{"product_id":"ravana-in-tholu-bommalata-by-sindhe-siva","title":"Ravana in Tholu Bommalata by Sindhe Siva","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis fierce Tholu Bommalata artwork by Sindhe Siva depicts Ravana, the ten-headed king of Lanka and the formidable antagonist of the Ramayana, rendered through the traditional shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh in a form that conveys regal grandeur and power. As the grand adversary who sets the main conflict of the epic in motion, Ravana occupies a position of essential narrative weight within the artform's traditional repertoire. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTholu Bommalata, the \"dance of leather puppets\" is a shadow theatre tradition of the Telugu-speaking Deccan with a history reaching back some two thousand years. Its performances are historically drawn from a Telugu version of the Ramayana compiled for the shadow stage, alongside episodes from the Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana. Puppets are cut from goat, deer or buffalo hide, cleaned and treated over roughly two weeks until translucent, then hand-painted with natural dyes and finely perforated so that, held before a lit screen, each figure glows as a vivid, coloured shadow. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRavana is depicted in his iconic Dashanana (ten-headed) form, featuring a prominent, central forward-facing head flanked by nine smaller heads arranged horizontally, each crowned with an elaborate gold and red kirita. His complexion is rendered in a warm tone, highlighted by intense, wide-set eyes and a thick, curving black mustache that emphasizes his fierce and commanding presence. He wears a vibrant red kurta decorated with intricate white dotted grid patterns, complemented by a deep green shawl. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt his waist is a tucked dagger, while his lower attire consists of a yellow dhoti adorned with orange stripes and fine dotted details, leading down to black turned-up shoes trimmed in red with white star-like accents. In his right hand, Ravana firmly holds a sharp, curved sword (talwar) pointing diagonally downward, signifying his formidable martial prowess, while his layered shoulder pauldrons, broad collar, necklaces and wristlets radiate with gold-toned perforation work. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs the majestic antagonist whose looming presence drives the heroic climax of Tholu Bommalata's performance repertoire, this artwork captures Ravana with the formidable stature and intricate magnificence his role demands. Sindhe Siva's rendering masterfully brings together the full expressive range of the tradition, its rich natural pigments, elaborate multi-head iconography and detailed perforated glow, to bring one of Indian literature's most complex epic figures to life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sindhe Siva","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50079751962838,"sku":null,"price":8000.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1194\/1498\/files\/1._Ravana_in_Tholu_Bommalata_by_Sindhe_Siva.png?v=1786613004","url":"https:\/\/www.memeraki.com\/products\/ravana-in-tholu-bommalata-by-sindhe-siva","provider":"Memeraki Retail and Tech Pvt Ltd.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}