Friday, 25 April 2014

The Glimpse of Krishna

 The Glimpse of Krishna

 by Fattu. From the Bihari Sat Sai.
 Kangra School. Late 18th century AD.



        Bihari describes the different morning activities of the Nayika. Here she sits taking a bath on the terrace when suddenly Krishna appears from nowhere.  Radha is not embarrassed.  Instead she looks at Krishna through her wet hair.
        Fattu was a master draftsman who has painted a delicate nude Radha. She is not naked, but nude. The difference between the two is that while a nakef body arouses sexual desire in the viewer as in pornography, the nude does not. The nude is unabashed of her/ his beauty.  She/ he does not show off its sexuality.  Here Radha though without clothes is presented as the ideal of feminine beauty according to the taste of her time. The woman is delicate, porcelain like, with small breasts, big hips, flowing hair, delicate hands. All the women look alike. For they are not individuals,  but a symbol of beauty.
        We structure our world around us with artificial factors. But  we have to cleanse ourselves to be able to see God. Since God is omnipresent,  he can appear suddenly and from anywhere.  The relationship between soul and God is an eternal one.

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