Indian Classical Art and Ragas

A collection of Indian classical art featuring musical themes, depictions of deities, and dramatic narratives. Rich colors and intricate details illustrate cultural traditions.

God Ganesa (Ganapati) with elephant trunk with his two servants Siddhi and Buddhi sitting under a beam, draughtsman: anonymous, Kangra, c. 1775 - c. 1823, paper, brush, h 243 mm × w 325 mm, h 206 mm × w 286 mm

A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music. A raga uses a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is constructed. However, the way the notes are approached and rendered in musical phrases and the mood they convey are more important in defining a raga than the notes themselves. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Rāginī (Devanagari: ागिनी) is a term for the 'feminine' counterpart or 'wife' to a rāga. The rāga-rāgini scheme dates from about the 14th century and aligns 6 'male' rāgas with 6 'wives'.

Kandala Dies on Hearing the News of Madhavas Death, from a Madhavanala Kamakandala, c. 1720. India, Bilaspur. Gum tempera and gold on paper; image: 17.6 x 28.5 cm (6 15/16 x 11 1/4 in.); page: 20.2 x 31 cm (7 15/16 x 12 3/16 in.). Raja Bikramaditya is dressed in the popular fashion of Pahari kings of the 1600s. Kandalas corpse is supported by three women who rush to attend to her. She is wrapped in pure white, as is the custom in India. The scene is set at night with a star-studded sky.

Kama and Rati Witness the Reunion of Krishna and Radha, Page from a Gita Govinda Series Indian. Kama and Rati Witness the Reunion of Krishna and Radha, Page from a Gita Govinda Series, 1714. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 10 x 16 15/16 in. (25.4 x 43.0 cm);. The Gita Govinda is a poem written by the twelfth-century poet Jayadeva. It describes the tumultuous love between the god Krishna and the milkmaid Radha. With its melding of romantic and religious sentiments, the Gita Govinda explores an important form of bhakti (devotion), in which a worshippers intense relationship with god is compared to a passionate love affair. This illustration from the poem shows Krishna three times: alone; cavorting with a group of women; and then finally reunited with his beloved Radha. Asian Art 1714

The Approach of Krishna. Page from a Rasamanjari, c. 1660-1670. India, Pahari, Basholi, 17th century. Color, silver and beetle wings on paper; image: 17.5 x 26 cm (6 7/8 x 10 1/4 in.); overall: 23.4 x 32.4 cm (9 3/16 x 12 3/4 in.).

Ragini Bilaval, from a Garland of Musical Modes(Ragamala)

Ragini Bhairavi, from a Garland of Musical Modes (Ragamala)manuscript. Artist: Bundi School

Watercolor and gold painting depicting King Soeja, anonymous artist, focused on portrait and regalia.

Princess seated on a chair smoking ahookah

God Ganesa (Ganapati) with elephant trunk with his two servants Siddhi and Buddhi sitting under a beam, draughtsman: anonymous, Kangra, c. 1775 - c. 1823, paper, brush, h 243 mm × w 325 mm, h 206 mm × w 286 mm

Vishnu is located on the Snake Ananta, Bhumi is in front of him, Anonymous, 1830 - 1850 Indian miniature. drawing Vishnu is located on the snake Ananta; Bhumi is in front of him and caresses his foot. A lotus flower grows from the navel of Vishnu, from which Brahma is born. Mandi paper. gouache (paint) brush

An audience with the Emir of Persia Date: 17th century

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana Visit the Hermitage of the Sage Bharadvaja at Prayaga, from a Ramayana, c. 1650. Central India, Madhya Pradesh, Malwa. Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; page: 18.1 x 15.6 cm (7 1/8 x 6 1/8 in.). In a scene from their exile in the forest, the royal party arrives at the hermitage of a sage who greets him with folded hands. The blue Rama, his wife Sita, and his brother Lakshmana bow slightly in respect to the sage. The hermitage appears luxurious, with floral ornament inlaid in marble, bottles in niches, and an entrance similar to Mughal viewing windows.

