The Swan Returns to Nala

The Swan Returns to Nala

by Ranjha. From the Nala Damayanti series.
Kangra School.  Late 18th century AD.

          Having met Damayanti,  the Swan returns to Nala to convey her message.  Sitting under a tree, Nala attentively  listens to the Swan. His retainers are concerned about Nala's speaking to and listening to a Swan. Even the figures in the background are in animated conversation.  Something is amiss.
          Ranjha again depicts a 'charbagh' pleasure garden as the setting of this episode. The Mughals had brought the Persian concept of the four gardens surrounding a building in the center. The Humayun's tomb and Safdarjung's tomb in Delhi are classic example of charbagh concept. Here Nala's pleasure pavilion is  the central building. We know it as a pleasure pavilion as it has a carpet and bolsters. It is surrounded by fountains and flowers and by lush green trees and shrubs.  Despite the idylic setting, there is a sense of suspense.
           The pleasure garden is a symbol of life: smooth flowing,  yet unsettled.

Ragani Todi

Ragani Todi

Fattu from a Ragamala series.
Kangra School. Late 18th century AD

          Besides painting the Bhagwat Puran series,  and the Bihari Sat Sai series, Fattu is said to have also  painted a Ragamala series. In this painting we find the familiar Fattu's images, a deep landscape,  flowering trees,  a flowing river, animals and birds. This work appears to be by Fattu.
         Classical Indian music is based on Raga system where each Raga is assigned certain notes in ascending and descending order. A combination of these notes improvised by the musician is supposed to create a certain mood. Each Raga or Ragani has to be played at a particular time of the day or night, or during a particular season.
          Ragani Todi is a melody which depicts the pangs of separation between lovers. Lost in the thoughts of her lover, the Nayika (heroine) plays the Vina--a stringed instrument.  Hearing the melodious music, the pair of black bucks are drawn towards the Nayika. A bird flies towards her mate sitting amongst the tree--symbolic of the fact that the lover would
come back to the Nayika.
            Like the Ragani the painting is lyrical and melodious.

Krishna kills Bakasura

Krishna kills Bakasura 

by Fattu, Bhagwat Puran Series. Kangra School, Mid-18th century.

      Having failed to kill Krishna,  Raja Kansa sent another demon, Bankasura in the form of a gigantic Crane. Krishna did not want the crane to harm others, so he offered himself. The crane caught hold of Krishna in his beak. Having entered his beak, Krishna increased his size, and broke the beak. Thereby killing the demon.
        Fattu has captured the entire story in a very simple narrative. Both the actions take place simultaneously.  Multiple narrative is a common device in Indian art.  In this painting Fattu emphasises the large size of the crane by painting small ducks in the Yamuna River. Balaram, Krishna's elder brother,  and the Gopas rush to help Krishna in killing the demon.
           Troubles come in many forms.  The surroud us, engulf us. With our confidence,  we can 'increase' our ability to tackle them. We can destroy our troubles with a little help from our friends. We all fight with our Bakasura everyday. We are triumphant.

In the Morning She Rose Disarrayed

In the Morning She Rose Disarrayed

Kangra painting of Gita Govinda series.
Early 18th century. 

       Radha and Krishna have spent a joyous night together in the bower. In the morning,  Radha is disarrayed. Krishna looks at her. Radha tries to hide her embarrassment. Krishna thinks, " Though her tress-knot is loosened, her cheeks perspiring,  the lustre of her lips faded, her necklace of pearls dimmed in beauty by her jar-shaped breasts, and though she hides their place with her hands, looking towards me with modesty,  yet even thus disarrayed,  she fills me woth ecstatic delight." ( Canto XII of Gita Govinda).
       The ideal of feminine beauty had changed in medieval India. While in ancient India a woman had large buxom,  in medieval India she has small ones; in Kangra paintings, women are depicted as delicate, shy and almost like porcelain dolls. Here we see Radha in semi-nude. She does have  translucent cloth to hide her modesty.  The artist has subtly caught her embarrassment and Krishna's delight.
        Once we mingle with godhead, there are no illusions left. Shorne of our dilutions, we stand 'naked' before Him. It is a moment of ecstasy and bliss.

Enter, Sweet Radha the Bower of Hari

Enter, Sweet Radha the Bower of Hari

Kangra painting of Gita Govinda series
Early 18th century.

