indian art - miniatures - archecticture - vedic philosophy
 
 
   

 
Classical - Mewari - Gita-Govinda - Series One
 
Plate 11 - "Gopa kadamba nitambavati.... smare harin."  

 

Next Picture

Radha recalls Hari with the round-hipped gopis (nttam-bavati) who kiss His mouth and whet His lust. A tender smile, like the red buds of kenduli flowers, adorns His face. The kadama tree, the red buds of flowers, and the kisses of beautiful maidens, who reach out to Krsna are all pictorially recreated. One Krsna plays on the flute; another holds a gopi. The stance of this gopi and the manner of the two in embrace, fully communicates the sensuous image of mukha cumban lambhita lobham. The color of the flower bandhujiva (kendult) is suggested by the brilliant red colors. Krsna appears a third time, and now only smiling.
 
While the gopis and Krsna form one circle, one of the gopis of the circle, the third Krsna, and two other gopis form a straight line. This is an effective device for establishing the continuity of the scene. Tiny blossoms of white, form other repetitive curves all over the painting. Trees and their foliage also form such curvilinear patterns. All this supports the dominant mood of the verse. The pictorial refrain of the Radha and the sakhi is repeated. These two figures are set off from the others by a stylised banana tree.