Hare Krishna everybody!
I am learning Hindustani classical music and am in Kirana Gharana (This gharana i.e one of the Hindustani music groups, was said to be started by the boon given by Lord Sri Krishna!).
Recently, I found out about Ragamala miniature paintings which describe the nature of the 'ragas' through the paintings of the pastimes of Sri Krishna! Does anyone know about these paintings and can give me pictures of them? I want the 'Ragamala painting' pictures of especially: Raag Tilang, Raag Jaunpuri, Raag Bibhasa and Raag Brindavani Sarang.
Please let me know even if you have the slightest of information on these raga paintings! Thanks for reading! :)
Haribol!
Ragamala - sight and sound, ras and kaal, swar and taal.
Hare Krshna,
Anuja,
Its wonderful to know that you are learning Hindustani classical and making the connection with Radha Krshna.
Here are some internet links to a wealth of information on Ragamala Paintings.
1. Wikipedia - the great
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragamala_paintings
At the bottom of this wiki page , you will find paintings for Shri, Vasant , Hindola, and others - Radha-Krshna specific. Also Asavari, Todi...
2. This article - Describes technicalities of Ragamala Painting - colors etc.
** EDIT ** - with reference to ChitraSutra of VishnuDharmottara Purana .
http://ssubbanna.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/09/the-art-of-painting-in-an...
(Unfortunately the site has too many pop-up commercials)
3. Google Image results for Ragamala paintings
http://images.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=Ragamala+Painting...
You would know the details , but just my basic knowledge tells that various raags induce particular moods and are sung at particular times, right ?
So they accordingly express the particular pastimes of Radha Krishna from their "ashtakaaliya Leelas" - 8-fold .
The 24 hrs are divided into 8 'prahars' , which are what are used to divide the Divine Pastimes too.
Jaunpuri - 2nd or 3rd prahar of day (i think shringaar ras)
Bhairav - dawn, 1st prahar - Wake up Kanha (Jago Mohan Pyare)
Malkauns - midnight , shringaar ras
Then there are some in karun and veer ras.
I heard that Radharani's favorite is Jaunpuri / JeevanPuri. Its my favorite too.
Some are raags (male) and some are personified as Raagini (female)
(Like 'raagini Bhimpalasi', Bhairavi Raagini' etc.)
**Radharani's pet deer was named Raagini.**
4. RAGINI GUJARI
http://www.craftsinindia.com/products/miniature_painting_ragini_kangra_s...
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I learnt Hindustani Classical in childhood , and at around 15 - your age, was when my interest had peaked in the bhavas , and meanings behind them, though foolishly enough, i was still engrossed in the technicalities of taal and swar.
My teachers were affiliated to Gandharva and then Saraswati Vidyalay. Gwalhair and also Kirana Gharana sound familiar. It was all so long ago.
Hare Krshna ~
ChitraSutra
Edited the above to make the hyperlinks saner, and to mainly highlight the second link - is a very good article which references
ChitraSutra (art of drawing pictures and painting) from Vishnudharmottara Purana :
22.5. Ragamala
During the later years, another school , the Ragamala paintings too used the descriptions provided in Chitrasutra , of nature, men, women, birds, animals and plants, in each season and blended them with the mood of the Raga or its queen the Ragini ; and with the time of day and the emotional response associated with that time , to produce enchanting pictures. Those paintings are a delightful combination of art, music, poetry and a studied, controlled sophistication.
One of such pictures is Todi Ragini, a painting associated with Raga Malkauns, as its Ragini. Here, a young woman plays veena as she waits for her lover. But he’s been so long that she gets bored, distracted and a bit apprehensive. As she stops playing the veena and paces restlessly, clutching a flower garland, the deer in the park surround her as if expecting her to continue playing the melody. She’s growing sad, and fears he might not keep his date this evening.
Hare Krshna
Kangra, Bundi schools/styles, Raag Megh Malhaar