Ragamala Painting: Depiction of Musical Composition
If you look at the scriptures of India and Hindu religion, you would find reference of music and the art of dancing. Samveda, one of the four basic scriptures of India, describes music as an instrument, like meditation and yoga, for attaining ultimate salvation.
By passing of time music has developed in Indian subcontinent and has became a wide-ranged subject. Indian vocal and instrumental music is based on various Ragas, collectively called as Raga Mala, or Ragamala. It means the garland of ragas.
What is Ragamala
Though the Ragamala is a musical composition, it has helped creating a series of paintings based on many ragas. As a distinct genre of artistic expression, these artworks are known as Ragamala Paintings. Under this style, the artists draw inspiration from various pieces of Indian classical music. Their colourful way of building a rhythm within a painting is marvellous. Their endeavour to embed the feel of music in paintings would take viewers to a point where such visual representations would appeal directly to their senses. Such artworks make an impact similar to music.
For an artist working under Ragamala series of paintings, it remains humble endeavour to explore the beauty of ragas and how these melodious compositions are embedded in the colours of paintings which are based on each raga.
The Subjects
The life and stories of Lord Krishna and Radha were favourite subjects amongst the painters of this style. There are six main ragas in Indian classical system of music. The miniature artists working under mughal emperors and Rajput kings had tried painting numerous frames based on them. The period of seventeenth and eighteenth century was a golden time for the miniature paintings in India.
Another subject was Shiva and Parvati. Lord Shiva is also worshipped in Hindu religion as the God of music and dance. In Ragamala paintings, he is shown as holding a musical instrument and visibly singing. His wife Parvati would sit beside him. Some of these paintings are believed to be painted by one of the pupils of master artist known as Mir Sayyid Ali. He was a renowned painter in the court of Emperor Akbar. Painted under the rule of Akbar, such pieces of art are real treasure of India.
These paintings are generally done in watercolour. The use of paper was common for the artists during this period. During reign of Emperor Akbar, the genre of miniature paintings in India had become rich in subjects, too. Many new subjects were accepted in the field of painting. This was a new concept in India painting.
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About the Author:
I write SHORT STORIES and articles ABOUT PAINTING.