A Rajasthani Maharaja seated before four princes, Prince Jagannath, Prince Gopinath, Prince Madhosidh () and Prince Harisidh(). Gouache painting by an Indian painter.

Zahhak Enthroned with the Two Daughters of Jamshid, Page from a Manuscript of the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdawsi. Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Circa 1615. Manuscripts; folios. Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

The Timid Bride ca. 1800 India (Punjab Hills, Kangra). The Timid Bride 37991

Scenes from the Kama Sutra from cupboard in the Juna Mahal fort, Dungarpur, Rajasthan state, India, Asia

Lakshmi Naryana, Frontispiece from the "Tula Ram" Bhagavata Purana Indian. , ca. 1650. Opaque watercolor, gold and silver on paper, sheet: 10 1/4 x 8 3/4 in. (26.0 x 22.2 cm);. Asian Art ca. 1650

Vishnu sitting on a throne on the first floor of a building.

Indian 18th Century, A Couple on a Terrace Surrounded by Attendants and Musicians, 18th Century A Couple on a Terrace Surrounded by Attendants and Musicians

Vasanta Ragini, Second Wife of Dipak Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). India, Rajasthan, Amber, 1700 or earlier. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Krishna and shepherdesses. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1700 - 1725. Place: Bikaner. Measurements: h 254 mm × w 191 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Krishna Abhisarika Nayika, from a Rasikapriya manuscript, c. 1615-25. Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Amber. Color on paper; miniature: 12.1 x 12.7 cm (4 3/4 x 5 in.). Two women quarrel outside a house while the Nayaka (hero protagonist) watches from a safe distance. The woman wearing a red scarf appears to be the Nayakas wife or beloved, who has just realized her partners infidelity. In a fit of anger, she strangles the other woman, who would be the Nayakas mistress, and raises a leg to kick her.

Rati, the Goddess of Erotic Love, Takes Aim at Krishna, from a Rasikapriya, c. 1660. Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Raghogarh. Gum tempera and gold on paper; page: 31.8 x 26 cm (12 1/2 x 10 1/4 in.); miniature: 26 x 23.5 cm (10 1/4 x 9 1/4 in.). In a brightly lit chamber, the heroine (nayika) confers with her confidante (sakhi), perhaps to convey a message to Krishna, who sits in a grove near a lotus pond at the lower right. In the lower left corner, Rati shoots a flower arrow at Krisha to smite him with love for the nayika. The empty bower in the upper right awaits the lovers tryst.

Radha and Her Confidant Sit in an Open Room: Page from a Dispersed Rasikapriya ca. 1680-90 India (Madhya Pradesh, Malwa) In the Rasikapriya the poet Keshav Das addresses love in all its various aspects, focusing on secret desires and their outward manifestations. Here, Radha speaks to her confidante and go-between, undoubtedly arranging a secret meeting with her lover, Krishna. Details such as the stylized flowers at the base of the building as well as the beginnings of special depth seen in the architecture indicate contact with the painting ateliers of the Mughals.. Radha and Her Confidant Sit in an Open Room: Page from a Dispersed Rasikapriya 37893

Gujari Ragini (Krishna with Gopis Playing the Flute), from a Ragamala Series, mid-1700s. India, Deccan, Aurangabad, 18th century. Ink and color on paper; overall: 24.3 x 14 cm (9 9/16 x 5 1/2 in.).

