Assistant Professor in Drawing and Painting (Western Style), Government College of Art and Craft, Calcutta.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21659/jsae/v3n1/v3n108
[Article History: Received: 14 April 2026. Accepted: 12 August 2026. Published: 31 August 2026]
Abstract
The Ramayana, attributed to the sage Valmiki, has profoundly influenced Indian art and culture for centuries. In Bengal, the epic’s narratives have inspired a wide range of visual and performance forms, including manuscript and miniature paintings, patachitras, sculptures, modern paintings, songs, folk dances, folk dramas, films, and television serials. West Bengal, India, is celebrated for its terracotta temples. The walls of these temples, especially those built from the medieval period to the end of the nineteenth century, are richly adorned with a diverse range of subjects, including key episodes from the Ramayana. The present study primarily aims to identify visual representations of the Ramayana and to examine the extent to which the regional and cultural factors of Medieval Bengal influenced these representations. Further, the study explores possible sources of inspiration for terracotta artisans behind such visual innovations. The primary materials for this research consist of terracotta panels depicting episodes from the Ramayana on temple walls across West Bengal. Secondary sources include books, journals, theses, and conference proceedings accessed through libraries and digital repositories. The study employs the formal analytical approach of art history to examine compositional structure, iconography, and stylistic features, complemented by close literary comparisons to achieve a nuanced understanding of the narratives.
Keywords: Ramayana, Terracotta Temples, Visual Storytelling, Regional Interpretation, Medieval Bengali Culture, Krittibas Ojha
