FOLIO FROM A DISPERSED RAGAMALA SERIES
Ragaputra Khokhar of Malkos Raga
Kangra, Pahari Hills, circa 1800
Opaque pigments with gold on paper, with blue-ground floral margin and white rules with a red border, a line of Devanagari in white on the upper border
9 by 7 ¼ in.; 23 by 18.5 cm. painting
11 4/5 by 9 2/3 in.; 30 by 24.5 cm. folio
PROVENANCE
John (1928-2024) and Berthe Gilmore Ford, Baltimore
Private collection, New York, 2012-26
INSCRIPTIONS
In the top border in Devanagari:
“Raga Khokhar son of Malkos” followed by the number “8.”
On a palace terrace, a lone figure in courtly attire lifts up the corner of his garment and puts one foot forward in a delicate dance step; the ankle bells on his feet indicate that he is a dancer. He stands on a stiped blue dhurrie outside a pavilion with a striking royal blue canopy embroidered in gold with cusped medallions and foliage. A panoply of musical instruments is laid before him, comprising two veenas, a tambur, sarangi, sitar, cymbals, wood castanets and a pair of kettle-drums, suggesting a performance will either begin soon or has just ended.
Kshema Karna’s sixteenth century classification of ragas or musical modes forms the basis of most Pahari ragamala paintings. In this system, the ragas are divided into six families with one parent raga, five raginis (female), and eight ragaputras or sons. Khokhar is the eighth ragaputra of Malkos; he is described as a young man in loose-fitting clothes, dancing to the music of clouds (or thunder) and drums.
In this unusual work, no music is being played but the painter has captured the subject in a dance movement. He glances backwards, frowning in concentration or as if in anticipation that the musicians will arrive soon.