Depiction Of Proshitabhartruka Nayika And Her Pangs Of Separation In Indian Miniature Paintings

Abstract

The theme of love treated and discussed in Indian art reflects the synchronization of the philosophy of life. Painters used tender emotions to depict a woman, a nayika as the subject for their paintings, but with a certain execution, they depicted the same attractive subject coldly and callously. Similarly, an artist can transform an unmoving subject into an interesting, still, yet loudly speaking image through a lively, vibrant composition. Thus, the brilliance of a painting or its painterly value cannot be estimated at first glance, but requires a hundredfold visualisation. Suggestions and observations from different literatures are examined in depth to gain insights from a comparative study of their writings on nayika-bheda and their representations. The study focuses on Proshitabhatruka nayika, a type of woman who misses her lover who has gone on a journey and is shown with the feeling of separation which is unbearable for her. The depiction of the feeling of viraha or separation pain and grief in Indian miniature painting was studied from the point of view of an artist who painted and expressed the theme of nayika through his brushwork or his use of tactile values, figurative representation, perspective and composition. The artist’s understanding of a subject and its translation into a still image that speaks thousands of words has been given a visual language.