Illustration from the Bhagavata Purana: Sisupalas and his Retinue
attributed to Manaku
Punjab Hills, Garwhal, circa 1775
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper
Image: 11 ⅜ x 8 ½ in.
Provenance:
Arthur L. Funk Collection acquired January 2nd, 1970
Published:
Veronica Ions, Indian Mythology, London and New York: Hamlyn (1967), p. 70.
Mukandi Lal, Garhwal Painting, India: Government Ministry of Information (1968), pp. 88-89.
Essay:
This scene from the Bhagavata Purana depicts princess Rukmini's eldest brother Rukma welcoming Shishupal's retinue and leading them to Kundinapura. Shishupala and his companion are astride gray mares whereas Rukma is astride an almond-coloured horse. Kundinapura is the capital of the Vidarbha kingdom ruled by the King Bhishmata who was Shishupala, the son of King Damaghosha and Srutashubha (the sister of Vasudeva and Kunti) was the king of the Chedi kingdom.
Rukma wanted his sister Rukmini to marry the Chedi king Shishupala, and was enraged when Rukmini eloped with Krishna. The present scene is most likely the depiction of Rukma welcoming Shishupala upon his arrival to the Vidarbha kingdom to ask for the princess's hand in marriage. The vibrant red background evokes a sense of dominance Rukma tried to exert upon his sister princess Rukmini to influence her marriage to Shishupala before she chose to elope with Krishna.
The red border conveys the fact that the painting is a part of a larger set of similar Bhagavata Purana paintings.
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