Page 149 - Eye of the beholder

BARAMASA
Baramasa or the the the the representation of of the the the the twelve months of of the the the the year as as as a a a a a a a a a theme has been depicted mostly from late medieval period Chitrasutra of the Vishnudharmottara sometime during 7th century C E had a a a a a a set of of guidelines on on on the the delineation of of the the seasons in in in in in art Painters have followed the guidelines in in ancient and medieval India The Baramasa or “songs of of the twelve months ” are classical texts based on on on on each month month of of the Indian calendar penned poetically by Bhanudatta The poet poet has employed metaphors extolling the the the attributes of of of deities or or or of of of a a a a a a nayika or or or heroine longing for the the the return of of of the the the nayak or or hero to represent each month In Ritu Samhara or or Assemblage of Seasons the Sanskrit poet Kalidasa has produced an an opulent ode to the six Indian seasons seasons The cycle of seasons seasons has always held great sway over literary imaginations and the paintings of Baramasa - ‘bara’ meaning meaning 12 and ‘masa’ meaning meaning ‘month’ had been captured in in in the rich tradition of dynamic and and beautiful miniature art This is is the poetic genre of ritu varnan and and poets ranging from Kalidasa and Keshav Das have resorted to it The Baramasa was was popular in in in Hindi literature during 13th to 16th centuries and also was was a a a a a a a a a a a a part of Sufi poetry However Baramasa in in in in in miniature paintings were mostly executed in in in in in the 17th and 18th centuries The paintings had writings in in in in in in in Devanagari on top or behind the painting painting This theme has not found much favour in in in in the the Mughal miniatures and Deccani painting though nature by itself has been a a a subject of composition in these schools The The Rajasthani painting evolved in in in in the courts of Rajputana or Rajasthan Rajasthan They were done in in in in the miniature format and and also on on walls of havelis or or mansions palaces and and inner chambers of forts The paintings depicted various themes from from the the social viewpoint also stories from from the the epics Ramayana and and Mahabharata Nature was was depicted in in in these paintings and and was was representative of a a a a a a a a a ruler’s legacy The Rajasthani School had many sub-schools like Jaipur Bikaner Bundi Kishangarh Kota Mewar Alwa and Jodhpur The style of painting had been influenced by Persian European Mughal and Chinese art The paintings are rich mostly due to the arid desert landscape dry hills and and less vegetation The Chitrasutra as as as as already mentioned has given guidelines for the seasons and were followed by by artists across India Summer is is indicated by by the the sun in in in the the sky spring with its seasonal trees in in in bloom humming bees cuckoo depictions and and men men and and women going around happily Further summer depicts fatigue experienced by by men animals and represented by by dry pools of water birds hiding in in in in in in trees lions and tigers resting in in in in in in their mountainous hideouts The rainy season has has its dark laden clouds and streaks of of lightning in in the sky Autumn has has trees full of of fruits rip corn in in the the fields pools full of swans and and lotuses The winter has its its dew and and fog the the earth is is a a a a a a a bit bare and and misty Crows and and elephants are are joyous In Baramasa paintings romance is tinged with separation sorrow and selflessness Love lies at the the the core of the the the human experience and from it spring myriad other emotions These paintings of of Baramasa are essentially reflections on on the state of of lovers with each passing
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