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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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Navaratri Day 5 : Dancing Girls

I was going through my photos and wondering what to post today for Navaratri. And I found this... from the outer wall of the Vitthala Temple at Hampi...


When we think of dancing with sticks, we think of Garba during Navaratri in Gujarat. But such forms of dancing aren't confined to Gujarat alone. Down south, the same is called 'Kolattam', which literally translates to 'dancing with sticks'!! And this is what is depicted here. Doesn't it look beautiful??? 

Interestingly, if you look closer, you will notice that, on the right, the last figure isn't a girl. It is a boy, holding what looks like a trumpet in one hand and a drum in the other! It is such small details which make these temples so special! 

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Location: Vitthala Temple, Nimbapura, Karnataka 583239, India

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