Krishna and Radha, c. 1680, 8 3/4 x 6 in. (22.23 x 15.24 cm), Opaque watercolor on paper, India, 17th century, The Rasikapriya (The Lovers Breviary), a late-sixteenth-century verse written in Hindi by the poet Keshavadasa, analyzes the stages of love through analogy with romantic incidents involving Radha and Krishna. This literary classic became a favorite source for court painting throughout the Hindu courts of Rajasthan. The allegorical union of Krishna, the Dark Lord, with his consort, Radha, was a popular subject in Rajput painting, especially among followers of the Vallabharya sect, who saw in this junction their own union with God. This scene, depicting the lovers in formal discussion rather than romantic embrace, most likely refers to Krishna, who, having spent the night elsewhere, makes amends to a scornful and incredulous Radha. Although Krishna's infidelity was not uncommon, the reconciliation of the divine lovers was inevitable.

Krishna Talks to Radha's Maidservant, Folio from a Satsai (Seven Hundred Verses) of Bihari Lal. India, Himachal Pradesh, Kangra, circa 1825. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper

18th century Indian manuscript about the life of Krishna.

Valmiki Reciting the Ramayana to His Pupil Bharadvaja, Folio from the "Shangri" Ramayana (Adventures of Rama). India, Jammu and Kashmir, Bahu, circa 1700-1710. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor on paper

Two Moorish ladies, Adrianus Canter Visscher, c. 1750 - c. 1755 drawing Drawing from the manuscript of the VOC servant Adrianus Canter Visscher with twenty -eight Indian miniatures and two maps of places on the Coromandelkast. The text consists of two parts: a history of the Mogolrijk and the VOC locations on the Coromandelkast; This is followed by an advice to the lords XVII on the economic situation of the VOC in the Coromandel. Deccan paper writing (processes) / drawing royal household; courtiers, retinue, train Coromandelkust

Rama Visits Bharadvaja's Hermitage, Folio from a Ramayana (Adventures of Rama). India, Madhya Pradesh, Malwa, 1725-1750. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor on paper

Rama and Lakshmana compete against the demons Maricha and Suvahu, Anonymous, c. 1750 - c. 1775 Indian miniature. drawing A man with bare torso sits in a rondavel in front of him burns a fire; Two servants try to ward off a few storming demons with an arrow and bow, two fallen demons are in the foreground. The show is framed by a simple black frame edge with two white frames and along the outer edge a wide red -painted edge showing a few golden frameworks. Chamba Presentation: Paper. gouache (paint) brush

A Vision of Vishnu (Vaikuntha Darshana) Attributed to Murad and Lupha (active late 17th-early 18th century). A Vision of Vishnu (Vaikuntha Darshana), c 1710-15. Opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper, sheet: 7 11/16 x 5 3/8 in. (19.5 x 13.7 cm). We know from court records that a ruler of the northwestern kingdom of Bikaner had a vivid dream in which he saw Vishnu and Lakshmi enthroned in a garden pavilion. Interpreting the vision as a good omen or blessing, the king ordered a painter to make an illustration based on his description. The subject remained a favorite for local artists and patrons for several generations. Like most versions, this painting presents Lakshmi as much smaller than Vishnu, and even smaller than their female servants. Asian Art c 1710-15

Shiva dances as Parvati plays the music. Gouache painting by an Indian painter.

Emperor Muhammad Shah (reigned 1719-48) Presides Over Celebrations of the Spring Festival of Colors (Holi Utsava). India, Delhi, Mughal empire, circa 1725-1750. Drawings; watercolors. Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

The Poet's Prayer to Krishna, Folio illustrating the Satsaiya of Biharilal. India, Rajasthan, Mewar, Udaipur, 1719-1720. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

The Ashta-Nayika is a collective name for eight types of nayikas or heroines as classified by Bharata in his Sanskrit treatise on performing arts, the Natya Shastra. The eight nayikas represent eight different states (avastha) in relationship to her hero or nayaka. As archetypal states of the romantic heroine, it has long been used as theme in Indian painting, literature, sculpture as well as Indian classical dance.

Krishna Reaching for the Moon, c. 1820. India, Pahari Hills, Guler school, 19th century. Ink and color on paper; image: 24 x 16 cm (9 7/16 x 6 5/16 in.); overall: 26.5 x 18.7 cm (10 7/16 x 7 3/8 in.).

