The month of Ashadha

Product Description

This painting is from Baramasa series of Kangra paintings, depicting the month of Ashadha (June-July). The lady wearing a muslin dupatta, the palms of her hand dyed with henna, is imploring her lover not to leave her alone in such a hot month. In the foreground is a fountain shooting up jets of water, and in the background is a temple with a group of ascetics resting, while a man is pulling water out of a well. The painting is inspired by the following verse (translated to English) of Keshavdas from Kavipriya:

Strong winds are blowing all around. In such a weather only a man of feeble mind will go out leaving his wife and home. Even the wandering ascetics give up their travels. What to talk of human beings, even the birds do not leave their nests. Lord Vishnu along with Lakshmi has gone to rest. I have never heard anybody leaving his home in the month of Ashadha.