Unknown
Indian (active Rajasthan)

Temple Hanging (Pichhvai) with Cowherd Girls Adoring Krishna and the Festival of the Autumn Full Moon (Sharat Purnima), 19th c. CE, early
ink and color on cotton
75 x 65 in.

Lent by Julia Emerson

RESEARCH PAPER

The pichhavai Sharat Purnima, Cowherd Girls Adoring Krishna and the Festival of the Autumn Full Moon, is one of the 24 seasonal festival themes used by Krishna devotees in the Rajasthan Province of northwest India. This is near the Vrindavan Forest where Krishna spent his youth with cowherd girls (gopis) near Mount Govardhan and the Uamura (Jammu). The painting shows Krishna as Sri Nathji, a 7 year old, surrounded by gopis.

Krishna means dark blue/black; he was born from a black hair of Vishnu, at midnight in dark half of the month that may explain why he is always shown with dark blue skin. Other symbols of Krishna in this painting include an elongated U shaped tilak, a sectarian mark worn on the forehead, tilak variations follow a general pattern of two or more vertical lines resembling the letter U and representing the foot of Vishnu, with or without a central line or dot; a peacock-feathered headdress; and kadamba trees behind him. These trees are plentiful in the Vrindavan Forest and figure in many of his exploits there. His raised left hand with the palm up refers to his holding Mount Govardhan aloft as an umbrella to protect his friends from the deluge sent by and angry Indra, who was the chief Indo-Aryan god and lord of the clouds. After the autumn harvest, Krishna convinced the villagers that they should give thanks to Lord Mount Govardhan, who overlooked the woods and pastures that supported the cowherds, rather than to Indra who then sent a deluge that lasted 7 days and 7 nights. Indra became a lesser figure in the life of the villagers. The bird nestled on his shoulder may also refer to Lord Mount Govardhan.

Krishna’s right hand is positioned as if playing his flute. One evening when the cow herders were too tired to herd the cattle, Krishna picked up his flute. The ethereal music transfixed the cattle and gopis alike. Thus the flute has come to be associated with Krishna.

Although Hindu men do not wear jewelry, gopis have gifted Krishna with strands of pearls, a flower lei, bracelets for his arms and ankles, rings for every finger and toe, tassels, a sash, and a jewel for his chin. His attire, adornment, and posture show that he is The Adored One.

Krishna is wearing a dancing costume. The short red dress has a tiered skirt with horizontal maroon bands, and a faint black, vertical line to indicate folds. Krishna wears this when he returns to dance with gopis in the Vrindavan Forest on the first full moon after the monsoons.

On either side of Krishna are 2 groups of four gopis in mirror image. All of the gopi are identical of face, dress, and size. Only their poses differ. Their two-toned red dresses, which are not saris, have front panels from waist to hem with faint black vertical lines to indicate folds. This style of dress is typical of Rajasthan. The gopis noses, ears, toes, ankles, arms, hands and chests are bejeweled like Krishna’s only less lavishly, as they are the adorers, not the adored. Their jeweled head ornaments are the elongated U shape like Krishna‘s tilak. Only married women wear tilak and toe rings. The gopis eyebrows are highly arched. Radha, Krishna’s consort, had figuratively shot arrows of amour at Krishna from the bow of her eyebrows. With one arm raised as if joining hands with Krishna in a dance, they gaze intently at Him with their large, dark, almond-shaped eyes. As Krishna can replicate himself, each gopi believes that she, and she alone, are dancing with Krishna. The 2 gopis facing away from Him imagine that they too are dancing with Him. Gopis are richly attired and bejeweled, thus giving us a clue to their identity. There are thousands of gopis and of these, 8 are Exalted and 8 are Very Exalted. These sixteen gopis are the confidants and go-betweens for Krishna and his consort, Radha. Their elaborate jewelry and large size could mean that they are the 8 Very Exalted gopis.

Krishna had high regard for nature. Much of his youth was spent in the wooded area of Vrindavan, where he tended cows, relaxed with his gopi friends, and met with his consort Radha. Thus the rich foliage of coconut palms, mangos, plantains, and kadamba found here is a natural choice for the background.

At the outer edge are tall coconut palms with coconuts clustered in the center of the fronds. The shape, height, and fruit identify them, even though they are very flat and stylized with a small amount of shading. Note how the forward placement of the pale slender trunks gives a slight suggestion of depth to the painting.

Working inward we see mango trees. There are individual rosettes of delineated leaves and fruit within the solid, tree-shaped, green areas, as though the artist wanted the viewer to know that they were a specific type of tree. The fronds of the plantain tree with the gracefully curving shapes, lead the viewer’s eye inward and frame Krishna. The light green of the spinal ribs, the shading underneath and the darker green above with the ribs drawn in faint black vertical lines make these the most realistic. Note how the fronds weave among the other trees.

