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| The Rainy Season (Varsha) |
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| India, Gujarat or the Deccan; late 18th century |
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| Temple hanging (pichhavai); Opaque watercolor on dyed cotton |
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| H. 74 in. (188 cm); W. 118 in. (299.7 cm) |
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| Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection of Asian Art |
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| 1979.060 |
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| This temple hanging originally hung behind a statue of Krishna and was probably produced for a special festival related to the season and to a specific event in Krishna's life. The women flanking the central flowering tree are the cowherdesses (gopis) with whom Krishna often frolicked. They are depicted holding objects such as fans, fly whisks, and lamps that would have been offered to the statue of Krishna. The cows tended by Krishna and his consorts are shown at the bottom of the composition. At the top of the painting, the sun and moon are shown in a dark band of color that represent thunder clouds, indicating that the scene takes place during the rainy season. |
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