Meeting at the well; 18th century (1701-00-00-1800-00-00);

Ragini Des Variri: Page from a Dispersed Ragamala Series (Garland of Musical Modes). Culture: India (Madhya Pradesh, Malwa). Dimensions: 7 1/4 x 6 in. (18.4 x 15.2 cm). Date: ca. 1680. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Ragini Patmanjari, from a Garland of Musical Modes (Ragamala)manuscript

Todi Ragini. A woman is sitting on a terrace for her palace and offers gifts to a small house altar for her; Behind her is a servant who rubs her coolness with a peacock feather. To make the show a narrow edge in gray and a wider in red.

Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) ca. 1690-95 Ruknuddin The artist Ruknuddin has combined creatively a number of ragamala texts to make this evocative masterpiece. Following artistic precedent and the texts, he shows an ascetic in penance, adorned, gray [with ashes” listening to a disciple, who is described as a young man beauteous in every limb,” playing the rudra vina. Another ragamala text tells us the disciple is an ascetic, whose mind is drowned in meditation on Shiva.. crowned by the white moon.”. Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) 37863

Expectant Heroine (Vasasajja), Nayika Painting Appended to a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). Nepal, Bhaktapur (), circa 1650. Manuscripts. Opaque watercolor, metallic paint, and ink on paper

Displeased Heroine (Kalahantarita), Nayika Painting Appended to a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). Nepal, Bhaktapur (), circa 1650. Manuscripts. Opaque watercolor, metallic paint, and ink on paper

Krishna has stolen the clothes of the shepherdesses. Krishna is in a large tree, his arms in a flute-playing position, around him the clothing he stolen from the shepherdesses that are belonging under the tree; The other shepherdesses sit on a platform at a river, in which a few ladies swim around, a naked lady is hiding behind the tree. Around the show a yellow trim in black frame lines and a wider purple border.

Album of Ragamala. Golden Rain. Women by pool. Crescent moon and stars in sky. 19th century Indian miniature, Rajasthan School.

Page from a Dispersed Rasikapriya (Lover's Breviary) ca. 1650 India. Page from a Dispersed Rasikapriya (Lover's Breviary) 38001

Krishna and Akrura as Messenger, Anonymous, 1735 - 1745 Indian miniature. drawing The magazine is divided into four squares, top left a scene with three singing ladies sitting for a lady who folds the size; At the top right of the messenger with a flute and a white flag that aims for the palace where the ladies are sitting; At the bottom left the messenger on the road in a nocturnal landscape and on the right the sender, Krishna in a room with a red wall sitting on a roll cushion; Above the show a wide yellow strip with and inscription in black and some red lines and numbers. Around the show a yellow trim with black framework lines and a wider red edge with black framework lines. Mewar paper brush / brush

Jaladhara Ragaputra, Son of Megha Mallar Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). India, Himachal Pradesh, Bilaspur, circa 1685-1690. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold and silver on paper

Battle between Lava and Rama's brother, Shatrughna, near the hermitage of Valmiki, Page from a Dispersed Ramayana Series Indian. Battle between Lava and Rama's brother, Shatrughna, near the hermitage of Valmiki, Page from a Dispersed Ramayana Series, ca. 1820. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 13 1/4 x 17 1/4 in. (33.7 x 43.8 cm). Asian Art ca. 1820

A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music. A raga uses a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is constructed. However, the way the notes are approached and rendered in musical phrases and the mood they convey are more important in defining a raga than the notes themselves. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Rāginī (Devanagari: ागिनी) is a term for the 'feminine' counterpart or 'wife' to a rāga. The rāga-rāgini scheme dates from about the 14th century and aligns 6 'male' rāgas with 6 'wives'.

