Ragamala Paintings – UPSC Notes – Art and Culture
Ragamala Paintings are a series of illustrative paintings from medieval India that showcase numerous Indian musical Ragas and are based on Ragamala or the ‘Garland of Ragas.’ They are a great example of medieval India’s blending of art, poetry, and classical music.
Ragamala Paintings Background
Ragamala paintings emerged in various Indian schools of painting during the 16th and 17th centuries. Today, they are identified by different names such as Pahari Ragamala, Rajasthan or Rajput Ragamala, Deccan Ragamala, and Mughal Ragamala.
In these paintings, each raga is personified through distinct elements like color, mood, a verse narrating a story featuring a hero and heroine (nayaka and nayika), the associated season, and the specific time of day or night suitable for singing the particular raga.
Notably, most paintings also designate the Hindu deities linked with the raga, such as Bhairava or Bhairavi to Shiva, Sri to Devi, and so forth.
Features of Ragamala Paintings
- Colorful Embodiment: Each raga is vividly represented by a specific color, narrating the tale of a hero and heroine (nayaka and nayika) in a particular mood within the paintings.
- Temporal and Seasonal Specifics: These paintings meticulously outline the season and the precise time of day and night suitable for the performance of a given raga.
- Divine Associations: Many artworks in this tradition depict Hindu deities linked with the respective ragas, such as Bhairava or Bhairavi for Shiva, Sri for Devi, and others.
- Main Ragas in Ragamala: The Ragamala typically revolves around six primary ragas: Bhairava, Deepak, Sri, Malkaush, Megha, and Hindola. Each raga adds a unique dimension to the artistic and musical narrative within the Ragamala paintings.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Ragamala Paintings:
- What is the Ragamala painting style?
- Ragamala paintings are a specific genre identified in the 15th century, rooted in the Brihaddeshi treatise from the 5th to 7th centuries. They depict musical compositions adorned with notes, coloring the hearts of men. The mood or raga is often expressed as poetry on the painting’s margins.
- What is the origin of Ragamala paintings?
- Ragamala paintings originated in most Indian painting schools during the 16th and 17th centuries. They are known today as Pahari Ragamala, Rajasthan or Rajput Ragamala, Deccan Ragamala, and Mughal Ragamala. The origin is particularly associated with Rajasthan.
- Which school of painting is Ragamala associated with?
- Ragamala painting, known as ragachitra in Indian vernacular, is associated with various medieval miniature painting schools, including Mughal, Malwa, Datia, Bundi, Kotah, Mewar, Bikaner, Kangra, Basholi, Kullu, Chamba, Bilaspur, Jammu, and the Deccan.
- Which is the early Ragamala painting of Rajasthan?
- The earliest surviving example of Ragamala painting is a set of ten images showing five ragas and five raginis, dating back to 1475. These divine figures, at least two identified as Shiva and Vishnu, are painted in the margins of a lost manuscript.
- What idea played behind Ragamala paintings?
- Ragamala paintings visualize music and mood, illustrating poetry and musical sentiments through specific human situations. Each painting portrays a dramatic situation, often centered around the theme of love.
- Which state is associated with Ragamala painting?
- Rajasthan is the origin of Ragamala paintings. Each raga in these paintings is personified by a color, describing the story of a hero and heroine. The paintings also elucidate the season and the time of day and night suitable for singing a particular raga.
- Where was the Bundi Ragamala painting?
- Bundi paintings, including the Chunar Ragamala, originated in the princely state of Bundi in Rajasthan. The Chunar Ragamala, dating back to 1591, is the earliest documented collection of Bundi paintings.
- Why is it called abstract art?
- The term “abstract” in abstract art suggests something vague and not easily grasped. However, abstract art aims to create something striking and beautiful, providing a departure from the ordinary realities of everyday life.
