AHILYODDHAR
Lithograph on Paper
Circa
1900
Size (cms)
35 X 50.1
Artist
Raja Ravi Varma - Active
Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906) was a celebrated Indian painter known for blending European academic art techniques with Indian subjects, making classical Indian art accessible to the masses. Born into an aristocratic family in Kerala, Varma mastered oil painting and is renowned for his depictions of scenes from Indian epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana. He often portrayed Indian gods, goddesses, and historical figures with lifelike realism, drawing inspiration from traditional Indian aesthetics and the techniques of Western realism. His works not only influenced Indian art but also popularized mythological characters across the country, partly due to his pioneering efforts in lithography, which made his paintings widely available as prints.
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Publisher
Anant Shivaji Desai
Printer
Ravi Varma Press, Karla - Lonavla.- Active
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The lithograph Ahilyoddhar by Raja Ravi Varma beautifully portrays the moment of Ahalya’s liberation. Lord Rama and Sage Vishwamitra are seated beneath a tree in the forest, with Lakshmana standing beside them. In front of them, Ahalya sits with folded hands, surrounded by stones, symbolizing her long years under the curse.
Ahalya, the wife of Sage Gautama, was deceived by Indra, who took Gautama’s form to be with her. Upon discovering the betrayal, Gautama cursed Indra to lose his strength and turned Ahalya into stone, declaring that only the touch of Rama would restore her. Many years later, as Rama journeyed with Lakshmana and Vishwamitra, his feet touched the stone, breaking the curse. Ahalya emerged, radiant, and humbly offered her respects to Rama.
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