Vilaval Ragini, illustration from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series

The poetry that usually accompanies the Vilaval Ragini describes a young heroine (nayika) preparing to meet her lover. She is commonly shown looking into the mirror as she puts on her jewelry. In this painting, she stands on a platform on a terrace admiring herself in a mirror that a female attendant holds up. She holds the mouthpiece of a hookah in her right hand. Four other female attendants surround the heroine; one holds up a fly whisk, one holds the hookah base, one holds a fan, and the final attendant holds a garland of flowers. This painting is a pictorial metaphor for a raga, a musical phrase that is used as the basis for improvisation. Pahari style, Kangra school.