Radha and Krishna Embracing, Leaf from a Gita Govinda, c. 1650. India, Deccan, Aurangabad (), 17th century. Color and gold on paper; overall: 13.5 x 14.5 cm (5 5/16 x 5 11/16 in.).

King and Queen in Zenana: Sandehi Ragini, Wife of Bhairava, from the Second Basohli Ragamala", c. 1690-95. India, Basohli. Color on paper; page: 20.3 x 19.7 cm (8 x 7 3/4 in.).

This famous scene from Hindu mythology features the god Krishna with his cousin, Prince Arjuna, on a chariot heading into war against each other. Taken from the scripture, 'Bhagavad Gita', or 'The Gita', it is a classic tale of duty and morality set around Krishna's defeat of Arjuna in the Kurukshetra War. Krishna also appears in various other events in the Hindu epic 'Mahabharata'. He is usually depicted as blue skinned, and is often portrayed as a mischievous young boy playing a flute.

A woman sits on a terrace in front of her palace and sacrifices gifts to a small house altar in front of her, behind her stands a servant who waves her cool with a peacock feather. Around the scene a narrow border in gray and a wider one in red., Todi ragini, draughtsman: anonymous, Centraal-India, 1670 - 1690, paper, brush, brush, h 204 mm × w 166 mm, h 184 mm × w 150 mm

. On a golden taboo on a white terrace is a royal couple left; The man holds the hose of the hookah, the woman behind him a tampoa, left behind the taboo three servants; Right front of the tabouret a dancing woman with a group of women, some of which hold a musical instrument; Behind the terras shrubs and cypresses. The performance lies in black, red and white exchanges, a golden piping around the inner edge, the outer edge of the leaf is in heavenly blue with leafs in gold, the vertical edges equally wide as horizontal, around the painted edge even more framing lines White, red and black, also filled in with a golden piping in the middle.

Cowherd Krishna and surprised Radha. Date/Period: 1700. Painting. Height: 255 mm (10.03 in); Width: 390 mm (15.35 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Three Musicians Perform Before a King: Shri Raga, from a Ragamala, c. 1650. Central India, Madhya Pradesh, Malwa. Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; 20.8 x 16.5 cm (8 3/16 x 6 1/2 in.). A king sits on a throne with a yogic band around his legs, listening to the music of two sages: a blue-skinned sage on a stringed instrument (vina), and a white-skinned one playing cymbals. A standing percussionist accompanies them on a drum. An attendant behind the king holds the royal canopy over his head.

Maharana Bhim Singh in Procession 1815-1825 India. In this dazzling royal procession, Maharana Bhim Singh (r. 1778-1828) rides across his kingdom, Mewar, on horseback. Richly bejeweled and tattooed, with his horseís reins in one hand and a hookah mouthpiece in the other, Bhim Singh deftly projects an image of power combined with pleasure and comfort. The leashed cheetah and falcon seem to be merely part of the large entourage arrayed around the ruler, which also contains men bearing royal standards and insignia, including a black solar disk with a gold sun in the center, a symbol of the once-proud Sisodia clan of Mewar.The magnificence of the scene belies the fact that Bhim Singh was actually a weak ruler in a succession of ineffectual leaders. Mewar had once been considered the strongest Rajput state because of its lengthy resistance to the Mughal emperors, but in 1818 Bhim Singh was forced to sign a treatey with the British, accepting their protection.. Opaque watercolor and gold on

Two ascetes in a landscape. In a landscape with a few trees there is an ascet with a vina over the shoulder. A second ascet is washed in a lotus pond. He has laid his vina on the shore.

The Marriage of Rukmini Mangal, 1775. India, Pahari Hills, Garhwal school, 18th century. Opaque watercolors and gold on paper; overall: 24.8 x 33.1 cm (9 3/4 x 13 1/16 in.).

