Today is Ramanavmi, the ninth day of Chaitra, which celebrates the birth of the Hindu deity, Rama. There are several versions of the story of Rama, and Valmiki’s Ramayana is one of the most sophisticated.

This vibrant folio from Udaipur, Rajasthan, made in early 18th century depicts the sage Valmiki sitting in the courtyard of a humble forest cottage, surrounded by disciples. The forest is indicated by a few trees, and the cottage is shown without any ornamentation. A few jars of water are to the left of the image. These details, along with soft colors of the evening sky literally paints a poignant picture. Valmiki is larger in scale, underlining his importance in the narrative. Some of his disciples have papers in their hand, as if making notes during a lecture. The story will be retold over and over again, in a range of mediums, but one can argue that this is where it all began- with the first narration.