        The Sakhi (friend) has reconciled the lovers. Both have agreed to meet at night by the banks of Yamuna River. With her hand around Radha, the sakhi leads her to where Krishna is sitting and waiting for her. The sakhi says, according to Gita Govinda,  " Enter, sweet Radha, the bower of Madhav; seek delight, O thou, whose bosom laughs with the foretaste of happiness.  Enter,  sweet Radha,  the bower graced with a bed of Ashoka leaves: seek delight,  O thou, whose garland leaps with joy on thr breast. Enter, sweet Radha,  the bower illumined with gay blossoms; seek delight,  O thou, whose limbs far excel them in softness. "
       The painter has beautifully captured the darkness of the night, the flow of the river--all in muted colours--the shyness of Radha, with her head bent, both with a sense of hesitation and reverence, the anxiety of Krishna, who has just turned to look at the direction from where the footsteps can be heard. It is a moment of suspense, of reunion, of joy. The painting is lyrical and poetic. It captures the beauty of Jaydeva's poetry.
      The sakhi is symbolic of the teacher who takes us on the path of enlightenment. It is the moment of enlightenment.

Radha Embraces the Darkness of Night

Radha Embraces the Darkness of Night

Kangra painting of Gita Govinda series
Early 18th century.

         No other School of miniature painting has explored the nuances of love than the Kangra School.  This is apparent from the paintings done for the Gita Govind, Bihari's Sat Sai, and in Nala Damiyanti series.
         Love, separation, pain, agony, reunion are all interlinked. They are the stages the lovers go through in any love story.  While Krishna feels the pang of separation,  Radha is tormented by the separation.  Her mental and physical condition deteriorates. She becomes delirious.  Her friend, the Sakhi, tells Krishna about her condition at the top right hand corner. She says, "Radha is so delirious that she embraces the darkness of the night, thinking it is you." She eludes to the fact that Krishna is dark in complexion. We see Radha in the foreground embracing the night.
        The dark colours,  the contrast of colors, the pose of Radha speak volumes about her pathos. The turbulent currents of Yamuna river reflect her own turbulence.
        Without God, the soul is constantly in a limbo. It is insecure,  it is confused, it is agonized. God is our only haven.

The Sorrow of Krishna

The Sorrow of Krishna

Kangra Painting of the Gita Govinda series
Early 18th century.

        Radha continues to be angry with Krishna. She refuses to meet him. Krishna pines for her. Lonely he sits on a knoll;  he covers his ear as the buzzing of the bees ( on the upper left corner, near the crescent moon) reminds him of the noise Radha's anklet used to make. He burns in the soft rays of the cresent moon. Even the river shore is jagged,  like the teeth of a saw. The landscape is lifeless.  No flowers bloom, no bird sings. This is pathos at its best.
        Indian artists symbolically use the landscape in order to reflect the psychology of the characters.  If there is love, a flowery landscape is painted; if separation,  a desolate one is depicted; if there is passion, then even the grass turns red. Here since the artist is portraying the pangs of separation,  the willow tree is without flowers; the landscape is as barren as the life of a jilted lover.
       It is not only the soul which always yearns for God, but the God also waits for the soul. In the absence of the soul, God too is miserable.  Krishna, too, sits forlorn.

Radha Trashes Krishna

Radha Trashes Krishna

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.

The Mango Quivers with the Joy of Love

 The Mango Quivers with the Joy of Love

Kangra Painting from the Gita Govinda series
Early 18th century AD.

        In Kangra School different artists illustrated different texts: Gita Govind, Bhagwat Puran, Bihari's Satsai, Nala Dayamanti story, Ramayan, Hamir Hat etc.
          Jayadev, the court poet of Sena king Lakshmansena ( 1185-1206) wrote the Gita Govinda. Instantly it became a great hit with the people. It is one of the finest poem written about the love of Radha and Krishna. It is a popular piece of the Bhakti movement in medieval India. It is sung in temples,  especially in Puri. It has inspired poets, writers, painters, and dancers. It forms the central theme in Odissi dance.
         Though the story is about Radha and Krishna, but it is symbolic of the relationship between God and the yearning soul. It is said that Lord Krishna helped Jaydev write the poem.
         The Gita Govinda series contains some of the finest paintings of thr Kangra School. They are full of lyricism,  full of lush landscapes, full of love.  Kangra school is, infact, famous for its depiction of love.
         Radha waits for Krishna in a grove. A sakhi (friend) approaches her with a message from Krishna. Both hear Krishna's flute and look in that direction.  Randha wonders if Krishna would come to her. The painter gives the answer: all the birds sit in pairs except one on the extreme left. A single bird sits on a branch waiting for its mate. A bird darts across between the two trees on the left. Krishna will come.
         There is some debate as to who has painted this series. While some claim that Manaku, Nainsukh's brother, has painted it, others question this assertion.  But whosoever is the painter, he has left a series of masterpieces for us to enjoy and cherish.