"Krishna Holds Up Mount Govardhan to Shelter the Villagers of Braj", Folio from a Harivamsa (The Legend of Hari (Krishna)) ca. 1590-95 The Hindu epics the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, and other texts such as the Harivamsa, a genealogy of Hari (or Krishna), were translated into Persian and illustrated for the first time during Akbars reign (1556-1605). Unlike other manuscript projects for which the Mughal court artists inherited a tradition of iconography and style from earlier Iranian manuscripts, they had to invent new compositions for these works. The present folio depicts Krishna holding up Mount Govardhan to protect the villagers of Braj from the rains sent by the god Indra. Listen to experts illuminate this artwork's story Listen Play or pause #6734. Krishna Holds Up Mount Govardhan to Shelter the Villagers of Braj, Folio from a Harivamsa (The Legend of Hari (Krishna)) Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this

The Creation of Durga: Page from a Dispersed Markandeya Purana: (Stories of the Sage Markandeya) ca. 1810-20 India (Punjab Hills, Guler) Durga was created by the gods to vanquish the demon Mahish, whom they could not kill. Each of the gods gave Durga a weapon. Here, she sits on a lotus floating above her lion vehicle, surrounded by offerings and adored by two throngs of gods.. The Creation of Durga: Page from a Dispersed Markandeya Purana: (Stories of the Sage Markandeya) 37958

A Couple in Their Chamber in Early Morning: Vighada Ragaputra of Shri, from a Chamba Ragamala, c. 1700. Gum tempera and gold on paper; miniature: 21 x 17.8 cm (8 1/4 x 7 in.). A couple sits on a striped carpet (durri) inside a brightly lit chamber. The man stretches his arms, apparently having just awoken, while the woman kneels before him in a gesture of address. Architectural details on the second floor include niches for bottles and red curtains rolled up to allow a breeze to pass through colorful bamboo screens.

Karren van de Ocean, Anonymous, 1790 - 1810 Indian miniature. drawing On a lotus flower that rests on a water turtle in the river is the second appearance of Vishnu; Gods and monsters hold a Cobra that is knotted around the stem of the Lotus flower, in the river two praying figures, a kneeling woman in the background and against the air on the hilltop an elephant and a multi -headed horse. Around the show a narrow orange and a narrow golden rim. Murshidabad paper brush / brush

18th century Indian manuscript about the life of Krishna.

Album of Ragamala. Megha Raga (rainy season): Krishna dances to playing of young women to call down the rain. 19th century Indian miniature, Rajasthan School.

Shiva with the Ganges flowing from his head and Parvati seated on a tiger skin with Ganesha, Skanda and Nandi bull surrounded by devotees. Gouache drawing.

King Muchukunda Enters the Realm of Mount Gandhamadana to Attain Salvation, from the Fifth Basohli Bhagavata Purana”, 1769. Attributed to Fattu (Indian). Gum tempera, gold, and silver on paper; page: 30.3 x 40.7 cm (11 15/16 x 16 in.); image: 27.1 x 37.5 cm (10 11/16 x 14 3/4 in.). According to Hindu mythology, Muchukunda, the man dressed in saffron, fell asleep in a cave and slept for thousands of years. When he finally woke up, Krishna appeared and advised him to perform penance to cleanse the accumulated sins and attain liberation. He went to Mount Gandhamadana, on India’s east coast, to practice atonement.

Two women beckoning two musicians with a sitar () and a tabla (). Gouache painting by an Indian painter.

Radha and Krishna, Gouache drawing.

