Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman in a Boat Drawn by Birds (pounce)

In this drawing, two birds pull a boat leftward. Standing at the front of the boat is the Hindu monkey god Hanuman. Rama, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, is seated at the center of the boat, cross-legged. He wears a crown topped with a large lotus blossom. He is flanked by his wife, Sita, who is seated on the left, and his brother Lakshmana, who stands on the right. Lakshmana holds a large flywhisk and also wears a crown topped with a lotus. The figures all are part of the great Hindu epic, the Ramayana, or “Story of Rama”. The drawing features small holes. The holes represent a transferring technique known as pounce. Powder, such as graphite or chalk, is passed through the holes onto a clean working surface to give an exact copy of the image that is to be copied. Rajput Style, Kota School.