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Jaunpur as a Seat of Bhakti Tradition and Hindi Love Lores / 59
lonely pond. The price makes her captive through a ruse. Apsara also plays a trick and escapes. Now the prince wanders everywhere in search of the fairy and finally wins her after a long and arduous journey. During his frantic search which was allegorically divine, he comes across with other fairies. Mrigavati closes with a happy ending and instruction for remaining continuously engaged in the remembrance of God.
The illustration of paintings found in Mrigavati (Figs 1 & 2 above) tells that it is not only a folk romance but it is a product of the artistic and literary taste of the society of the middle Gangetic belt of India and particularly the Jaunpur region under the Sharqi rule. Bed with mattress covered with decorative bed-sheet and pillow, articles and utensils for ready use kept below the bed, the majestic dress theme of the hero and heroine and frontal pond with flowers, ducks and fishes creating an appropriate romantic scene with multi-colour combination all are Indian in theme, spirit and presentation (Figure 1). However, the Persian kulahdar cap worn by the hero who is obviously a Hindu suggests that it was used both by the Muslims and Hindus as symbol of prestige and status for an aristocratic family. Figure 2 on the other hand suggests that the high Hindu ladies also used to ride the horses and the well decorated planquin carrying them was borne by four persons while their maids went along having been carried in simple dola made of some long cloth by two persons only.
Figure - 3
A Page from Mrigavati Bharat Kala Bhavan Collection, Varanasi
लोगनवेली न्धनासमश्य मनसा महलोगन बोदाय
seletamirallant deck vilje eshit
FiguringBen
Zimb sijohesia-u
and makelangs
alamy carpe
SULAKESIRA
klanurkku
Haveri Ontziagos nacional
Joustusarmosigarakis