Arab manuscript depicting angel weighing a soul

Musicians Entertaining a Holy Man (Sadhu or Fakir) 18th century. Musicians Entertaining a Holy Man (Sadhu or Fakir) 450586

Shalibhadra Performing Austerities: Folio from a Shalibhadra Manuscript ca. 1725 India (Gujarat) In the upper register, the Jain Shalibhadra, born to great wealth, and his wife present a manuscript to two Jain nuns (or perhaps widows” of renunciants) seated beneath a decorated tree that has leafy branches in the form of creepers found in Malwa paintings. In the lower scene, which is set on a contrasting ground, they pull out their own hair—an act of renunciation (diksa) that is the first step to embarking on life as a monk or nun. The painting contains many early Rajput conventions in terms of the depiction of space and the color palette employed, while the figural type can be compared to Marwar production.. Shalibhadra Performing Austerities: Folio from a Shalibhadra Manuscript. India (Gujarat). ca. 1725. Ink and opaque watercolor on paper. Paintings

Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, c. 1780-90. Northern India, Himachal Pradesh, Pahari Kingdom of Kangra. Gum tempera and gold on paper; image: 20.6 x 14 cm (8 1/8 x 5 1/2 in.); with borders: 21.6 x 15.2 cm (8 1/2 x 6 in.). Krishna supports Mount Govardhan with nothing but his little finger as he gazes into the eyes of his favorite cowherd girl, Radha, and pats the head of a child. His brother Balarama, with white skin and a blue garment, adds further support with a staff. The cows and members of the herding community all cluster close to Krishna, sheltered from the raging storm sent by Indra riding his white elephant in the sky.

Toilette of Radha, c. 1810-1820. Northern India, Himachal Pradesh, Pahari Kingdom of Kangra. Gum tempera and gold on paper; image: 21.1 x 14.5 cm (8 5/16 x 5 11/16 in.); overall: 24.8 x 18.3 cm (9 3/4 x 7 3/16 in.). Krishna spies on his beloved Radha as she dresses for the day. An attendant holds a mirror for her, while others hold a sheet and a whisk of peacock feathers. Such a poetic scene suggests that even in our most private and intimate moments, god can see us.

Dalliance in Vrindavan. India, Rajasthan, Mewar, circa 1725. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper

A Night Scene of Shiva Puja (recto), c. 1760-70. Attributed to Muhammad Rizavi Hindi (Indian, active mid-1700s). Opaque watercolor with gold on paper, wide borders of pink paper (recto); page: 28.2 x 24.1 cm (11 1/8 x 9 1/2 in.). Hindu women had been prominent members of Mughal harems since the time of Akbar, whose chief queen was a Hindu princess from the kingdom of Amber (later renamed Jaipur) in present-day Rajasthan. Under golden stars and a crescent moon, this royal palace woman holds a flower garland to offer at a shrine to the Hindu god Shiva. The light of butter lamps casts a shadow behind her figure; experimentation with the depiction of shadows, typically absent in earlier Mughal painting, increased among artists during the 1700s.

Ragini Patamanjari, from a Garland of Musical Modes (Ragamala)manuscript

Shiva bearing the descent of the Ganges River as Parvati and Bhagiratha and the bull Nandi look on, folio from a Hindi manuscript by the saint Narayan, circa 1740. Told and retold in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and several Puranas, the story begins with a sage, Kapila, whose intense meditation has been disturbed by the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara. Livid at being disturbed, Kapila sears them with his angry gaze, reduces them to ashes, and dispatches them to the netherworld. Only the waters of the Ganga, then in heaven, can bring the dead sons their salvation. A descendant of these sons, King Bhagiratha, anxious to restore his ancestors, undertakes rigorous penance and is eventually granted the prize of Ganga's descent from heaven. However, since her turbulent force will also shatter the earth, Bhagiratha persuades Shiva in his abode on Mount Kailash to receive Ganga in the coils of his tangled hair and break her fall. Ganga descends, is tamed in Shiva's locks, and arrives in th

India: Muhammad Khan Bangash (1665-1743), Nawab of Farrukhabad (1715-1743), with female musicians and attendant, c. 1730

Vishnu Rescuing the King of the Elephants. India, Himachal Pradesh, Chamba/Mandi, circa 1675. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor on paper

