Ramayana in Pahari Miniature Painting

Author(s): Jutta Jain
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 17

The Rāmāyaṇa In Pahari Miniature Painting
increased and they brought these new ideas into their home states. However, it was not only through the royal courts that the Vaisnava bhakti movement spread to the hill states. Many Vaişnava ascetics from the plains went to the hills and propagated their ideas. Among them Bhagwanji and his disciple Narayanji were very famous and have often been portrayed in Pahari miniatures. 10
From literature and painting it is clear that at several Pahari courts Rāma, the seventh incarnation of Vişnu, was worshipped ardently. In the bhakti cult, Rāma was depicted as the incarnation of a true, morally straightforward and lawful ruler, whereas Krsna was seen as the hero of romantic love and passion. Both these aspects had immediate appeal to the Rajput rulers of the Pahari states. They reflected ideals of chivalry, bravery and truthfulness on the one hand and sensuous feelings and love on the other, both of which form significant aspects throughout the Rajput culture. Several Pahari rulers introduced Rāma as the official god of the state and often made their personal religion the official religion of their court and state. It is said that Jagat Singh of Kulu (A. D. 1637-1672), a smaller state in the interior parts of the hills, was responsible for introducing the Vaisnava religion into Kulu.11 He placed an idol of Raghunātha ( a form of Rāma) which was brought from Ayodhyā in his newly built temple of Sultanpur. Because of the installation of the idol, Raghunātha became the ruler over Kulu. He also introduced the Dussehra festival in Kulu12, which is the celebration of Rāma's victory over Rāvana. One of his successors, Raja Jai Singh of Kulu (A.D. 1731-1742 ), gave up his royal status and transferred it to his younger brother Tedhi Singh, so that he was free to go on a pilgrimage to the holly Vaisnava centres in Oudh and end his life in complete devotion to this ista-devata (god of one's selection ) Rāma 13. In Mandi, the ruler Suraj Sen (A. D. 1637-1664) abdicated his throne in favour of god Madho Rai ( Krsna as fluteplayer ) and transferred the state rule to this god. This could however, be interpreted as an act of despair as all his 18 sons had died during his lifetime and there was no heir to the throne 14. In the State Chamba the stone idol of Raghubir became the object of worship of the royal family, but the state was not put under the rule of the deity as was the case in Kulu and Mandi15. The initiative was taken by Prithvi Singh of Chamba who brought this stone idol of Raghubir from Delhi in the year 1645. This stone idol which had earlier served as a weighing stone, was given to him by Shah Jahan16.
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