumes a good knowledge of Hindu mythology and literature, suggesting that this painting, one of a set, was intended for an educated Hindu market.