Template:Bridge to Lanka

This episode from the Ramayana story depicts the building of causeway from the mainland (of India) to Langka (Sri Lanka). God Rama, heir to the Indian throne of Ayodhya, seeks to rescue his wife Sita, who has been abducted by the demon king Rawana and taken to his island fortress of Langka. While Rama raises the animal kingdom into an army, Hanoman, the White Monkey general, flies to Langka to find Sita. The army that finally sets her free, crosses the sea on a bridge built by warrior monkeys.

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Kamasan work, on bark-cloth. Probably first half of the 19th century. Obtained from the temple Jero Kapal, in Gelgel. Bark-cloth, usually imported from Sulawesi, gave a good absorbent surface, which did not need the rice paste preparation that was essential for woven cloth, although it is less strong and tends to erode at the edges. This painting has been protected by a cloth strip sewn round the edges, probably in the 20th century. The colours are all local Balinese ochres. The only imported colours used are kincu and black ink, which were imported from China. This suggests that the painting was done before any trade in paints of European origin was established. The work is halus and extremely finely drawn and detailed. It is one of the finest, and very probably the oldest, in the collection.

The episode shown is the building of a causeway from the mainland (of India) to Lanka (Ceylon). The monkeys' work is supervised by Nala. In the centre with a flaming headdress rocks are being passed along from both sides by lines of peluarga and monkeys. The diver animal origins of Rama's peluargo allies are well represented. In the top row of the ridi hand group for example, there is from the left, a monkey face with a sun and moon head dress, a pig face, a deer, an elephant, and a snake. Below them at the extreme right is a man converted into a peluarga.

To the upper left, Rama, Laksamana, Vibisana, and Sugriwa the monkey king, look on up above. Hanoman flies across the strait, and on either side of him, heavenly resi observe the activities below. In the top right corner is a separate scene, bordered by black mountains, the raksasa king, Rawana, receives a report of the approaching army, probably from Shukasharana, with Delem and Sangut behind him.

At the bottom left. Twalen and Morda are as usual not working, but have been catching fish, while various monkeys are shown bathing, riding a turtle, and being eaten by a sea monster.

Across the bottom of the painting is a frieze of animals and one monster (at the far left). Such a panel is referred to as tantri (cf. No. 3).

The painting is remarkable for the use of washes of grey and black, instead of the blue powder colour found in later paintings. Indeed more black is used throughout this painting than was customary later. Another interesting detail not found in later paintings is the little human sirih-box bearer by Rama's side. These details aside, the painting shows all the stylisations and conventions that were still standard a hundred years and more later, and demonstrates the very slow rate of change in this type of Balinese painting.