Painting from Gita Govinda series. Kangara School
Early 18th century.
This is one of the most rare images in indian art: Krishna being thrashed by Radha. Radha has waited all night long for Krishna. But he never came. She finds him instead sporting with gopis. She hits him with her chunni. The gopis are shocked. One of them rushes to Krishna's rescue. Others are motionless.
This is, indeed, one of the finest paintings of the Kangra school. The artist has beautifully juxtaposed the multicoloured dresses of the figures with the bluish green background of the hills and the river. The translucency of the chunni has been caught magnificently. The entire scene is alive, with flowers, and birds, with green grass and flowing river. The pastoral countryside of Vrindavan has been brought alive.
Gita Govinda teaches us that there comes a moment when the soul equals God. Here the soul and the God do some playing around. Though Radha is upset with Krishna. But even that anger is an expression of her undying love for him. As she says in thhe Gita Govind, " the dark clouds remind me of Shyam ( Krishna's name meaning the dark one)." When in love, we see God everywhere.
This is, indeed, one of the finest paintings of the Kangra school. The artist has beautifully juxtaposed the multicoloured dresses of the figures with the bluish green background of the hills and the river. The translucency of the chunni has been caught magnificently. The entire scene is alive, with flowers, and birds, with green grass and flowing river. The pastoral countryside of Vrindavan has been brought alive.
Gita Govinda teaches us that there comes a moment when the soul equals God. Here the soul and the God do some playing around. Though Radha is upset with Krishna. But even that anger is an expression of her undying love for him. As she says in thhe Gita Govind, " the dark clouds remind me of Shyam ( Krishna's name meaning the dark one)." When in love, we see God everywhere.
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