Krishna and Radha under a Tree in a Storm Indian. Krishna and Radha under a Tree in a Storm, ca. 1790-early 19th century. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 9 x 6 3/4 in. (22.9 x 17.1 cm). This painting depicts the Hindu god Krishna sitting beneath a tree while his beloved, Radha, runs to join him, seeking shelter from an impending storm. The storm is emblematic of passiondark and dangerous, yet bringing new life. The union of the lovers is echoed in the intertwining of vines with flowering creepers. Krishna’s love affair with Radha is used as an analogy for the relationship between God and devotee: deeply satisfying but not without its challenges. Here, Radha turns to Krishna for comfort in much the same way a devotee would turn to God. Asian Art ca. 1790-early 19th century

MINIATURA INDIA-RAMAYANA-RADA Y KRISHNA EN EL BOSQUE. Location: VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM. LONDON. ENGLAND.

Raga Hindola with Ragini Telangi-Based on Indian classical musical mode. Date/Period: 1900. Painting. Height: 409 mm (16.10 in); Width: 244 mm (9.60 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Scene from the Mahabharata or Ramayana (). Unidentified representation, perhaps a scene from the Mahabharata or Ramayana.

Mahisauramardini; Durga slaying the buffalo demon, Mahishasura. Gouache painting by an Indian painter.

Durga seated on a tiger, points an arrow towards an blue-skinned female kneeling before a demon. Gouache painting by an Indian artist.

On a tiger skin on a rock Shiva em Parvati, in front of them animals, on the lower left a worshipper. At the bottom of the representation red, grey and a purple frame around a yellow rush, underneath an inscription., Shiva and Parvati on mountain, draughtsman: anonymous, Pahari, 1830, paper, brush, h 264 mm, w 207 mm × h 237 mm

Devi riding on a white elephant tramples over two demons. Gouache painting by an Indian artist.

A Hindu princess committing suttee against the wishes of the Emperor Akbar but with his reluctant consent. Gouache.

Krishna and Devotees before a Palace, Page from an Unidentified Hindu Manuscript Indian. Krishna and Devotees before a Palace, Page from an Unidentified Hindu Manuscript, 19th century. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 12 7/8 x 8 3/8 in. (32.7 x 21.3 cm). Asian Art 19th century

Hanuman before Rama and Lakshmana. Culture: India (Punjab Hills, Mankot). Dimensions: 8 x 12 1/8 in. (20.3 x 30.8 cm). Date: ca. 1710-25.When Hanuman, as the messenger of Sugriva, first encounters Rama and Lakshmana, he assumes the form and aspect of a sage. After much discussion a pact of friendship is decided upon and Hanuman returns to his natural monkey form. This moment was chosen, as Hanuman's disguise would have confused the viewer; moreover this portrayal allowed the artist to emphasize his role as a general of the great monkey army. The Mankot Ramayana series (see also Lakshmana and Sugriva Being Carried by Palanquin to Receive Rama's Blessings) focuses on Rama's exile in the forest; the heroes are depicted in the attire of forest dwellers--leaf shirts and hats--and the landscape is rendered in green. The narrow skyline is broken by jagged storm clouds, descendents of the Persian clouds introduced 150 years earlier. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Bhairava Raga, early 1800s. India, early 19th century. Color on paper; image: 18.7 x 12.5 cm (7 3/8 x 4 15/16 in.); overall: 35.6 x 22 cm (14 x 8 11/16 in.).

Shiva Bearing the Descent of the Ganges River, folio from a Hindi manuscript by the saint Narayan. India, Himachal Pradesh, Guler, Bathu, circa 1740. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper

Krishna Rushes to Save Rukmini, from a History of the Lord (Bhagavata Purana)manuscript

Ragmala or Ragamala, literally meaning a 'garland of Ragas, or musical melodies', consists of a series of raga musical compositions or modes. This has also given rise to a series of Ragamala paintings. These differ according to the author and the music school they are derived from. Thus there exist a number of such lists in the music text books of India.

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