Ravana in the Battle of Lanka
Ravana in the Battle of Lanka
Seated on a beautifully decorated chariot driven by multiple lions (or dragons) is Ravana, the king of Lanka and the antagonist of Rama in Ramayana, leading his warriors in the epic battle against Rama.
The bas-relief depicts him with ten heads and twenty arms, which is his typical iconography. As you can see, Ravana is in battle mode. He is holding a variety of weapons with his hands, including bow and arrows, gadās, and astras (arrows that posses supernatural destructive power).
While Ravana is leading his charge, a monkey warrior is lunging at him on the left-hand side. Ramayana describes this monkey warrior as Nila, the commander-in-chief of the vānara sené (army of monkey warriors) and builder of Rama Sethu (the bridge between India and Lanka). Charging with Ravana are his warriors carrying gadās (maces).
The entire Battle of Lanka bas-relief covers the western half of the north side gallery built on the perimeter of the lower level of the Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Check the Angkor Wat Temple Layout for the exact location of the Battle of Lanka bas-relief.
Read the Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs page for a detailed description of this and other bas-reliefs.
Related Images
– A Monkey Warrior Subduing Two Lions
– A Monkey Warrior Straddled on the Heads of Two Lions
– A Combat Scene in the Battle of Lanka
– Ravana shaking Mount Kailash – A bas-relief carved on the pediment of the Banteay Srei Temple in Cambodia
Related Pages
– Angkor Wat, Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei
– Phnom Kulen, Tonlé Sap, Cambodia
– Bali, Prambanan, Borobudur, Indonesia
Copyright © 2020 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.