Page 146 - Eye of the beholder

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An illustrated folio to Rasikapriya in Sadhus’ collection comes from Nasli Heeramanek and Alice collection. The latter were prolific collectors of Indian Miniatures and had a substantial collection of some of the best works from this Indian tradition.
It belongs perhaps to the Rajasthani kalam, evident from the typology of faces developed and particularly the long fish shaped eyes in this region from 17th to the 19th century. The representation is of a Virahini nayika, the one pining for her lover who has failed to keep the tryst with her. She is lost in her reverie, remembering the happy times she had spent with him and appears morose and unhappy. The sakhi seated in front of her is trying to reason with her on his non arrival and soothing her ego with kind words, but it seems to fall on deaf ears. The Sringara rasa or unique aesthetic experience of love both in union and separation was privileged by Keshav Das in his Rasikapriya, through representation of the nayikas.
The nayika is seated on a spacious four legged chair with a back rest, and is resting against a large bolster, orange in colour with floral motifs in indigo. Her seated posture is such that she has one leg bent at the knee and resting on the chair and the other hanging down and resting on the ground. Her hands and feet are hennaed. Her right hand rests on the knee of the folded leg, and the left hand on a pillow covered with a black cloth. Placed next to her on the left side on the ground are the fan, a paandaani and an ornamental flask to hold intoxicant liquid. This was the preparation by her if his visit had materialized. The heroine is dressed in a sophisticated subtle grey full length gown of diaphanous cotton as it flows luxuriantly around her. A golden brown odhini covers her head. The jewellery is very specific limited to a pearl necklace and the piece in her hair. In front of her sits a sakhi who is dressed in bluish grey gown and odhini and adorned with jewellery as the nose baali, the head ornament, wrist band and finger rings. The attendant behind her wears a subtle yellow gown with yellow ochre bands on her odhini. Her jewellery too is limited to a nose baali, head ornament, and a large wrist band.
An attendant behind her holds a morchal in her left hand and is fanning her. While the right hand holds a tray with perfumed bottles. Though she is being fanned, it is not the external heat that is making her feel warm, rather the fire of passion burning within her in the anticipation of her meeting the lover. The large red curtain shielding the landscape beyond is metaphor of the colour of love and passion. The pavilion behind her is constructed of white marble, with delicate inlay work. It has a parapet that is inlaid with coloured stones in yellow green, having the representation of flowers and leaves. The corners of the parapet have small ornamental turrets. The setting appears to be an open terrace with marble flooring and surrounded by a parapet. The sky is realistically rendered in blue with sketchy lined white clouds. The landscape beyond comprises of two species of trees rendered as round and the other pointed, may be the cypress.
The nayikas represented by the artists from the Rasikapriya serve as metaphors of the soul. In its long and arduous journey the soul meets many difficulties. It is these hardships encountered by the atman in its aspiration to become one with the Brahman that these nayikas who in love are either united or separated. It is a unique philosophy that informs Indian miniature tradition particularly of the Rajput school.