Krishna and Radha on a Swing (Hindol Raga) ブランコに乗るクリシュナとラーダー（ヒンドル・ラーガ）ぶらんこにのるくりしゅなとらーだー

Description

Depicted here is an illustration based on the [Hindol Raga], a piece of classical Indian music that celebrates the arrival of the rainy season. Hindol means swing, on which the Hindu god Krishna and his wife Radha sit in this painting.

The art of “miniature painting” is one of India’s best-known genres. These paintings use elaborate brushwork and vibrant colors to depict a variety of themes, including: Indian myths; Hindu gods, such as Shiva and Vishnu; portraits of kings; scenes from history; and love stories. Miniature paintings can also be enjoyed for their distinct regional styles that reflect India’s rich history of cultural diversity.

One form of Indian miniature painting is called Ragamala painting. Ragas are traditional melodies from northwestern India. Ragamala paintings depict the poetic stories of men and women that are told in those melodies. In this genre, men’s melodies are called raga, women’s melodies are called ragini, and melodies for their children are called ragaputra and ragaputri. This painting is an illustration of the Hindol Raga, a melody for a man. The word hindol means “swing.”

The blue-skinned man is the Hindu god Krishna, the most widely revered deity in Hinduism. The woman beside Krishna is his wife Radha. The couple sit together lovingly on a swing. The surrounding women rock the swing for them and play a variety of musical instruments. In the background, rain clouds are depicted filling the sky.

The Hindol Raga was originally a melody expressing joy at the arrival of the rainy season, but in the world of miniature painting that sentiment is expressed in combination with a tale of romance.