Inspired by the Ramayana epic, Nyoman Lentong adorns this handcrafted flute with a portrait of Jatayu. Known as a suling in Bali, the instrument is carefully created from bamboo. Flutes of this type are used in the Balinese gamelan orchestra where each instrument in the ensemble is considered a work of art and an object of devotion. Jatayu, king of the eagles, was a friend of Prince Rama in the Sanskrit epic. When the ogre king kidnapped Rama's wife Sita, sent Hanoman, the white monkey-god, to her rescue. To reach her, Hanoman had to fight a fierce dragon, and Jatayu came to his aid. The artist signs as Pan Nasib, as he is known in his village.
