Page 192 - Eye of the beholder

longing was was the the constant subject while the the whole function of incidental objects was was to match the state of hearts Clouds rains trees pitchers flowers and turrets were all introduced as poetic symbols The cult of Krishna had a a a a a a a a a a a a special fascination for Raja Sansar Chand In the Rajput society into which he he was was born ladies were kept in careful seclusion chastity was was prized and the only licit channels for sexual expression were the the negotiated bride or or the the arranged concubine Romance in in the the the usual sense of the the the term was impossible In Rajput society this found a a a a a a catharsis in in the the the cult cult and poetry of of Krishna This cult cult had its its importance from its its lack of of all connectivity with ordinary life To Sansar Chand the cult was evident of quite exceptional significance and and his art in in in some mysterious way was connected with his his attitude to sex Certainly his his delight in in in the cult of Krishna seems related to his own romances His sensibility expressed itself not only in art and poetry but in in in certain sexual romanticism for while in in in Rajput society the cult of Krishna must have have been a a a a a a a a a a a a a substitute gratification and and for Sansar Chand it it may also have have served as a a a a a a a a a a a a a validating sanction perhaps even as a a a a a a a complement to his private experiences Hence the two qualities which characterized Sansar Chand when he he he succeeded to the Kangra court was a a a a a a a a a a a flair for for painting and a a a a zest for for Krishna “Krishna and and and Radha Engaged in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a Discourse in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a Pavilion” belonging to Kangra or Mandi and and and is dated 1830 The provenance appears to be Mandi than Kangra from its representation of the the the the landscape as as well as as the the the the line in in in the the the the rendering of of the the the the figurative forms There is of of course no scholarly basis to establish it it Mandi which in in in Hindi means market is is is a a a a a a a a a a large state situated in in in the the middle of of Beas valley perhaps alluding to to the the town’s position as as a a a a a a a centre of of trade between Central Asia and and the Punjab plains The miniature is from a a a a a a a a a a a centre as Mandi characterized by strong graceful flowing elegant lines in in in in the the contours of the the figures with beautiful and charming faces The compositional peg is the the the sensitivity and the the the lyrical charm in in the the the use of line as seen in in in the the best paintings from the the Kangra kalam The setting of the painting is an an open terrace with jali marble parapet enclosing it it and a a a a a a a a a raised platform where the the two protagonists namely Krishna and Radha are playing out their momentous sentiments The surface of the the platform is pure white marble while the the sides are decorated with floral motifs in in vertical stripes in in green and yellow The floor has an intricate inlay or or perhaps painted design with a a a a a a a a lemon yellow background interspersed with green and and red flowers and and a a a a stylized leaf motif providing the connecting link Next to the the raised platform is is a a a a a a projecting sit out with the the same floor decoration and protected
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