Namaste
We know that Krishna is Blue. Though sometimes the description “cloud of the monsoon” is used to describe Lord Krishna’s color. And of course, I believe Krishna is indeed blue.
And we all know of the descriptions of Ram as Blue, and visions and revelations in relation to the “Avatar” concept of Vishnu, but this is not so much an avatar question. Yes Rama is Blue.
But the Rama of my devotion, this Rama is Green. Yes, Rama is Blue. And also Green. Or can that not be possible? To me, the Green Rama is very much an aspect that is personally powerful for me. It has nothing to do with a liking for the color green, though green is also my favorite color, but my favoritism is irrelevant and has nothing to do with this Bhakti . But I am captured by Devi in Her Green aspects, the connection is immediate for me and obvious to me. But whatever the case in regards to Goddess, there is a Blue Rama and also there is revealed to mystics, devotees and artists a Green Rama.
I recall reading a Bengali version of the Ramayana in which Rama was clearly depicted and described as Green skinned. I also recall when I was a child of reading a book on “Hindu Temples of Singapore” in which an oil painting from a small Temple (I recall the temple had, in part, straw grass thatched roofing!) depicting Rama as Green skinned. I was fascinated and very attracted to that painting. I have been to Singapore a few times, but never saw this temple.
In Thailand, where the evidence seems to indicate that the Ramayana was brought by South Indian Brahmins, Rama is almost always depicted as Green skinned. I have seen this in Cambodian depictions as well, clearly an historical marker from South India or perhaps Bengal.
In Tamil texts we read Rama as "Rama Pachai" or Rama the Green, but this may be open to some blending of fabric terms and religious history (Tamil clearly distinguishes between the colors green pachai, and blue neelam. There is also “Elam” which is light color and “Ven” which is darkercolor, thus “Elam Pachai” would be “Light Green”) ...
Below I have uploaded an Oriya (Orissa) painting of Radha-Krishna Lila (see thumb nail). Various aspects of “Avatar” are shown (implying they are all Avatar of Krishna as centric rather than Vishnu), and Rama is clearly shown as Green Rama. Also, I have noticed that Radha-Krishna devotees and Sampradayas of such teaching often depict Ram as Green, though these devotees are often North Indian or Bengali in origin and not South Indian.
Below is shown the Navratri Dasara Kolu Festival, South India, we see the Green Rama:
On theThird Day of Durga Navarathri, we see Gayatri Devi Mata worshipped multi-faced as with Blue and Green skinned in South Indian states. Of course, I am a devotee of Devi as being Green in the example Valli Devi the Beloved of Murugan. Of course, whether this is pertinent to Green Rama is to be said or argued, but there is a South Indian mystic (but very real and very electric) element to all of this?
My attachment to the Green Rama will not change. But I am curious as to the response of others in regards to this “hot topic”, which I think is a very interesting and even fun topic as well, in particular any insights from South Indian friends ...
Om Namah Sivaya
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