In the center are the kadamba trees with their outlines sprays of leaves and whose yellow flowers burst into golden balls when it rains. The spreading kadamba tree is so richly associated with Krishna that its mere presence can stand for Him. Here it is placed directly behind Krishna, like an arrow.

Above the trees, in Indra’s blue heaven, are eight couches/chariots of heavenly beings and deities surrounding the full moon. From the zenith of the heavens which had changed entirely into an azure canopy, the spectral net of Indra was spread to the four corners of the blue-white depths of the heavens, thus the expression “Indra’s blue heaven”. The gold couches/chariots with their padded headboards and plump pillows are richly decorated with a red arabesque design. The occupants have been entranced by Krishna’s music and have come to observe and shower those below with flowers. From the left, the first two chariots carry musicians, one with a drum and the other with a sitar. Next we see a figure with a crown and companion, possibly Vishnu and his consort Laksmi. The forth chariot carries the four-headed figure of Brahma and his consort Saraswati. To the right of the moon is Shiva, sometimes shown as blue, albeit a different shade than Krishna’s blue blackness, and his consort Pavarti followed by three chariots of musicians with dilrub, sitar and drums. Above all is a band of scalloped clouds outlined in black and highlighted with white.

Below Krishna and his gopis are mirror images of a male figure and the cows and calves of the gopis. The figures could be Nanda, Krishna’s stepfather, or more likely, the donor, or the temple priest whose life embodies the respect and adoration of a Krishna devotee. If we knew the location and date of the pichhavai, the painting could be a historical record of the temple’s history.

The cattle, which have udders, are the cows of gopis, not Nandi the Bull, Mount of Shiva. Their foreheads, humps, and hooves are painted red and they are tasseled. Some gaze at Krishna and his gopis; some gaze at the viewer; and some have other interests, but all have large darkly outlined almond shaped eyes and care is given to show the brow ridge. The cows are important both visually and symbolically as they balance the composition and further identify the subject as Krishna and the cowherd girls.

Centered between the cows is a rectangular area in very poor condition. We can see trees and buildings with many openings. Across the bottom of the picture is the blue of a river, just above is a green grassy bank, and shade is given by kadamba trees. We can see steps, and platforms and the pavilions of a temple enclosure. Based on other pichhavai of Sarat Purnama and what can be seen here, this could be the Yamuna River, Ghat, and Temple enclosure. The surrounding border is very simple with stylized round red flowers and tendrils of green leaves.

Although there are some elements of western perspective, the painting is not reliant on them. The center placement of the large figures of Krishna and his gopis painted in strong colors focuses our attention and tells the story; near and far perspective is not important to this end. The rest of the objects are symbols that identify and reinforce who, where, and what.

The bands of multiple gopis with their hands raised, the cows and the arching plantain leaves give a sense of rhythm to the painting that unifies and soothes. The simple border encloses without competing with the story. Here we see each gopi imagining that she is dancing alone with Krishna in the beautiful Vrindavan Forest, along with the cows and the heavenly beings showering them all with flowers, leaving the viewer feeling privileged to be a part of the rapture.

This is an expansion of an earlier paper prepared by SBMA Docent Helen Tomkins
by Docent Jean McKibben Smith, June 2012.

A special thank you to SBMA Docent Sneh Singh for the many hours of explanations and background information she so generously provided.

Bibliography

Dallapiccola, Anna L, “Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend”, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, 2002

Krishna, Kay and Talwar, Kalyan, “In Adoration of KRISHNA; Pichhavais of Shrinathji”, Garden Silk Mills Limited, Surat, India, 2007

The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 7 Micropedia

Randhawa, M.S., “The Krishna Legend in Pahari Painting”, Lalit Kala Akadami, Jaipur House, New Delhi, India, 1956

The Sampradaya Sun Staff, “Artist of Nathadwara part 1-6”, http://www. Harekrsna.com/sun/features/05-06/features283.htm, Canada, 2006

Skelton, Robert, “Rajasthani Temple Hangings of the Krishna Cult from the collection of Karl Mann”, The American Federation of Arts, New York, 1973

Talwar, Kay and Krishna, Kalyan, “Indian Pigment Paintings on Cloth”, Historic Textiles of India at the Calico Museum, Ahmadabad, India, 1979

University Art Museum, Santa Barbara, “Images of Krishna, Painted Pichhavais of the Vallabhaites Sect, 1987

COMMENTS

Background information for Pichhavais

Hinduism is a monotheist religion in which Brahman is the supreme soul/spirit without form. Brahman is everywhere, in everything and all enduring. The various gods and goddesses of Hinduism are manifestations of Brahman’s attributes. The three main Gods are Brahma the Creator of the universe and wisdom; Shiva the Transformer/Destroyer who dances and treads on the dwarf of ignorance; and Vishnu the Protector of the world who appears in any form necessary (avatar) whenever evil threatens to overpower good. A Hindu may worship all, some or none of these Gods.

