Krishna Kills the Demon Elephant Kuvalayapida
by Fattu. Bhagwat Puran Series.
Mid-18th century AD.
When Krishna and Balaram arrive at Mathura they meet certain adventures. Raja Kansa's laundryman (dhobi) misbehaves with them. They kill him. When they reach the Raja's court, the mad elephant, Kuvalayapida, rushes to crush Krishna. He grabs the elephant's tusk and throws him on the ground. The elephant driver (mahawat) lies crushed under the elephant. The palace soldiers run away. There is palpable terror in the court. A soldier runs inside the palace gate to inform the Raja about the incident. Krishna has come to kill Kansa.
Fattu subtly depicts Krishna's power. The elephant is a large animal before whom even Krishna is dwarfed. But with the stroke of a fist, Krishna would kill the mad elephant. Of course, Balaram and Gopas are ever ready to join the fray. Fattu places the scene in his contemporary world. The palace is a Mughal one; the soldiers are in Mughal attire. The scene is not of a by gone age; the scene is of here and now. By placing it in his own time, he makes the scene comprehensible and relevant.
The painting can be interpreted at three different levels: it is a scene of confrontation between the rural and urban life-style. Krishna and his friends were strangers to the big city culture. There is bound to be a clash of thinking, of life-style. Secondly, it is a political statement of the clash between the Pahari kingdoms with the Mughal Empire. Jahangir had invaded and conquered Kangra. It is a reassuring scene showing the victory of Kangra people over the mighty Mughals. Thirdly, in the Hindu mythology, the elephant is the symbol of wisdom. When wisdom goes mad, only divinity can control or destroy it. The story of divinity controlling a mad elephant is common both in Hindu and Buddhist mythologies. Even Buddha is said to have subdued a mad elephant.
Fattu subtly depicts Krishna's power. The elephant is a large animal before whom even Krishna is dwarfed. But with the stroke of a fist, Krishna would kill the mad elephant. Of course, Balaram and Gopas are ever ready to join the fray. Fattu places the scene in his contemporary world. The palace is a Mughal one; the soldiers are in Mughal attire. The scene is not of a by gone age; the scene is of here and now. By placing it in his own time, he makes the scene comprehensible and relevant.
The painting can be interpreted at three different levels: it is a scene of confrontation between the rural and urban life-style. Krishna and his friends were strangers to the big city culture. There is bound to be a clash of thinking, of life-style. Secondly, it is a political statement of the clash between the Pahari kingdoms with the Mughal Empire. Jahangir had invaded and conquered Kangra. It is a reassuring scene showing the victory of Kangra people over the mighty Mughals. Thirdly, in the Hindu mythology, the elephant is the symbol of wisdom. When wisdom goes mad, only divinity can control or destroy it. The story of divinity controlling a mad elephant is common both in Hindu and Buddhist mythologies. Even Buddha is said to have subdued a mad elephant.
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