Asavari Ragini (painting, recto; text, verso), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series

On the recto side of the page, is a depiction of the Asavari Ragini, which is commonly represented by a female heroine (nayika) that charms snakes either through her dance or through her music. In this painting, the female figure, bare chested and wearing a skirt made of leaves, plays a flute while seated on a rock. A group of cobras slithers towards her. In the background on the left is a lingam, the aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva, with a snake nearby. The snake is one of Shiva’s attributes. This painting is a pictorial metaphor for a raga, a musical phrase that is used as the basis for improvisation. On the verso side of the page is Hindi text written in Devanagari script. Rajput Style, Malpura School.