Many of the seasonal celebrations in India mark various pastimes of Lord Krishna or different phases of the agricultural cycle. But within the Vallabhaites cult of Krishna devotees (one of four distinctly different cults devoted to Krishna) there are 24 main festivals, each with its unique theme celebrating an event in Krishna’s life with the gopis and gopas. This sect is centered in the Nathadwara area of Rajasthan in western India.

In pichhavais, Vishnu appears as Krishna the nephew of Kamsa, the cruel king of Mathura. Alerted by a prediction that the 8th child of his cousin Devaki and her husband Vasudeva would kill him, Kamsa preceded to kill each of their offspring at birth. Miraculously, Krishna and his elder half brother Balarama escaped this fate when they were secretly relocated to the cattle raising area of Vrindavan where they spent their youth with the cow herders and milkmaids. During these years Krishna’s Godliness becomes apparent. It is His exploits in these years that are celebrated as the subjects of pichhavais.

Pichhavai, from 2 Sanskrit words meaning back and hanging, is a large cotton painting suspended from a high beam behind the small statue of Krishna in a Vallabhaite temple, (and other temples), or it is held aloft behind the Krishna statue in a procession. It acts much like a big screen TV. The small statue of Krishna displayed in front of the pichhavai is greeted each day by the temple priests, he is awakened, washed, dressed, adorned, fed, rested, given offerings, and put to bed as if He were of flesh and blood.

In addition to the pichhavai, there can be a canopy, coverings for the throne and steps, a stool and an offering table. On the table is a Parcheesi game (Ludo in Hindi).

The pichhavai is a cotton cloth that can be decorated with block printing, embroidery, lace or painted. Some pichhavai were painted using vegetable and mineral pigments in water, mixed with a gum resin binder and applied with a squirrel or goat hairbrush. (The squirrel is not harmed.)

The surface of the cotton is first coated with starch and stretched. When it is dry the center is marked to show where the main design will be. Then the main design elements are sketched with a charcoaled twig of Tamarind. The back is coated with a stabilizing wash to prevent the pigments from bleeding through and permit clean, crisp lines. After the basic parts of the design are painted, the details, i.e., the eyes, jewelry and an almost transparent wash for the gauze-like shawls are added. The border is painted last. The pichhavai is now complete and no additions or retouching can be done.

There are 40-50 families that produce these pichhavais and keep the style alive. This is a collaborative effort with artisans working together. These artists are kept busy as the cloth wears out due to use, natural causes or calamities The Nathadwara style is very angular and follows a traditional format that dictates the placement and presentation of objects. For the most part primary colors are used and there is little attempt at naturalism. The vertical column of symbols in the center of the pichhavai further focuses and clarifies the message. Head to body proportions are exaggerated, they are often 1/5 or 1/6 rather than the anatomical norm of 1/7. Krishna is short, elevated, and has a large head to give Him a sense of importance. It is folk art with simple, large blocks of color and minimal shading.

Much like a mural, they are meant to be seen from afar. To achieve this there is much use of symbolic objects. There is often a dramatic presentation of eyes. Alternating the up and down positions of arms gives a sense of rhythm and the horizontal mirror image bands of figures can indicate an infinite amount. In all, these strategies help the painter to project an easily read message that makes literacy unnecessary. The vertical column of symbols in the center of the pichhavai further focuses the message.

These hangings are commissioned as pious religious gifts to specific temples. They may even be gifted or sold off to raise funds for the temple when they become redundant. Pichhavai that are acquired in this way would be displayed in the home as religious art. There is much repetition of subject as the commissioning donors try to outdo each other. Obviously the amount the donor wishes to spend influences the level of opulence and complexity. The donor may even earn points towards his next life with this act of piety.

This is an expansion of a prior paper prepared by SBMA Docent Helen Tomkins by Docent Jean McKibben Smith, May 2012

REFERENCES

1. Dallapiccola, Anna L, “Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend”, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, 2002
2. Krishna, Kay and Talwar, Kalyan, “In Adoration of KRISHNA; Pichhavais of Shrinathji”, Garden Silk Mills Limited, Surat, India, 2007
3. The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 7 Micropedia
4. Randhawa, M.S., “The Krishna Legend in Pahari Painting”, Lalit Kala Akadami, Jaipur House, New Delhi, India, 1956
5. The Sampradaya Sun Staff, “Artists of Nathadwara Part 1-6”, http:/www.Haarekrsna.com/sun/features/05-06/features283.htm, Canada, 2006
6. Skelton, Robert, “Rajasthani Temple Hangings of the Krishna Cult from the collection of Karl Mann”, The American Federation of Arts, New York. 1973
7. Talwar, Kay and Krishna, Kalyan, “Indian Pigment Paintings on Cloth”, Historic Textiles of India at the Calico Museum, Ahmadabad, 1979
8. University Art Museum, Santa Barbara, “Images of Krishna, Painted Pichhavais of the Vallabhaites Sect”, 1987
A special thank you to Sneh Singh for the many hours of explanations and background information she so generously provided.