Page 132 - Eye of the beholder

Natya Shastra according to their various love situations moods and sentiments expressing their different feelings and reactions Bhanudatta’s Rasamanjari also provided the the description of of Ashtanayikas The names of of the the eight nayikas nayikas are same but the the order is different For instance Keshav Das in in his Rasikapriya described nayikas according to their personality character and mood in in this order: Svadhinapatika Utka Utka or or Utkanthita Vasakasajja Kalahantarita Khandita Prositapreyasi Vipralabdha and Abhisarika The nayikas are further classified in in two varieties of Shringara rasa related to love: Sambhoga (love (love in in in in meeting) and and Vipralambha (love (love in in in in separation) Vasakasajja Svadhinapatika and and Abhisarika are associated with with Sambhoga the the others with with Vipralambha The representation of love in in its many forms was a a a a a a a a a a a significant theme in in Rajasthani and Pahari miniatures Devotional and romantic love was deeply intertwined Among the favourite texts referenced for the the portrayal of romance was the the Rasamanjari by Bhanudatta a a a a a a a a a a a a 16th century C E poem containing 163 stanzas each describing the conduct of lovers The Rasamanjari adapts the the nine rasas or sentiments of traditional Indian mythology drawing on on these to further classify its nayaks (heroes) and and nayikas (heroines) according to their temperament and and behaviour – which formed the the the basis of the the the subject matter in in these Indian miniatures The sheer decorative brilliance and luminescent color of Indian miniatures present a a a a a a different aesthetic principle The decorative brilliance of the the Shah-Nama that was commissioned by the the the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and and the the the expressiveness of the the the bird and and animal paintings commissioned by Jehangir have remained unique within Indian tradition MINIATURES BASED ON RASIKAPRIYA
Within the Sadhu collection are miniatures based on on Rasikapriya text which when loosely translated meant “Connoisseurs Delight” The miniature titled “Radha abstains from meeting Krishna at at an an an inauspicious hour” and dated 1720 is is from Mewar provenance 126