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Tanjore and Mysore Paintings at the CSMVS Mumbai

A chubby, naked, fair Krishna , holding a butter ball, covered in golden ornaments, Yashoda by his side, an indulgent smile on her face, even as her finger is raised in admonition. Rama and Sita seated on the throne, Lakshmana on one side, Bharata and Shatrughna on the other, surrounded by sages and kings; Rama a distinctive green in colour. These are both popular themes in Tanjore Art. I first saw both these in temples, the Navaneetha Krishna in many homes as well, if not original, at least a recent replica or just a copy. The Ramar Pattabhishekam I have better memories of, having seen it often at the Matunga Bhajan Samaj in Mumbai, as well as at my mother-in-law’s ancestral house in Thanjavur. The latter especially is close to our family’s heart, and it’s an exquisite piece of work, the expressions on Rama and Sita’s faces as intricately done as the gold work that surrounds them. Navaneetha Krishna Beautiful as they are , to me, they are associated with divinity more than just wor
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Of Ker and Sangri - not as food, but in nature.

This tiny flower, nestled amidst thorns, is so pretty, that I brave the thorns (and the others' warnings) to try and get a decent photo....




It is only later that I learn that this is the flower of the 'Ker' tree... We have tried the Ker berries at Suryagarh, in different dishes, and I know that it is much used locally, especially as pickles. The shrub is thorny, and resembles a cactus. It retains water, and thus thrives in the desert, even during drought. 

A bigger Ker tree.. with flowers as well as berries


Its popular accompaniment is Sangri, the beans of the Khejri tree, and here, they both grow together, giving each other company in nature as well! 

The big tree is the Khejri, and on both sides are the Ker shrubs. These two are flowering too, but the flowers are so tiny, you cant see them here 


These trees and shrubs must be incredibly old, for a full grown Khejri tree is usually a short one, the roots going deep into the earth, longer than the height of the tree over the ground! 


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Location: Jaisalmer, Rajasthan 345001, India

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  1. P.N. SubramanianAugust 14, 2014 at 5:15 PM

    Capparis Deciduas. The flower is really beautiful.

    ReplyDelete

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