Ragamala (mala or garland of Ragas) paintings, also known as a Ragachitra (a Chitra or pictorial representation of Raga) are a tradition of paintings that bloomed in the medieval period, in courts and corridors of the Indian royals. A raga or musical note is believed to represent and stir a particular mood or emotion in the listener's mind, ranging from divine devotion to seething love.
Each Raga is related to certain Raginis (the feminine form of musical notes) who are addressed as the wives of the Raga, and Ragaputra (son or Putra of Raga) who are the manifestations of the modes through which a Raga is performed on a musical instrument. A raga is also associated with a time of the day, a phase of romance, and the emotions or Rasa that consequently emerge.
The seventh-century text “Brihaddeshi” describes the Raga as having the ability “to tint the soul of the listener”, a facility best displayed in the lively Ragachitra or Ragamala painting. Ragini Kakubha, the wife of Raga Megha who is a Raga of union, is seen in the Ragamala paintings as Utkata Nayika (lovelorn heroine), who has been deceived by her lover and roams torpidly in the wilderness with a Veena (stringed instrument) in her hand.
This watercolor on paper Ragini Kakubha painting by prolific painter Kailash Raj depicts the Nayika standing under a blossoming tree, her head sinking with the pangs of heartache she feels, as her lover is nowhere to be found at their meeting spot. “Kakubha is a handsome young woman, suffering lovesickness, leaving her fine palace she enters the forest,… Again and again, she arouses the peacock’s scream, forgetting soul and body in a trance upon her lord.”
An eighteenth-century Rajasthani painting of Ragini Kakubha sings in the praise of the youth of the heroine while underlining the tender state of her heart. Against a faded orange background, the image of Ragini Kakubha is presented, in a floral printed lehenga, translucent orange chunri, and pearled ornaments. She elegantly cradles a Veena with her eyes fixated on the ground but her mind floating in the thoughts of her deceitful beloved.
A peacock behind the tree on the right section of the canvas and another in the foreground look dotingly at the Nayika. Their presence and positioning fill the space with incredible warmth. Roaming without their peahens, the feathered companions of Ragini Kakubha share her state, of existing without the one who the heart adores.
A refined floral border around the Ragamala painting perfectly holds the stirring scene together. Inscription in the foreground helps the observer identify the Ragini and form a deeper connection with her state, a warming example of interaction between the art and the connoisseur.
For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist